Ethan's POV
———
The air in my office felt suffocating, thick with the weight of what I was about to do. My hands were clammy, trembling slightly as I shoved them into my pockets, pacing back and forth like some caged animal. The clock on my desk ticked louder than it ever had, each second, a hammer struck against my chest. I’d rehearsed this a million times in my head since last night... since that perfect, beautiful night with Aria but no amount of practice could make this easier.
My heart was screaming at me to stop, to take it all back, to pull her into my arms and tell her I’d fight for us. But my head? My head knew better. Claire’s threat hung over me like a guillotine, sharp and unforgiving, and I couldn’t let it fall on Aria. I couldn’t let her pay for my mistakes.
A soft knock snapped me out of my spiral, and I froze mid-step. She was here. I plastered on a smile... fake, brittle, the kind that hurt to hold and turned to the door.
“Come in,” I called, my voice steadier than I felt.
The door creaked open, and there she was... Aria. Her hair was a little messy from the wind outside, her cheeks flushed, and those eyes… Gosh, those eyes that always saw right through me.
She stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and flashed me that grin that made my knees weak every damn time.
“Hey,” she said, her voice light, teasing. “You wanted to talk? What’s up, Professor Ramsey?”
I forced a chuckle, leaning against my desk to steady myself. “Yeah, uh… hey.” My throat tightened, and I had to look away for a second, pretending to adjust some papers on my desk. “How’s your day been so far?”
She shrugged, dropping her bag by the chair and plopping down like she owned the place. “Pretty good. Hung out with Zianne and the gang at the café. They grilled me about last night, obviously.” She smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’re officially the hot topic, you know.”
That should’ve made me laugh. Should’ve made me tease her back, pull her close, and kiss that smirk right off her face. But instead, it just twisted the knife deeper.
I swallowed hard, my smile faltering. “Yeah, well… last night was pretty great, wasn’t it?”
Her face softened, and she nodded, leaning forward a little. “The best. Like, seriously, Ethan, I can’t stop thinking about it. You totally spoiled me with that restaurant. And the river walk? Ugh, it was perfect.”
I nodded, my chest aching as I memorized the way she looked right then... happy, glowing, mine. “You deserve it, Aria,” I said, my voice quieter now, rawer than I meant it to be. “You deserve all of it. You’re… you’re amazing, you know that? Like, the most incredible person I’ve ever met. You’re smart, funny, kind… you make everything better just by being you.”
Her brows furrowed, and she tilted her head, confusion flickering in her eyes. “Ethan… what’s going on? You’re acting weird.”
Here it was. The moment I’d been dreading. I took a deep breath, my hands gripping the edge of the desk so hard my knuckles turned white.
“Aria, I… I need to tell you something.” My voice cracked, and I hated how weak it sounded. “Last night was… it was everything. But… we can’t do this anymore.”
She blinked, her smile fading like I’d just flipped a switch. “What… what do you mean?”
“I mean…” I forced the words out, each one cutting deeper than the last. “We need to stop. Whatever this is... us, it’s over. I can’t… we can’t keep going.”
Her face crumpled, and it was like watching a storm roll in confusion, then hurt, then something sharper. “Ethan, what are you talking about? Stop? Why? What happened? Last night was perfect, you just said—”
“I know,” I cut in, my voice breaking. “I know it was perfect. But that’s why we have to stop. It’s… it’s for your own good, Aria.”
She stood up, her hands balling into fists at her sides. “My own good? What does that even mean? You don’t get to decide what’s good for me, Ethan! Tell me what’s going on, why are you doing this?”
I looked away, my jaw clenching as I fought the urge to spill everything. Claire’s cold, smug face flashed in my mind.
'One week, Ethan. Or I tell the school board.'
But I couldn’t tell Aria that. She’d fight it, she’d push back, and it’d only make things worse. She’d end up hurt, expelled, her future ruined, all because of me. I had to protect her, even if it meant lying through my teeth.
“It’s just… it’s complicated,” I said lamely, staring at the floor. “I’m your professor, Aria. This was a mistake from the start. We can’t keep pretending it’s not.”
Her eyes widened, and I could see the tears starting to shimmer there, but she blinked them back, her voice rising. “A mistake? Are you kidding me? Last night wasn’t a mistake! You asked me out, Ethan! You took me to that restaurant, you held my hand, you told me I was worth taking a chance on! And now you’re just… what? Done? You don’t get to do that without explaining why!”
“I am explaining,” I snapped, louder than I meant to, and she flinched. I hated myself for it instantly. “I’m saying it’s not right. It’s not fair to you. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, Aria. College, your career, everything. I can’t… I can’t mess that up for you.”
She stared at me, her chest heaving, her eyes blazing with hurt and anger. “That’s bullshit, Ethan, and you know it. You don’t get to play the noble card and act like this is some selfless sacrifice. If you’re ending this, at least be honest with me. Why? What changed? What aren’t you telling me?”
