The city's skyline stretched out before Malia, a jagged collection of glass and steel that mirrored the chaos within her. The meeting had gone well, better than expected, but it wasn't enough to overshadow the weight of what was happening in her personal life. Ethan's confession still lingered, his words echoing in her mind like a sweet song she wasn't sure how to respond to.
You deserve someone who sees you for the amazing person you are...
It was the "someone" part that made her uneasy. Because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the nagging truth: Ethan had always been there. And, no matter what her heart said about Nixus, he hadn't.
Malia took a breath and glanced down at her phone, her inbox flooded with notifications, each one another reminder of her obligations, but there was one message that caught her attention.
It was from Ethan: "Hey, hope we're still on for tonight. Just wanted to check in."
