The Way We Were

and a biting wind that sliced through Maplewood like a

past. Her bags were in the trunk. Her heart, however, still felt parked somewhere between the porch

just as they re

a

ere coming to Ri

v

two separate schools feels like a

a

ot a b

v

ut it sti

a

re abo

t. A week ago, she mi

v

han an

feel him smile th

-

tudents still hurried past with earbuds in and eyes glued to phones. But Ava walked through it all like

ed their room. "You've got a glow. What happe

her bed and gave her a shee

ropped. "No. F

ghed, n

hought you two were gonna pine until one of you

l early,"

guys are actual

figuring

o what does that mean? Long-distance relation

sigh. "But we both want this. W

verything. Like, everything. And if he starts acting weird, tell him. If y

" Ava said, lau

-

back, everythi

if it was just for a few minutes. They sent each other photos-of coffe

fect, but it

built on a foundation so fami

acks bega

and a club she had promised to help organize. Their late-night talks turned into late-night texts.

ryone had cleared out for the weekend. She opened her messages and

yped:

ard from you. E

rep

-

Ava's phone

a

the internship interviews and group

Rationally, she understo

v

ish you'd said s

a

. I'm

She tossed her phone onto her

vive missed calls and unread messages. But part of her couldn't help but

-

d tired. His room was dimly lit, cluttered with p

been hit by a semest

ered. "I didn't want to b

ot a both

ding his expression. "I know

both figuring it out. I just want to be pa

dding. "Okay.

oo," she

was a

ou something

ea

if we should've ju

tunned. "Do y

ometimes. That we'll mess this up and

how hard this gets. I'd rather fight to make this w

d back tea

e you,

out of her. He'd never said

ressed to her hear

-

t snowstorms an

Ava herself. Even with the love and

osing her

much as she loved him, was still a glowing face on a screen mos

ng ran late, she opened Instagram and

h pink braids leaned close to him. Not

want to be the jealous girlfriend. But she al

alled

the sound of music still echo

ing into a quieter sp

I saw a story. Y

's birthday. Di

oked...

rowned

with the

t's Lexie. She's in my writing class. Sh

just... I

ou," he said firmly. "Y

slowly. "

t make the a

-

t on for hours, laughter that healed old wounds, dreams spoken out loud. Ot

n love and logistics. Betw

Ava wrote in her journa

rything we're not saying will eventually drown out everything we are

d scribbled deadlines. Jace's name still flashed on her phone, but less often. Their conversations were shorter. The s

ed late one We

a

we t

art sk

v

h.

a

o

and called. When his face appeared on the screen, it felt

she sai

mile was tired. His eye

been b

ded. "

e tucked her knee

ious in the text,"

said, staring down at his

knew where this was goin

e began. "You k

dded s

h other. I feel like we're stuck in limbo-always waiting for the next

htened. "So what

g there when you need me. I don't want to be

perfect," she whispered

e you deserve more than some

n sucked out of the room. "Ar

maybe we need space to figure out if thi

eyes. "You said yo

sometimes fighting doe

ingers trembling as s

t. "Maybe we both need to figure out wh

flickered

tting him off. "Let's

g sil

and a sad smile, he sai

d on to the version of him from Maplewood-the b

she whispered. "But maybe

he screen

-

ons-smiling in class, nodding in meetings, laughing at Camila

y cornered her.

ged. "We

nd Jace? But... I thou

eren't. We just... cou

ed, silent for a moment. Then:

Loving him was the most nat

mistake," Camila said. "

ed at the ceiling, letting her

-

self in coursework. She journaled more. She stayed late at the library. She did everything she could to out

r presence. Her heart thundered. She could turn around. She could walk away and pretend she hadn't seen him. But

va

dded.

ther, and for a momen

you were in t

e weekend. My co

O

pa

good," he

ank

...

gged. "S

, then back at

en he stood. "Do

ated- the

ns. Safe things. Easy things. But the tension lingered beneath ev

tightened. "I

romises. They just stood there, two

cked a curl behind he

dded.

way, heart heavier an

-

a wrote in her

tep. And maybe the timing was wrong, but the love was real. I

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