I wanted to tell her. Gosh, I wanted to so bad it hurt. I wanted to grab her, pull her into my arms, and confess everything. Claire’s threat, the blackmail, how much I hated myself for letting it get this far. But I couldn’t.
If she knew, she’d fight for us, and that’d only drag her down with me. I had to make her hate me instead. It was the only way she’d let go.
“I just… I can’t do this,” I said, my voice flat, lifeless. “I’m sorry, Aria. I thought I could, but I can’t.”
She stepped closer, her voice trembling but fierce. “You can’t? Or you won’t? Because those are two different things, Ethan. Tell me the truth. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t want this, that you don’t want us.”
I forced myself to meet her gaze, and it was like staring into a hurricane. Her eyes were red, tears spilling over now, and every one of them felt like a punch to my gut.
“I don’t,” I lied, the words tasting like ash. “I don’t want this.”
She froze, her breath hitching, and for a second, I thought she might slap me. I almost wished she would, it’d hurt less than the look on her face.
“You’re lying,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I know you’re lying. Why are you doing this to me?”
“I’m not lying,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady even as my heart shattered. “I’m doing this because it’s what’s best. For you.”
She laughed a sharp, bitter sound that cut right through me. “Best for me? You don’t get to decide that! You don’t get to make me fall for you and then just… just walk away like it’s nothing! I deserve better than this, Ethan. I deserve an answer!”
“You do,” I said quietly, my resolve cracking. “You deserve so much better than me.”
That stopped her. She stared at me, her tears falling faster now, and I could see the fight draining out of her. “Fine,” she said, her voice barely audible. “If that’s how you feel, then fine. I’m done. I’m so done with this.”
She grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder with a jerky motion, and stormed toward the door. “Aria—” I started, reaching out instinctively, but she spun around, her eyes flashing.
“Don’t,” she snapped, her voice shaking. “Don’t you dare say my name like that. You don’t get to act like you care after this. Just… just leave me alone.”
And then she was gone, the door slamming shut behind her with a bang that echoed in my skull. I stood there, staring at the empty space where she’d been, my chest heaving like I’d just run a marathon. My legs gave out, and I collapsed into my chair, my hands shaking as I buried my face in them.
She was gone. She was really gone.
The tears came then, hot and unstoppable, spilling down my face as I choked on a sob. I’d done it. I’d pushed her away, just like Claire wanted. I’d broken her heart to save her future, and it felt like I’d ripped my own out in the process. Her face flashed in my mind, those tear-filled eyes, that hurt, angry voice and it was too much. Too damn much.
I slammed my fist against the desk, the pain barely registering over the ache in my chest. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice hoarse, broken. “I’m so sorry, Aria.”
But she couldn’t hear me. She’d never hear me. And that was the worst part of all.
I’d lost her. And I didn’t know how I was going to live with that.
———
Aria’s POV
___
The second I stumbled out of Ethan’s office, the world felt like it was caving in. My chest was tight, my eyes burning with tears I refused to let fall, not where he could see me. The hallway blurred as I stormed away, my sneakers slapping against the tile, each step echoing the chaos in my head.
How could he do this to me? After last night, after everything, it didn’t make sense. It hurt. 
I fumbled with my phone, my hands shaking so bad I could barely type. I needed my crew. I needed Zianne’s snark, Arkin’s chill vibes, Jiro’s dumb jokes... anything to stop me from falling apart right there in the middle of campus. I shot off a group text:
'Meet me at the dorm after classes. 7 pm. I’m a mess. Please.'
I shoved my phone back into my pocket and dragged myself to my last class, some boring lecture about symbolism or whatever. I didn’t hear a single word. All I could hear was Ethan’s voice.
'It’s over. I don’t want this.'
Over and over, like a broken record stuck on the worst track. My pen scratched random doodles in my notebook, angry swirls and jagged lines because if I didn’t keep my hands busy, I’d scream. Or cry. Or both.
By the time 7 PM rolled around, I was a walking disaster. I pushed open the door to my dorm, and there they were... Zianne sprawled on her bed with a bag of chips, Arkin leaning against the desk scrolling his phone, and Jiro pacing like he was auditioning for some teen drama.
They all froze when they saw me... red-eyed, hair a mess, looking like I’d just survived a breakup apocalypse.
“Holy crap, Aria,” Zianne said, sitting up so fast she spilled chips everywhere. “You look like you got hit by a truck. What happened?”
I dropped my bag, kicked off my shoes, and collapsed onto my bed, burying my face in my pillow. “Ethan,” I mumbled, my voice muffled and raw. “He… he dumped me.”
The room went dead silent. Then—
“HE WHAT?!” Jiro exploded, throwing his hands up like he was about to fight someone. “After that fancy date? After all the swoony crap? What the actual hell?!”
