While I was having a late-night deep talk with Harry, my phone buzzed with multiple notifications. Just as I was about to put it on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, a name popped up—Kaia. A part of me felt excited, but another part ached. Why was she texting me in the middle of the night?
At first, I tried to ignore it, but more texts kept coming in, one after another, until curiosity got the better of me. I picked up my phone and opened her messages.
 
Kaia: Mae… I apologize for what happened before. It wasn’t my intention to hurt you, and I realize my words didn’t comfort you at all—they only left you in pain.
 
Kaia: Can you give me a chance to talk about that again?
 
Kaia: Maybe there’s something we can discuss, something that can bring both of us some peace.
 
Kaia: Actually…
 
While she was still typing, my mind spun in circles. Is there a possibility for us to be together? Then…
 
Kaia: I just realized it… I don’t think I can lose you. I’m confused about my feelings toward you, Mae, but they’re stronger than I’ve admitted—to you and to myself. This marriage… it’s been arranged by my family. They expect me to follow through, to be the perfect daughter who honours our family’s wishes. But when I think about walking down that aisle, all I see is you.
 
Kaia: I need to know… if you’re willing to be my ride-or-die partner, Mae. If you can stand beside me—against the expectations, the pressure, everything—I’ll Walk away from this marriage. I’ll choose us, if there even is an us to choose.
 
Her words hit me like a wave, leaving me gasping for air. My heart raced, caught between the thrill of possibility and the fear of heartbreak. Could I be that person for her? Could we be something real in a world that seemed set against us?
I stared at the screen, my fingers hovering over the keyboard, unsure of how to respond. Memories of every stolen glance, every fleeting moment we shared, rushed through my mind like a flood. The way her eyes softened when they met mine, the casual touches that lingered a second too long, the way my heart always betrayed me whenever she was near—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle I had been too afraid to put together.
But this wasn’t just about feelings. This was about us against the world. Could I handle the whispers, the judgment, the fallout from her family’s expectations? Could I be strong enough for both of us when things got tough? Because love wasn’t always enough. Love needed courage. Love needed sacrifice.
I thought about the wedding—the one I had been silently dreading ever since she announced it. How was I supposed to sit there, pretending to be happy for her, while my heart was breaking into a million pieces? But now, there was a chance, a slim, fragile chance that things could be different. That we could be different.
Yet, as much as I wanted this, I couldn’t ignore the truth. I didn’t want to become someone who ruined her relationship with her family. I wasn’t that cruel. And deep down, I knew my own mother would never accept this kind of relationship. The weight of both our worlds felt heavier than ever.
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on me. My fingers finally moved, typing out the words that felt both terrifying and liberating.
 
Me: Kaia… I don’t know what to say. Your words mean more to me than you can imagine. But this isn’t just about us. It’s about the life you’re leaving behind, the people you’re going to hurt. I don’t want to become someone who ruins your family relationship. I’m not that cruel.
 
I hesitated, staring at the blinking cursor, before continuing.
 
Me: Are you sure you’re ready for that? Because if you are… I’ll be here. I’ll stand by you. But only if you’re certain this is what you want.
 
I hit send before I could second-guess myself, my heart pounding so loud it echoed in my ears. The message sat there on the screen, staring back at me like a loaded question. Now, all I could do was wait—wait for the answer that could change everything.
The seconds dragged, each one feeling like it stretched forever.
Then—ping.
 
Kaia: Can I come over to your place?
 
My breath hitched. I stared at the words, trying to process them. Come over? This late? My fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitating, heart racing like it was trying to escape my chest.
 
Me: It’s late, Kaia… I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.
 
I bit my lip after hitting send, wondering if that sounded too cold, too distant. But before I could spiral further, my phone buzzed again.
 
Kaia: Ah… you should look out your window. See if you can spot the front gate.
 
What!?
 
