Ella sat on her bed, scrolling through her phone absently. The past few days had been a blur—filled with awkward silences, missed calls, and unresolved tension. She hadn't heard from Leo since their argument in the café. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she'd overreacted, but the jealousy was still there. It gnawed at her every time she thought about Leo and Chloe.
She couldn't help it. Chloe had always been present—hovering just at the edges of Leo's life, even though they were no longer together. Ella had known about their history, about the heartbreak they'd shared, but there was something about Chloe's confidence, her beauty, and the way she always seemed to know exactly where Leo was that made Ella feel like she was competing for a place she could never truly have.
Her phone buzzed on the bed beside her, and she picked it up, hesitating for a moment before unlocking it. Leo's name appeared on the screen. Her stomach did a flip. Should she answer? What would he say? Was he angry, still hurt from the argument?
She took a deep breath and pressed the green button. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Leo." His voice was steady, but there was something guarded in it, as if he was treading carefully. "Can we talk?"
Ella's heart beat faster. She wanted to believe that this would be the moment they would sort things out, but she couldn't ignore the knot in her stomach. "Yeah. Where are you?"
"I'm at the library. Come by when you can." His tone softened a little, and Ella could tell he wanted this conversation just as much as she did.
"I'll be there soon," she said, and hung up without another word.
---
When Ella arrived at the library, Leo was sitting alone at a table, flipping through some textbooks. He looked up as she approached, his expression neutral, but his eyes held a question. She could tell he was just as unsure as she was about where they stood.
"Hey," she said softly, standing a few feet away from him.
"Hey," Leo replied, his voice low. "I'm glad you came."
Ella nodded, stepping closer. She couldn't stand the tension between them, the words unsaid, the hurt lingering in the air. She needed answers. She needed to understand.
"I just… I don't get it, Leo," Ella began, her voice shaky. "You know how I feel about you, but I keep seeing Chloe around. I don't know where I stand with you. And every time she's around, I feel like I'm just some second choice."
Leo leaned back in his chair, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made her heart race. "Ella," he said, his voice firm but gentle, "Chloe is my ex. She's not a part of my life anymore, not like that. She's been trying to stay in my world, trying to make me feel like we can pick up where we left off, but that's not happening. It's not."
Ella swallowed, the lump in her throat growing. "Then why does it feel like she's always there? I see the way she looks at you. The way you talk to her. It makes me feel like I don't even have a chance."
"I'm sorry," Leo said, his voice softening. "I never meant for you to feel that way. Chloe's been persistent, but it doesn't mean anything. She's not the one I want, Ella. It's always been you."
Ella felt her chest tighten, the weight of his words hitting her all at once. But doubts still clung to her mind. She had seen the way Chloe acted around Leo. She had seen how easily they slipped into conversation, how comfortable they were around each other. It was hard not to feel threatened by it.
"But I keep seeing it," Ella murmured, her eyes searching his. "I see her hanging around you, and I feel like I'm just… waiting for her to come back into the picture."
Leo reached out, taking her hand gently in his. "Ella, listen to me. Chloe is in my past. She's not in my future. I'm not giving her any more of my time. I want to be with you. I've always wanted that."
Ella stared at him, trying to find the truth in his eyes. She wanted to believe him. She really did. But it was hard to push past the images in her mind—the memories of Chloe and Leo together, the way Chloe always seemed to worm her way back into his life.
"I don't want to be second to anyone," Ella said quietly, almost afraid to say the words out loud. "I want to know that you're not just keeping me around until something better comes along. I don't want to be the one who's left behind."
Leo's grip on her hand tightened, his voice low and earnest. "You won't be. You're not second to anyone, Ella. You're the one I want. I want this to be real, with you. I'm not holding onto anything from the past."
Ella looked at him, the doubt still lingering in her chest, but she could see the sincerity in his eyes. For the first time in days, she felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe they could work through this. Maybe she could trust him.
"I just… I need to know that I'm not wasting my time," Ella admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Leo stood up, pulling her into his arms. "You're not wasting your time, Ella. I promise you that. We'll figure this out together."
She closed her eyes, resting her head against his chest. She wasn't sure if all her fears were gone yet, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like maybe—just maybe—they could be something real.