The days following their dramatic confession were surreal. Suddenly, they weren't just project partners or best friends—they were a couple.
At first, everything felt perfect. Noah would surprise Ella with handwritten notes in her locker, and she'd pretend to be annoyed but secretly loved them. They walked to class together, stole glances during lectures, and spent hours on video calls, too caught up in their own world to care about anything else.
Maya teased them mercilessly. "So when's the wedding?" she asked one afternoon.
Ella rolled her eyes. "Never, if he keeps chewing with his mouth open."
Noah gasped dramatically. "Betrayal!"
They were happy. Really happy.
But reality had a way of sneaking in when they least expected it.
As their final exams approached, stress levels skyrocketed. Ella, who had always been a perfectionist, buried herself in studying, pulling all-nighters and skipping hangouts.
At first, Noah was supportive. "I'll quiz you," he offered. "Flashcards? Coffee runs?"
But as days passed and Ella became more distant, he started feeling like an afterthought.
One night, after Ella canceled their date last minute to study, Noah snapped.
"You can't even take one break?" he asked, frustrated.
Ella sighed, rubbing her temples. "Noah, this is important."
"And I'm not?"
She looked up, surprised by the hurt in his voice. "That's not what I meant."
"Then what do you mean?"
Silence.
For the first time since getting together, they realized that love wasn't just grand gestures and late-night talks—it was also about balance. And right now, they were struggling to find it.
Just as they started patching things up, another issue arose—jealousy.
One afternoon, Ella was working on a group project with a classmate, Liam. He was friendly, charming, and a little too comfortable in her personal space.
Noah, walking past the library, saw Liam leaning in close, whispering something to Ella.
His stomach twisted.
Later that night, he brought it up. "So… Liam?"
Ella frowned. "What about him?"
"You two looked pretty cozy."
Ella scoffed. "Oh my God, seriously? He was just helping me with our presentation."
"Didn't look like that."
Ella crossed her arms. "So now I can't even have guy friends?"
Noah sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That's not what I'm saying, but… I don't know, it just bothered me."
Ella softened. "Noah, I'm with you. Not him. Not anyone else. Just you."
He exhaled, nodding. "Yeah. You're right. I'm being dumb."
But even as they moved past the argument, a nagging doubt lingered in both their minds.
Their fights became more frequent—small things that wouldn't have mattered before suddenly felt huge.
One night, it all came to a head.
"I feel like I'm walking on eggshells around you," Ella admitted, frustrated.
Noah looked away. "And I feel like you don't need me anymore."
Ella's heart clenched. "That's not true."
"Then why do I feel like I'm always chasing after you?"
Silence.
Neither had an answer.
And for the first time since getting together, they wondered: Were they really meant to be?