Ethan told himself he was imagining things. That the late-night texts Aria quickly hid, the sudden "study groups" that didn't add up, the lipstick smudges on shirts that weren't his—those were coincidences. If he admitted what they really were, his world would collapse.
But truth doesn't stay buried forever.
It was a Wednesday evening when Ethan's chest caved in. He'd been walking back from the library when he saw them: Aria and a tall guy with dreadlocks, leaning against his car outside a café.
She was laughing, head tilted in that familiar way, her hand resting casually on his chest. The guy bent down and kissed her like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Ethan stopped dead, books slipping from his hands onto the pavement. The sound made Aria look up. For a split second, her eyes widened with shock—but then she smiled.
Like nothing was wrong.
"Ethan," she called, as if they'd just bumped into each other in class. "Hey!"
The man shifted awkwardly, muttering something about leaving. He gave Ethan a nod and walked away, leaving the two of them in a silence so heavy it felt suffocating.
Ethan's hands trembled. "What was that?"
Aria sighed, stepping closer. "Don't make a scene."
"What was that, Aria?" he repeated, his voice breaking.
She rolled her eyes. "It was just a kiss. God, you act like I slept with him right here in the street."
Ethan's throat tightened. "But you did sleep with him, didn't you?"
Her silence was all the answer he needed.
That night, they sat in her apartment, the air between them thick with smoke from her cigarette.
"I don't understand," Ethan whispered. "Why me? If you want to be with other people, why are you with me at all?"
Aria leaned back, exhaling. "Because you're different. You're safe. You make me feel…grounded. And sometimes, I need that."
Ethan's chest ached. "Then why hurt me?"
She shrugged, her eyes unreadable. "Because I can't be what you want, Ethan. I told you from the start—I don't belong to anyone."
His vision blurred. "But I belong to you."
Aria reached across the couch, touching his cheek gently. "And that's why I can't let you go."
The contradiction was maddening, but Ethan melted under her touch. When she kissed him that night, tears slipped silently down his face.
The next morning, Daniel cornered him in the cafeteria.
"Tell me you're done with her," Daniel said.
Ethan looked down at his untouched plate. "I can't."
"Ethan, she's cheating on you. Everyone knows it now. Don't you have any self-respect?"
Ethan's voice cracked. "You don't understand. I love her."
Daniel slammed his fist against the table, startling nearby students. "That's not love, man! That's chains. She's breaking you and you're letting her."
Ethan wanted to be angry, but he couldn't. Because Daniel was right. And yet, the thought of walking away felt like suffocating.
That weekend, Aria showed up at Ethan's dorm like nothing had happened. She brought his favorite pastries and sprawled across his bed, scrolling through his playlist as if she owned the place.
"You're still mad at me," she said casually.
"I'm hurt," Ethan corrected.
She turned, eyes glittering. "Then hurt with me. Stay with me, Ethan. No one else will ever love you the way I do."
And the worst part? He believed her.
Later that night, when Ethan lay awake staring at the ceiling, he realized something terrifying.
Aria had betrayed him in the most painful way possible, and yet he couldn't leave.
She was poison, and he was drinking deep.
Because even after the first betrayal, Ethan knew he would forgive her a thousand times more.