The next day, the campus café was buzzing with its usual mix of students cramming for exams, grabbing coffee, and catching up with friends. I pushed open the door, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and pastries hitting me like a warm hug. I spotted my friends immediately. Zianne, Arkin, Jiro, and Troy... huddled around our usual table in the corner. Zianne was mid-sip of her iced latte, but the second she saw me, she nearly choked.
“Aria!” she squealed, slamming her cup down so hard that coffee sloshed over the rim. “You’re alive! We were starting to think Ethan kidnapped you or something.”
I rolled my eyes, sliding into the empty seat next to Arkin. “Very funny. And no, he didn’t kidnap me. We just... had a nice night.”
“Nice?” Jiro repeated, leaning forward with a wicked grin. “That’s all you’re giving us? ‘Nice’? Come on, Aria. Spill. We need details. All the details.”
I glanced around nervously, lowering my voice. “Guys, can we not do this here? We’re in public. And, you know, Ethan’s my professor. This whole thing is supposed to be a secret.”
Zianne waved a hand dismissively, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, please. No one’s paying attention to us. And even if they were, they’d just think we’re talking about, like, homework or something. Now, spill. What happened?”
I sighed, knowing there was no way I was getting out of this. “Fine. But keep it down, okay?”
They all leaned in, their eyes wide with anticipation. Even Troy, who was usually the quiet one, looked intrigued.
“Okay,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. “So, he picked me up at seven, right? And he was wearing this suit. Like, a real suit. Not just a blazer or whatever. A full-on, tailored, looks-like-he-stepped-out-of-a-magazine suit.”
Zianne gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. “Oh my gosh. Professor Hottie in a suit? I would’ve died.”
“I almost did,” I admitted, my cheeks heating up at the memory. “And then he took me to this super fancy restaurant downtown. Like, candles on the table, live piano music, the whole thing.”
Arkin raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “Damn. Professor Ramsey doesn’t mess around, huh?”
I shook my head, a smile tugging at my lips. “No, he doesn’t. And the food... oh my gosh, the food. I had this grilled salmon that was, like, the best thing I’ve ever eaten. And truffle fries. Do you guys know what truffle fries are? Because I didn’t, but now I’m obsessed.”
Jiro snorted, leaning back in his chair. “Wow. Ethan’s really out here spoiling you. Next thing you know, he’ll be buying you a private island or something.”
I laughed, though my heart fluttered at the thought. “Yeah, right. But, seriously, it was amazing. We talked for hours. Like, about everything. And he was so... sweet. Like, he actually listens, you know? He remembers little things I’ve told him before, and he brings them up like they matter. It’s... it’s kind of overwhelming.”
Zianne sighed, resting her chin on her hand. “Ugh, Aria. That’s so romantic. I’m so jealous. My last date took me to a food truck and then asked if we could split the bill.”
“Hey,” Jiro interjected, pointing a fry at her. “Food trucks are underrated. And splitting the bill is fair. Equality, right?”
Zianne shot him a glare. “Not when I ordered a taco and he got three burritos.”
We all burst out laughing. But then Troy, who had been quietly observing the conversation, spoke up.
“So,” he said, his tone casual but with a hint of curiosity. “Did he kiss you?”
The table fell silent, all eyes turning to me. I felt my cheeks burn, and I quickly looked down at my coffee cup. “Uh... no. Not exactly.”
“Not exactly?” Zianne repeated, her eyes narrowing. “What does that mean?”
I hesitated, my mind flashing back to the end of the night. We’d been standing by the river, the city lights reflecting on the water, and Ethan had pulled me into a hug. It had been warm, comforting, and for a moment, I’d thought he was going to kiss me. But then he’d pulled back, his expression unreadable, and said goodnight.
“He hugged me,” I said finally, my voice soft. “And it was... nice. Really nice.”
Zianne groaned, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “A hug? That’s it? Aria, you’re killing me. I was expecting, like, a dramatic, sweeping kiss under the moonlight or something.”
I rolled my eyes, though my heart was pounding. “It’s not a rom-com, Zianne. And, like I said, we’re taking it slow. He’s my professor. We have to be careful.”
Arkin nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, I get that. But, Aria, you’ve got to admit... this whole thing is kind of intense. Like, what happens if someone finds out? What happens if your brother finds out?”
I felt a pang of guilt, and I quickly looked away. “I don’t know. I’m trying not to think about that.”
Jiro smirked, leaning forward. “Well, if your brother does find out, just tell him it’s all my fault. I’ll take the blame. I mean, it’s not like he can fire me, right?”
We all laughed, though the tension in the air was still palpable. I knew my friends were just looking out for me, but the thought of Kai finding out about Ethan... it made my stomach twist into knots.
Before I could dwell on it any longer, Zianne’s phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at the screen, her eyes widening. “Oh my gosh. Guys. Emergency. Aiden just posted a story on Instagram. And guess who’s in it?”
Zianne practically shoved her phone in my face, her eyes wide with excitement. “Look! Look!” I blinked, trying to focus on the screen.
