GRACE VULNERABILITY
One evening, as they strolled through the park, Grace stopped suddenly, staring at the moonlit path ahead.
"I need to ask you something," she said, her voice hesitant.
Ethan turned to her, his brow furrowing in concern. "What is it?"
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, crossing her arms as if to shield herself from the answer. "Why are you spending time with me when you know how this ends?"
Ethan's expression softened. He stepped closer, his hands sliding into his coat pockets. "Because I like you, Grace. And because every moment I spend with you feels… real. More real than anything I've felt in a long time."
Grace blinked back tears. "But I'm not… I'm not someone you can build a future with. You know that, right?"
Ethan nodded. "I know. But that doesn't mean we can't have something beautiful now."
Grace swallowed hard, her heart aching at his words. She didn't know if she had the strength to let herself fall for him, but she couldn't deny the pull she felt toward him.
A week later, over dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant, Ethan shared a piece of his own past.
"My mom passed away when I was fourteen," he said, twirling his fork in his pasta.
Grace looked at him, her heart sinking. "I'm so sorry."
Ethan shrugged, though his eyes were distant. "She had this rare autoimmune disease. By the time they figured out what it was, it was too late. Watching her go through that… it changed me. It made me realize how precious time is."
Grace reached across the table and touched his hand. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
He smiled faintly, his thumb brushing against her fingers. "Maybe that's why I don't want to waste a second now."
Their eyes met, and in that moment, Grace felt a connection so deep it scared her.
On a chilly December evening, Ethan showed up at Grace's apartment with a mischievous grin.
"What are you up to?" she asked as he led her out to the courtyard.
"Wait here," he said, pulling out his phone. A moment later, music began to play—soft, romantic, and familiar.
"Is this… Frank Sinatra?" she asked, smiling despite herself.
Ethan bowed dramatically. "May I have this dance?"
Grace laughed. "There's no one else out here, Ethan."
"Exactly. No one to judge my terrible dancing," he replied, taking her hand.
He pulled her close, and they swayed under the faint glow of the courtyard lights. Grace rested her head against his chest, letting herself be carried away by the moment.
For the first time in years, she felt truly alive.