My stomach twisted into a knot the moment I saw her. Kaia—standing outside my house like she belonged there, hands stuffed in her jacket pockets, staring up at my window as if she’d been waiting for me all this time. The dim glow of the streetlight traced the sharp lines of her face, casting shadows beneath her tired eyes. But there was something else there, something flickering beneath the surface. A silent plea.
A rush of emotions tangled in my chest—fear, excitement, guilt. I hesitated, my fingers gripping the curtain, torn between closing it and throwing it open wider.
I shouldn’t do this.
I should turn away.
I wanted to let her in.
The war inside me raged for what felt like forever before I moved. Before I gave in. My hands shook as I crept to the front door, my breath shallow, ears straining for any sign of my mother stirring. The old wooden boards groaned beneath my steps, but the house remained silent. My heart pounded against my ribs, screaming at me to stop, to think, but I ignored it.
The night air was sharp against my skin as I pulled the door open just enough for Kaia to slip through. Just for her. She stepped inside, and suddenly, she was close. Too close.
I led her to my room without a word, my pulse thundering in my ears. The second the door clicked shut behind us, reality hit.
I shouldn’t have done this.
Kaia leaned against the wall, watching me with that familiar half-smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. There was something raw behind it, something fragile.
“Kaia, what are you doing here?” My voice came out uneven, caught between a whisper and a breath.
Her gaze softened, the teasing edge in her expression dimming. “Are you still mad at me?”
Mad? Was I mad? I didn’t even know anymore. My emotions were a tangled mess, a storm of everything I had been trying to bury. I rubbed my arms, trying to ground myself in something real, something solid.
“No…” The word slipped out before I could stop it. I swallowed, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “It’s just—you shouldn’t be here. You have a life waiting for you. A future. What am I supposed to do with this, Kaia?”
Her eyes darkened, and in one slow movement, she pushed off the wall and closed the distance between us. My breath caught.
“Tell me to stay,” she whispered, her voice raw, desperate. “Tell me you want me, and I won’t leave.”
Something inside me fractured. I could feel the weight of her words pressing into my chest, suffocating, overwhelming. For a single, fleeting second, I considered it.
Tell her to stay.
But the words never came.
.
.
.
 
[Kaia’s POV]
 
I never believed in fate.
People like to say some things are meant to be, that the universe has a plan, that love will find its way. But the truth?
Love is a choice. And sometimes, no matter how much you want someone, if they don’t choose you back—
It’s over before it even begins.
But that didn’t stop me from trying.
It started simple: a glance across the lecture hall, a shared joke during group discussions, a casual invitation for coffee that never sounded like anything more. And maybe to her, it never was.
But for me?
I spent years orbiting around Mae Alex, waiting for her to notice that I wasn’t just being friendly. That I wasn’t just another classmate. That every glance, every touch, every word was something more.
And maybe, just maybe—she knew.
 
First Year: The First Time I Saw Her
 
It was the second month of university when I really saw her for the first time.
Not just in passing, not just another face in the halls.
She was sitting alone under a tree, a book resting open in her lap. The wind tugged at the ends of her dark hair, the sunlight catching the light brown flecks in her eyes.
She looked... untouchable. Like someone who lived halfway in another world, one only she understood.
I don’t know what made me do it, but I walked over and dropped down beside her.
She flinched, startled. "Kaia?"
I smirked. "You know my name."
She blinked at me, clearly confused. "Everyone knows you. Of course, I know your name."
I stretched my legs out, leaning back on my palms. "What are you reading?"
She hesitated, then showed me the cover. Some novel I had never heard of.
I raised an eyebrow. "Any good?"
A small, almost shy smile crossed her lips. "Yeah. It makes you think."
Something about the way she said it made me want to read it, even though I knew I probably never would.
Instead, I asked, "And what are you thinking about?"
She looked at me then, really looked at me. And for a second, I thought she might say something real, something raw.
But she only shrugged. "Nothing important."
I didn’t believe her.
 
