Morning came too fast.
I barely slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, my brain replayed everything.
Ethan's face under the streetlight.
His hand in mine.
"Let's try."
Lena's name flashing on his screen.
"I'm coming."
It felt like two different stories fighting inside my head.
One soft.
One painful.
And somehow, I was stuck in the middle of both.
My phone buzzed.
I grabbed it immediately.
Ethan.
"Just got home. Knocked out at the hospital chair lol. You awake?"
I smiled a little.
He always adds "lol" even when nothing is funny.
"Yeah. You should sleep properly."
"After I see you today."
My heart skipped.
"See me?"
"Yeah. Didn't finish our talk. And I owe you breakfast."
I stared at the screen like an idiot.
Why does he make it so hard to stay mad?
"Okay," I typed.
Simple.
But my chest felt warm.
By afternoon, we agreed to meet at the small café again.
Same place everything started.
I got there first this time too.
Somehow I'm always the one waiting.
I sat down, watching people walk past, pretending not to check the door every five seconds.
Then it opened.
But it wasn't Ethan.
It was Lena.
My stomach dropped so fast it almost hurt.
She walked in slowly, one arm wrapped in a white bandage, a small plaster near her eyebrow. Nothing serious. But enough to look fragile.
Enough to look like someone you'd want to protect.
When she saw me, she paused.
Surprised.
Then she gave me that same calm smile.
"Hey," she said softly. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"Yeah," I replied carefully. "Just… chilling."
She nodded and sat at the next table.
Not mine.
But close enough.
Too close.
The air suddenly felt tight.
Awkward.
Why is she here?
Does she know Ethan is coming?
Or is this just bad luck?
My heart started beating faster.
Then the door opened again.
Ethan walked in.
And the moment he spotted us both?
He froze.
Actually froze.
Like life just set him up on purpose.
"Mira," he said.
Then, "Lena?"
His eyes moved between us like he was solving a math problem.
"You're both here?"
"No way," Lena said lightly. "You invited her too?"
Invited.
That word hit weird.
"I asked Mira to come," he said quickly. "I didn't know you'd be here."
"I just wanted coffee," she replied with a small shrug.
Silence.
Thick.
Uncomfortable.
This has to be a joke.
The universe is playing with me.
"Uh… we can all sit," Ethan said awkwardly.
I wanted to say no.
I really did.
But leaving would make me look weak.
So I stayed.
Worst decision ever.
We sat at one table.
Three of us.
Like some strange love triangle movie.
Except nobody's laughing.
"So," Lena said, stirring her drink slowly, "thanks for last night, Ethan. I don't know what I would've done if you didn't come."
"It's nothing," he replied.
Nothing.
But he drove across town at midnight.
Okay.
Cool.
She smiled at him. Soft. Grateful. Familiar.
"You've always taken care of me," she added.
Always.
That word stabbed.
I stared at my cup so they wouldn't see my face.
Then she turned to me.
"You're lucky, you know," she said gently. "He's the type that shows up. Not many guys do that."
Lucky.
Funny.
Because I don't feel lucky.
I feel like I'm sharing.
"I know," I said quietly.
Ethan cleared his throat. "Lena—"
"I'm just saying," she continued, smiling. "We've been through so much together. It's nice he hasn't changed."
We.
We've been.
Together.
Every sentence had history inside it.
Years I wasn't part of.
Memories I couldn't compete with.
Private jokes I didn't understand.
I suddenly felt like a guest in their story.
Like I came late to a movie that already started.
They began talking about old stuff.
"Remember that beach trip?"
"That time we got lost?"
"That stupid fight we had?"
They laughed.
And I just sat there.
Smiling politely.
Dying quietly.
Because no matter how much Ethan says I'm "now"…
History is loud.
History is heavy.
History doesn't shut up.
After ten minutes, I couldn't take it anymore.
"I'll be right back," I muttered.
I walked out before either of them could stop me.
The air outside felt easier to breathe.
My chest still hurt though.
God.
Why am I even here?
Why am I trying so hard?
Maybe Lena was right.
Maybe you really can't compete with history.
Maybe some people are just meant to find their way back to each other.
And I'm just…
Temporary.
The space in between.
I wiped my face angrily.
I didn't even realize I was crying.
Stupid.
So stupid.
Just as I was about to leave—
"Mira!"
Footsteps behind me.
Ethan.
Of course.
He grabbed my wrist gently.
"Why'd you walk out?"
I laughed bitterly.
"Seriously? You don't know?"
"I was just talking—"
"You weren't just talking," I snapped. "You were reliving your whole love story right in front of me."
His face fell.
"That's not what it is."
"Then what is it, Ethan? Because every time she's around, I disappear."
"That's not true."
"It is!" My voice broke. "I feel invisible next to her."
Silence.
Then softer, weaker—
"I can't keep fighting your past every single day."
He stared at me.
Like my words finally hit him properly.
And for the first time…
He didn't have anything to say.
And that silence?
That's where everything starts breaking.