Ethan had spent all night tossing and turning, replaying his last conversation with Lila at the coffee shop.
"How do you feel about fake boyfriends turning into real ones?"
Had she been joking? Or testing the waters? Ethan groaned into his pillow. Overthinking had officially become his full-time job.
When morning finally arrived, Ethan grabbed his bag and made a beeline for class, hoping the routine would distract him. It didn't. The universe, it seemed, had other plans.
---
Campus Library, 11:30 AM
Ethan perched at a table near the back, furiously scribbling notes for an upcoming exam. He was determined to focus today.
"Ethan!"
Or not.
He looked up to see Sam and Mia charging toward him, wearing twin expressions of barely-contained excitement.
"Can we not do this here?" Ethan hissed, gesturing to the quiet signs plastered on every wall.
Sam ignored him and plopped down across the table. "We have news. Big news."
Mia dropped into the seat beside him, sliding her phone across the table. "Read it."
Ethan glanced at the screen. It was an Instagram post-a photo of Lila laughing, her face partially hidden behind a coffee cup. The caption read: "Mysterious poet boy steals my spotlight. Stay tuned."
Ethan's heart stopped. "Is this about... me?"
"Oh, it's definitely about you," Mia teased, leaning her chin on her hand. "I told you she likes you."
Ethan felt his face heat up. "It's just a post. She's probably messing with me."
Sam grinned. "You're hopeless, man. Why don't you just talk to her? Tell her how you feel."
"Because!" Ethan blurted, earning a sharp shhh from a passing librarian. He lowered his voice. "What if she doesn't feel the same way? What if I ruin everything?"
"Or," Mia said, smirking, "what if you don't ruin anything? What if you're exactly what she wants?"
Ethan buried his face in his hands. "Why do I hang out with you two?"
"Because we're your unpaid life coaches," Sam replied, patting him on the shoulder. "Now man up and go talk to her before some other guy sweeps her off her feet."
---
Steamed Up Coffee Shop, Afternoon
Ethan walked into the coffee shop, rehearsing a thousand different versions of what he was going to say. He spotted Lila behind the counter, looking as radiant as ever, her smile lighting up the room as she handed a cup to a customer.
Just talk to her. Be normal. You can do this.
But before Ethan could approach, a tall, unfamiliar guy in a leather jacket strolled up to the counter and leaned in, talking to Lila like he owned the place. Lila's eyes widened in surprise, and then... she laughed.
Ethan froze mid-step, his heart sinking. He didn't know who Leather Jacket was, but he hated him instantly.
"Ethan!" Lila's voice rang out, snapping him from his thoughts. She waved him over, her smile as bright as ever. "Perfect timing."
Ethan walked up to the counter, forcing a smile he didn't quite feel. "Hey. What's up?"
"This is Alex," Lila said, gesturing to Leather Jacket Guy. "He's an old friend from high school. Just passing through town."
"Nice to meet you, man," Alex said, extending a hand. His grin was way too confident for Ethan's liking.
Ethan shook his hand reluctantly. "Yeah. You too."
Lila leaned on the counter, her expression warm. "What brings you in today, Poet Boy? Are you stalking me, or do you actually like our coffee?"
Ethan managed a laugh, trying not to sound jealous. "Both, probably."
Lila laughed, but Alex cut in. "Wait, Poet Boy? Is that a nickname?"
Ethan opened his mouth to explain, but Lila answered first. "Oh, Ethan's a writer. Total hopeless romantic."
Alex smirked. "Sounds dangerous."
Ethan clenched his jaw, hating how much Alex looked like he belonged there-casual, charming, and utterly cool. For the first time, he felt like an outsider in his own story.
"Well," Ethan said, forcing his voice to stay light, "I should probably go. Just stopped in for a second."
Lila tilted her head, looking at him curiously. "Leaving so soon?"
"Yeah," Ethan said quickly, backing away. "I'll see you later."
As he turned and walked out of the shop, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that he was already losing her.
---
Later That Night...
Ethan sat on the couch, staring blankly at his phone. He wanted to text Lila, to ask if everything was okay, but his pride wouldn't let him.
"What's with the gloomy face?" Mia asked, sitting cross-legged beside him with a bowl of popcorn.
"Nothing," Ethan muttered.
Mia rolled her eyes. "Liar. Is this about Lila?"
Ethan hesitated, then sighed. "She had some guy at the shop today. An 'old friend.' He seemed... perfect. I felt like a total idiot."
Mia raised an eyebrow. "So you ran away?"
"I didn't run away. I just..." Ethan slumped back. "What's the point, Mia? I'm just me. I can't compete with guys like that."
Mia smacked his arm. "Stop it. You're Ethan-the guy who fake-dated her without even hesitating, the guy who makes her laugh, and the guy who she posted about on Instagram. Leather Jacket Dude doesn't stand a chance."
"You don't know that," Ethan said quietly.
"Maybe not," Mia replied, softer this time. "But I do know you'll regret it if you don't fight for her."
Ethan looked down at his phone, Lila's name glowing on the screen.
What if Mia's right? What if I'm just giving up without even trying?
With a deep breath, Ethan opened their chat and started typing.
Ethan: Hey, you free tomorrow? There's something I want to tell you.
He stared at the message for what felt like an eternity before hitting send.