Second Year: The Time I Almost Told Her
 
It was raining that day. Hard.
Most people stayed inside, waiting for the storm to pass. But Mae—Mae stood near the entrance of the university, staring at the rain like she was thinking about running straight into it.
I had just finished practice, my jersey sticking to my skin, my hair damp with sweat. But when I saw her, I changed direction.
"You’re gonna stand here all day?" I teased, holding my umbrella out to her.
She turned, surprised. "You need this more than me."
I smirked. "And yet, I’m still offering it to you."
Her lips pressed together, like she wasn’t sure if she should accept. But then, with a soft sigh, she stepped under the umbrella, our shoulders brushing.
It was nothing.
But it was everything.
We walked in silence, the sound of rain filling the spaces between us. The scent of her shampoo—something floral and clean—mixed with the damp air.
When we reached her dorm, she hesitated before stepping inside.
And I—God, I almost said it.
Almost told her everything.
But then she looked at me, her expression unreadable, and I realized—she wasn’t ready to hear it.
So I swallowed the words. Smiled instead. "See you tomorrow."
She nodded. "See you."
And just like that, the moment was gone.
 
Third Year: The Party That Changed Everything
 
I hated parties.
Too loud. Too chaotic. Too many people trying too hard to impress.
But when I heard Mae was going, I showed up.
She was in the corner, nursing a drink, looking uncomfortable. I made my way through the crowd and bumped my shoulder against hers.
"Didn’t think this was your scene."
She sighed. "It’s not. Stella dragged me here."
"Lucky me, then."
She gave me a curious look. "Why?"
I leaned in, just close enough to let her feel my presence. "Because now I get to keep you company."
Her breath hitched. I saw it—the flicker of something in her eyes.
And for a second, I thought—maybe.
Maybe this was the night.
Then Finn walked over, and she turned to him with that soft, uncertain smile.
I clenched my jaw. It should have been me.
But it never was.
 
The End of Waiting
 
I tried for years.
Every conversation, every stolen glance—I gave her all the chances to see me. To want me.
And maybe, deep down, she did.
But it was never enough.
Then my mother sat me down and told me about Jaime.
A lawyer. Rich. Respected. A “perfect match.”
"Kaia, you’re 25 now. You need to start thinking about your future."
I wanted to laugh.
I wanted to scream.
But I knew the truth. My family would never accept me if they knew what I really wanted.
And waiting for Mae—waiting for something that might never happen—was a risk I couldn’t take.
So I gave in.
I got engaged. I smiled for the pictures. I let them plan my wedding. And when Jaime touched me, I pretended I didn’t flinch.
 
The Last Night with Mae
 
Seconds stretched into eternity. The curtain shifted. A shadow moved. And then—her.
Mae’s silhouette froze in the window, the dim light tracing the edges of her hair. Her fingers clenched the fabric, hesitation written in every line of her body.
I held my breath, heart hammering. Then, the window creaked open.
“Kaia?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
I exhaled, my chest aching. “Are you gonna let me in?”
A pause. A long, painful pause. Then she disappeared from view.
For a moment, I thought she wouldn’t come. That she’d choose the easy way—stay behind that glass, let me walk away. But then, the front door cracked open. Just enough. Just for me.
I stepped inside, and the weight of her presence hit me like a storm. This house, this night—none of it mattered. Only Mae. Only us.
She led me to her room, her movements stiff, careful. Fearful. I followed, determined. If this was my last chance, I wouldn’t waste it.
Mae sat on the edge of her bed, arms wrapped around herself like she was trying to hold something together. Something breaking.
“Kaia, what are you doing here?” Her voice was uneven, almost shaking.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a small, tired smile. “Are you still mad at me?”
Her lips parted, a breath catching before she looked away. “No… I—” She rubbed her arms. “It’s just… You shouldn’t be here.”
She wasn’t telling me to leave. She was scared.
I took a slow step closer. “Why?”
Her eyes flicked to mine—wide, uncertain, and something else. Something she was trying to bury.
“You’re getting married,” she whispered. “You have a life. A family waiting for you.” Her voice cracked. “What am I supposed to do with this, Kaia?”
I knelt in front of her, close enough to touch, close enough to ruin everything.
“Tell me to stay,” I pleaded. “Tell me you want me, and I swear I won’t walk away.”
Her breath hitched, and for a second—a fleeting, impossible second—I thought she might.