Noelle let out a soft sigh of relief, the weight of the moment momentarily lifting. She pulled out her phone with a quick flick of her wrist, the screen lighting up her face as her fingers hovered over the keys. She hesitated for only a beat before typing, her thoughts a blur. Hey, Mei Ling… what's going on? Her thumb hovered over the send button as if hesitation could make the truth easier to digest. Finally, she pressed it.
Within minutes, her phone buzzed. Mei Ling's reply was short but sharp: I thought you knew. He… he's dating me now. Sorry.
Noelle stared at the message, heart sinking, mind spinning. She hadn't expected the words to feel like a punch in the gut. Not like this, not now, not after everything.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard again, debating whether to ask more, to defend herself, or to just let it go. The screen glowed in the dark, reflecting the storm of confusion and hurt swirling inside her.
Noelle stared at Mei Ling's message, fingers trembling slightly as she typed back: Why?
There was a pause before the reply came, and when it did, it stung more than she expected:
I was interested… back then. But Ethan seemed keen on you, so I never brought it up. After you turned him down, I asked him out. He said yes.
Noelle's heart lurched, a mix of disbelief and frustration twisting in her chest. It made a strange kind of sense, and yet it didn't make it hurt any less. She reread the message, trying to digest it.
So… you just waited until I said no? she typed, a twinge of accusation hidden in the words.
It's not like that, Mei Ling replied quickly. I liked him too. It just… felt like the timing was right then.
Noelle dropped her phone onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Hurt, confusion, and a small spark of guilt collided in her chest. She had turned Ethan down but somehow, even that small act had set off a chain of events she wasn't ready for.
A few days later, Noelle hesitated at the café entrance, half-expecting Mei Ling to cancel at the last minute. But there she was by the window, waving with that familiar bright smile... and beside her, to Noelle's surprise, sat Ethan.
For a heartbeat, Noelle froze. Mei Ling stood, hugging her lightly.
"Hey! I didn't mention Ethan was coming... hope that's okay?"
Noelle forced a small smile. "Yeah. Sure."
The conversation felt strange, like walking across thin ice. Mei Ling tried to keep things light but Ethan's occasional glances made Noelle's skin prickle. When Mei Ling excused herself to take a call outside, the silence between Noelle and Ethan stretched too long.
"I didn't expect to see you here," Noelle said finally.
He shrugged. "Guess Mei Ling thought it'd be… less awkward if we all meet more often and talked."
The way he said it made it more awkward.
After a few minutes, Noelle excused herself to the washroom, needing air more than anything. She splashed cool water on her face, staring at her reflection, trying to quiet the strange tangle of old feelings and new unease.
The door clicked shut behind her. The sound made Noelle turn, expecting another customer but it was Ethan.
Her stomach tightened. "You're not supposed to be in here," she said quietly.
He smiled, uncertain, almost nervous. "I know. I just… wanted to clear the air. You disappeared so fast last time. I never got to say what I—"
"Ethan." She cut him off. Her voice trembled but she held his gaze. "This isn't the place."
He stepped closer, too close. The air smelled faintly of coffee and the sharp edge of his cologne.
"Noelle, I made a mistake back then. You said no but… I thought maybe—"
"Stop." She backed up until her shoulders brushed the tiled wall. Her fingers gripped the basin, knuckles white.
His hand lifted, hovering near her face as if to touch her cheek. For a heartbeat, she froze, part disbelief, part fear, and then she turned her head sharply away.
"Don't," she said again, louder this time.
The word seemed to cut through the air. Ethan blinked, startled. The fragile confidence drained from his expression, leaving something raw and embarrassed behind.
"I—I wasn't trying to—" he began, but she had already sidestepped him, moving toward the door.
"Just go," she said. Her voice shook but the finality in it left no room for argument.
He hesitated, then left without another word. The door swung shut behind him, leaving the faint echo of footsteps fading into the café noise beyond.
Noelle stayed there for a long moment, gripping the edge of the sink. Her reflection looked pale and unfamiliar with her eyes wide, jaw tight. She hated that she was shaking. She hated that she had to be afraid at all.
After a while, she washed her hands, even though they were clean, just to steady them. Then she forced herself to walk back out, one step at a time.
When Noelle stepped back into the café, the noise of clinking cups and low chatter felt distant, muffled, like she was underwater.
Mei Ling looked up immediately. "Hey, you okay? Ethan said he had to run: something came up last minute." She gave a small laugh, trying to brush off the awkwardness. "You know him, always rushing off somewhere."
Noelle managed a nod. "Yeah… I guess." Her voice came out thinner than she meant.
Mei Ling tilted her head. "You sure you're alright? You look a little pale."
"I'm fine," Noelle said quickly. Too quickly. She tried to smile but it didn't reach her eyes. Her fingers twisted around the strap of her bag, restless, fidgeting.
Mei Ling hesitated, then smiled softly. "Okay. Maybe we can hang out another time when things are less weird?"
"Yeah," Noelle said. "Maybe."
She gathered her things and stood. The air felt too heavy, the space too small. Only when she left the cafe did she realise how fast her heart was still beating.
Each step toward the bus stop felt mechanical. She checked her phone for unread messages, notifications but couldn't focus on any of them. The street sounds blurred together: cars, voices, laughter. It all moved around her but none of it seemed to reach her.
When the bus came, she sat by the window, forehead against the glass. Her reflection looked calm enough but inside she felt like she was unraveling. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the door creak open, the way Ethan had looked at her with that flicker of something she couldn't quite name but would never forget.
The street was nearly empty when Noelle stepped off the bus. The air had cooled, leaves brushing against the pavement with each gust of wind. She hugged her coat tighter and kept her eyes down, counting the steps to her building.
Halfway down the block, she heard footsteps. Soft at first — then matching her pace.
Her pulse spiked. She glanced back.
Ethan.
He stood under the streetlight, hands shoved into his jacket pockets, expression unreadable.
Noelle froze. "What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to talk," he said quickly. "Please — just listen. I didn't mean to scare you earlier."
She took a small step back. "You did scare me. You shouldn't be here."
"I know," he said. "I know, and I'm sorry. I just—when I saw you again today, it… did something to me.
I realized I still care about you. That I never really stopped." His voice wavered, almost pleading. "I didn't mean to cross a line, I just—I can't get you out of my head."
Noelle shook her head, clutching her bag strap tight. "You don't get to say that. Not after what you did."
He took a step closer. The streetlight threw long shadows across his face. "Please, Noelle, I just want to explain—"
"Don't," she said sharply. "Don't come any closer."
Something in her tone made him stop. For a moment, the two of them just stood there; the quiet hum of distant traffic between them.
"I'm going inside," she said, voice firm despite the tremor beneath it. "If you follow me, I'm calling the police."