I grabbed her phone and slammed it down on the table, the screen facing up so we could all see. There it was Aiden’s Instagram story. A selfie of him and a girl from the art department, both grinning like they’d just won the lottery. They were at the mall, standing in front of one of those overpriced smoothie stands, and the caption read: “When your art muse drags you to the mall for ‘inspiration.’ ”
The table erupted.
“Wait, WHAT?!” Jiro practically shouted, snatching the phone for a closer look. “Aiden? With her? Since when?!”
Zianne leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed and a smug grin on her face. “Since apparently today. I told you guys he was moving on. But this? This is next-level.”
Arkin raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “I mean, it’s just a picture. They could just be hanging out. Doesn’t mean they’re, like, a thing.”
“Oh, please,” Zianne shot back, rolling her eyes. “Look at her face. She’s practically glowing. And Aiden? He’s smiling like he just discovered the meaning of life. This isn’t just ‘hanging out.’ This is a moment.”
I stared at the photo, my stomach doing somersaults. The girl, her name was Lila. She was pretty and popular especially at art department. Like, really pretty. She had this artsy vibe, with her oversized cardigan and paint-splattered jeans, and her smile was... radiant. And Aiden? He looked happy. Like, genuinely happy. And for some reason, that made my chest ache.
Jiro leaned over, squinting at the screen. “Wait, is that the girl who’s always drawing those weird abstract paintings in the art studio?”
Arkin nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, that’s her. Lila. She had a huge crush on Aiden for, like, forever. I think she even painted a portrait of him once. It was... intense.”
“Okay, but let’s not jump to conclusions,” I said, trying to sound casual even though my voice was a little too high-pitched. “Maybe they’re just friends. Aiden’s allowed to have friends, right?”
Jiro snorted, handing the phone back to Zianne. “Yeah, sure. Friends who post cutesy mall selfies with captions that sound like they’re straight out of a rom-com. Totally platonic.”
Troy, who had been quietly sipping his coffee, finally spoke up. “I mean, Aiden’s a good guy. If he’s happy, that’s what matters, right?”
Zianne shot him a look. “Troy, you’re too nice for your own good. This isn’t about Aiden being happy. This is about drama. And we,” she gestured dramatically to the group, “are here for it.”
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Can we not make this a thing? Please? I already feel bad enough about the whole Aiden situation. I don’t need to add ‘stalk his Instagram stories’ to my list of regrets.”
Zianne reached over, patting my arm sympathetically. “Aria, honey, you’re missing the point. This isn’t about you feeling bad. This is about Aiden moving on. And if he’s moving on with her... well, let’s just say the art department is about to get a lot more interesting.”
Jiro grinned, clearly enjoying himself. “Yeah, and if Aiden’s dating Lila, that means he’s officially off the market. Which means you, my friend, are officially in the clear. No more guilt. No more awkward encounters. Just you and Professor Hottie, living your best lives.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, what? No. That’s not... I mean, I don’t want Aiden to be unhappy. I just... I don’t know. This is all so complicated.”
Arkin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, Aria, you can’t control how Aiden feels. And if he’s moving on, that’s a good thing. For both of you. You don’t have to feel guilty anymore.”
I nodded, though my heart was still heavy. “Yeah, I guess. But what if he’s just... rebounding? What if he’s not really over me, and this whole thing with Lila is just a way to distract himself?”
Zianne rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated. “Aria, you’re overthinking this. Aiden’s a big boy. If he’s with Lila, it’s because he wants to be. And if he’s not over you? Well, that’s his problem, not yours. You’ve got your own love story to focus on, remember?”
I groaned, flopping back in my chair. “Yeah, yeah. I know. But still... it’s weird. Seeing him with someone else.”
Jiro smirked, leaning forward. “Weird, or... jealous?”
I shot him a glare, though my cheeks were burning. “I’m not jealous. I’m just... confused. And maybe a little guilty. But not jealous.”
Zianne raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Uh-huh. Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, my heart skipping a beat when I saw Ethan’s name on the screen.
“Speak of the devil,” Zianne said, her grin widening. “What does Professor Hottie want?”
I ignored her, quickly reading the message.
'Hey, Aria. Can we talk? I’m in my office.'
I felt a pang of nerves, my stomach twisting into knots. Why did he want to talk? Was something wrong? Or... was this about last night?
“Everything okay?” Arkin asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
I nodded, though my mind was racing. “Yeah, I think so. Ethan just wants to talk. I should probably go.”
Zianne smirked, clearly enjoying herself. “Oh, I’m sure he does. Go get ‘em, tiger.”
I rolled my eyes, standing up and grabbing my bag. “You’re the worst, you know that?”
Zianne laughed, waving me off. “Yeah, yeah. But you love me anyway. Now go. And don’t forget to tell us everything later.”
As I walked out of the café, my heart was pounding. I didn’t know what Ethan wanted to talk about, but I had a feeling it was important. And whatever it was, I just hoped it wouldn’t ruin the perfect night we’d had.
But as I made my way to his office, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change.
And I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.