Chapter 25: Unspoken Boundaries
The morning after trivia night was filled with a strange, almost uncomfortable silence between Ayla and Caden. It was as if the air between them had thickened, weighed down by unspoken words.
Ayla tried to go about her day as usual, convincing herself that she wasn't reading too much into what Caden had said. But every time she caught herself replaying his words—"Maybe we don't have to pretend anymore."—her heart raced a little faster.
As she sat in her office, attempting to focus on her tasks, her phone buzzed with a message from him.
Caden: "Coffee break?"
She hesitated for a moment before replying.
Ayla: "Meet you in 10?"
When she arrived at the café, she found him sitting at their usual table, a faint smile on his face. She took a deep breath and slid into the seat across from him.
"Hey," she said, trying to sound casual.
"Hey." Caden gave her a crooked grin, his gaze soft but searching. "You looked like you could use some caffeine."
She laughed, glad for the distraction. "You're not wrong."
As they chatted about their usual nonsense, Ayla felt the tension ease. But beneath the surface, questions still buzzed in her mind. Why had he looked at her like that last night? Did he really mean what he'd said, or was it just part of their act?
Halfway through their conversation, he brought up a topic she hadn't expected.
"So, my mom asked about you," he said, scratching the back of his neck in a way that hinted at discomfort.
Ayla raised an eyebrow. "Your mom? What did she say?"
"She wanted to know more about 'the girl I've been spending so much time with,'" he explained, using air quotes. "I told her you were… special to me."
The weight of his words settled over them, and Ayla's cheeks flushed.
"You… you said I was special?" she echoed, almost afraid to believe it.
"Yeah." He shrugged, looking away. "I mean, I didn't exactly lie. You are special, Ayla."
A flutter of warmth spread through her, but it was tinged with caution. Just as she was about to respond, the door to the café swung open, and in walked Clara, one of Caden's old friends. The type of friend Ayla always felt a little insecure around. Clara was beautiful, confident, and had known Caden far longer than Ayla had.
Clara spotted them and waved, sauntering over with a bright smile. "Caden! Long time no see!" She glanced at Ayla, her smile turning polite. "And Ayla, right?"
"Yes, that's me," Ayla replied, trying to hide the sudden awkwardness she felt.
Without waiting for an invitation, Clara sat down next to Caden, immediately launching into a story about her recent vacation. Ayla tried to act interested, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was suddenly intruding on something private. Caden seemed genuinely happy to see Clara, laughing and joking in a way that was so familiar.
For the first time, Ayla felt like an outsider.
After a few more minutes, she forced a smile and stood up. "I should get back to work. Deadlines, you know."
Caden's smile faded as he looked up at her, sensing something off. "Already? But we didn't even—"
"I'll see you later," she said, giving him a quick wave before practically bolting out the door.
As she walked back to her office, Ayla couldn't shake the strange twist of jealousy that knotted her stomach. She knew it was irrational, that she had no right to feel possessive over Caden, especially when they weren't actually together. But somehow, seeing him with Clara had stirred something in her that she hadn't expected.
Later that evening, her phone buzzed again. It was a text from Caden.
Caden: "Hey, you okay? You left in a hurry."
She stared at the screen, debating how to respond. Part of her wanted to tell him the truth—that she was feeling things she couldn't even explain. But another part of her feared that honesty would change everything between them.
Finally, she replied.
Ayla: "Yeah, just had a lot on my mind. All good, though!"
She hoped the cheerful tone of her message would throw him off the scent. She didn't want him to know how affected she'd been by Clara's appearance, or how his words from the previous night kept echoing in her head.
His reply came almost immediately.
Caden: "Good. Just making sure. We're still on for dinner tomorrow?"
Ayla: "Of course! See you then."
As she put her phone down, Ayla took a deep breath, steeling herself. Whatever she was feeling, she'd have to keep it in check. After all, she had no right to be jealous or possessive… right?
But as she lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, she couldn't shake the feeling that something fundamental between them had shifted. And whether that change would bring them closer together or push them further apart was a question she was both terrified and excited to answer.