As I drove home, my mind kept circling back to what Ethan had said. His words were still sinking in, and I couldn't quite wrap my head around them. It felt surreal, as if I had misunderstood, but the look on his face told me he was serious. I couldn't shake the thoughtâwas this some kind of prank? But Ethan wasn't the type to pull a stunt like this and just laugh it off afterward.
He had looked too calm, too composed for this to be a joke. That was the part I couldn't get over. If he really meant what he said, why wasn't he more upset?
But earlier that day, when I stepped into the coffee shop, there he was... sitting by the fireplace, staring into his iced coffee. The corner tableâhis favorite spot. His eyes flicked up as soon as I walked in, and he stood to give me a hug. We'd been best friends for years, but something felt off today. There was a tension hanging in the air.
He had already ordered my usual, an iced caramel macchiato. I smiled, grateful for the small gesture, and took a sip. But Ethan was watching me closely, almost too closely, like he was bracing himself for something. I leaned forward and decided to break the silence.
"What did you want to tell me?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
He blinked, as if snapping out of a trance, and then sighed. "Alissa and I broke up."
The shock hit me before I could even process the words. "Wait... what?"
He didn't seem upset. He didn't look devastated or heartbrokenâjust tired. "Yeah, it's been a long time coming. I wanted to end things weeks ago, but I didn't know how without hurting her."
I blinked again, trying to catch up. "Oh... wow." My mind scrambled for a response. "I didn't even know you were thinking about it."
He shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't tell anyone. I didn't even want to think about it myself. But things weren't working. She deserves better than someone half-in, half-out."
I sat back, absorbing his words. Ethan was always the thoughtful one, always considering how others felt before his own emotions. But this, him breaking up with Alissa, it felt huge. I couldn't quite imagine why or how they had fallen apart.
"That sucks," I muttered, feeling lame for not knowing what to say. "I mean, you okay?"
Ethan gave me a small, almost relieved smile. "I am. Honestly, I think I've been okay with it for a while now. It was just a matter of doing it."
I nodded, still unsure. "Well, I'm here for you. You know that, right?"
He smiled again, this time warmer. "Yeah, I know. Thanks."
***
I didn't feel like going home after that conversation, so I drove aimlessly until I found myself in the parking lot of a 24-hour Walmart. It wasn't where I'd planned to end up, but I grabbed a few snacks and drinks, something to keep my hands busy.
As I waited at the checkout, my mind drifted back to Ethan, to the way he had seemed so... not bothered. It was weird. Before I could lose myself in more overthinking, I spotted Cayden a few aisles over. He had a basket of beer in hand and was headed my way.
"Hey," he said with a smirk, catching my eye. "What's got you here at this time?"
I shrugged. "Could ask you the same thing."
He looked down at his basket, then back at me with an exaggerated grin. "Stocking up. You know, for emergencies."
I rolled my eyes, already used to his playful attitude. "Right, because Walmart beer is top-tier emergency material."
The cashier cleared his throat, reminding me that I had to pay. "$10.99," he said flatly, and I fumbled for the cash in my pocket.
Once I was done, Cayden caught up to me, falling into step as we walked toward the parking lot. "You got plans tonight?" he asked, his voice quieter now.
"Just... driving around. Maybe heading to the beach," I said without thinking.
His eyes brightened. "The beach, huh? Mind if I join? It's been a while since I just chilled by the ocean."
I paused. Part of me wanted to be alone, to figure out what was going on in my head, but Cayden had this way of pulling you into his orbit, making you feel like hanging out wasn't the worst thing in the world. "Sure," I finally said.
"Sweet," he said, tossing his bags into the back of his car. "I'm driving."
Before I could argue, he had taken my keys from my hand and grinned. "C'mon, it'll be fun."
***
The sound of the waves hitting the shore was soothing. I sat on the sand, my back against a rock, watching the stars blink lazily above us. Cayden had brought a picnic mat and spread it out, settling down with a beer in hand. He had already cracked open a couple, and I wondered how many it would take for him to start slurring his words.
He noticed me staring and grinned. "What, you tired of the stars? My face not good enough?"
I rolled my eyes, but his teasing brought a small smile to my lips. "Just checking to see how much you've had to drink."
"Not enough to make a fool of myself," he said, opening another can with a practiced ease. He took a long sip and leaned back, sighing contentedly. "So... what's going on with you?"
His question caught me off guard. I didn't know Cayden well enough to dive into the mess in my head, but there was something about the beach at night that made everything feel less complicated.
I shrugged, glancing at him briefly before turning back to the sky. "It's nothing. Just... stuff."
"Sounds like something," he said, his voice casual but probing. "You don't come to the beach at midnight if it's nothing."
I hesitated, then sighed. "Ethan broke up with his girlfriend."
"That why you're out here?"
I shook my head. "No, it's not that. It's just... he didn't seem upset. It threw me off, I guess."
Cayden nodded, quiet for a moment. "Maybe he was ready to let it go. People surprise you that way."
I glanced over at him, curious. "You sound like you've been there."
He laughed softly, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."
We lapsed into a comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the waves and the occasional rustle of the breeze. After a while, Cayden spoke again, his voice softer this time. "When I was eight, my mom and sister died."
The words hung in the air between us. I hadn't expected that. "I'm... I'm really sorry, Cayden."
He shrugged, but there was a sadness in his eyes. "It was a car accident. My dad was a mess after that. So was I, honestly. For a long time, I didn't know how to deal with it, so I just... didn't."
I stayed quiet, letting him talk. He seemed to need it.
"My little brother was only one, so he didn't really get it. But I felt like I had to be the strong one, you know? For him. But I was a disaster. I shut down. Stopped going home some nights, got into fights with my dad. I thought I was protecting myself, but really, I was just making everything worse."
His words settled deep, and I felt an unexpected ache in my chest for him. "That sounds... really hard," I said, wishing I had something more to offer.
Cayden smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, it was. Still is, some days. My dad's dating again now. I guess he's moving on, but I'm not there yet."
"I don't think there's a timeline for this stuff," I said quietly. "You just deal with it the best you can."
He nodded, his gaze still fixed on the stars. "Yeah... I guess."
We stayed like that for a while, both of us lost in our thoughts, the ocean murmuring softly beside us. Eventually, Cayden broke the silence with a quiet laugh. "Thanks for listening, Hailey."
I smiled, feeling a warmth between us I hadn't expected. "Anytime."
As the night stretched on, we lay there side by side, watching the stars until the world felt a little smaller, a little less lonely.
***
Here's the new update! It's already here!
I hope you guys enjoyed reading and that I'm following the schedule once again. If you don't know the schedule that I'm talking about, it's about the Update schedule that I posted on my profile. You can check it if you want so that you'll be updated.
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- The Author