I sat up, wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my hoodie. “Yeah,” I croaked. “We were in his office, and he just… ended it. Said it’s ‘for my own good’ or some garbage like that. Like, what does that even mean? Last night he was all ‘you’re worth taking a chance on,’ and now he’s just… done? I don’t get it!”
Zianne scooted over, wrapping an arm around me, her usual sass replaced with something softer. “Oh, babe. That’s so messed up. What did he say? Like, word for word?”
I took a shaky breath, replaying it like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. “He said… he said it was a mistake. That we can’t keep doing this because he’s my professor and it’s not fair to me. And then he looked me dead in the eyes and said he doesn’t want this... doesn’t want us. But it’s a lie! I know it’s a lie! He was so… cold, but his eyes, they weren’t cold. They were… I don’t know, sad? Scared? I begged him to tell me why, but he wouldn’t. He just kept saying it’s what’s best.”
Arkin frowned, crossing his arms. “That’s sketchy as hell. Sounds like something’s up... like, more than he’s letting on. Did he say anything else? Anything weird?”
I shook my head, tears spilling over now, hot and unstoppable. “No! He just kept dodging me. I told him he doesn’t get to decide what’s best for me, that he doesn’t get to make me fall for him and then bail, but he wouldn’t budge. He said I deserve better than him, and then I stormed out. I couldn’t stay there and let him see me break.”
Jiro stopped pacing, his jaw tight. “Professor Hottie is a coward. Straight up. You don’t take a girl on the date of her dreams and then pull this crap. What’s his deal? Is he, like, scared of your brother finding out or something?”
“I don’t know!” I cried, my voice cracking. “Maybe! But he wouldn’t say! And now I’ve lost everything. Aiden hates me... he’s off with Lila or whoever, pretending I don’t exist and now Ethan’s gone too. I thought… I thought he cared. I thought we had something real, and he just… threw it away like it was nothing.”
Zianne pulled me into a tight hug, letting me sob into her shoulder. “You haven’t lost everything, okay? You’ve got us. And yeah, Ethan’s a jerk for this, but it’s his loss. You’re freaking amazing, Aria. He doesn’t deserve you if he’s pulling this crap.”
“Yeah,” Arkin chimed in, his voice steady but pissed. “This isn’t on you. Professor Ramsey’s the one who screwed up here. And Aiden… he’ll come around. He’s just licking his wounds. But you don’t need either of them to be okay.”
Jiro plopped onto the bed next to me, slinging an arm around my shoulders. “For real, though. You’re a total badass. Professpr Hottie is an idiot if he thinks he can just walk away from you like that. Want me to trash his office? I’ve got Troy on speed dial, we could make it a group project.”
I choked out a laugh through my tears, shoving him lightly. “No, Jiro. But… thanks. You guys are the best. I just… I feel so stupid. I let myself believe in him, you know? After all those years of crushing on him, I finally thought… maybe this is it. And now it’s gone.”
Zianne squeezed my hand, her eyes fierce. “You’re not stupid, Aria. You’re brave. You took a chance on something big, and he’s the one who couldn’t handle it. That’s not your fault.”
I nodded, sniffling, but the ache in my chest wouldn’t budge. “I just don’t get why he’d do this. Last night was perfect... like, movie-perfect. And now it’s like he flipped a switch. I keep replaying it, trying to figure out what I did wrong—”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Arkin cut in, his voice firm. “Stop that. This is on him, not you.”
“Yeah,” Jiro added, grinning despite the heaviness. “Maybe he’s got, like, a secret evil twin who took over today. That’d explain it.”
I managed a small smile, but it faded fast. “I wish. I just… I feel so lost. Like, what do I do now? How do I face him in class? How do I pretend this didn’t happen?”
Zianne leaned back, popping a chip into her mouth. “You don’t pretend. You walk in there with your head high, looking hot as hell, and you show him what he’s missing. And if he tries anything, you’ve got us to back you up.”
“For real,” Arkin said. “We’re your squad. No one messes with you and gets away with it.”
Jiro nodded, his grin turning wicked. “And if he’s dumb enough to stare at you in class, just flip him off under the desk. Subtle, but effective.”
I laughed again, a real one this time, even though my heart still felt like it’d been run over by a truck. “You guys are ridiculous. But… I love you for it.”
“We love you too,” Zianne said, pulling me into another hug. “And we’re not going anywhere. You’re stuck with us, heartbreak or not.”
As they piled around me... Zianne hugging me, Jiro cracking dumb jokes, Arkin just being his solid, quiet self, I felt a tiny flicker of warmth cut through the pain. Yeah, Ethan had ripped my heart out. Yeah, I’d lost Aiden too. But I hadn’t lost everything. I had my friends. And maybe, just maybe, that’d be enough to get me through this.
But deep down, I couldn’t stop the hurt from clawing at me. Ethan’s face, his voice, that stupid lie in his eyes, it was all still there, haunting me. And as much as I wanted to hate him, I couldn’t. Not yet.
All I could do was cry, and hope tomorrow wouldn’t suck as much as today.