That week blurred into a quiet storm.
Kane avoided me. He came home late, left early, and when we crossed paths in the apartment, he'd nod or offer a short "hey," but nothing more. The silence was louder than any fight we'd ever had.
It stung.
I missed our movie nights, our random dance battles in the kitchen, even his dumb jokes about my socks never matching. But I couldn't pretend nothing had happened. His kiss hadn't been sweet—it had been full of frustration. Maybe heartbreak.
But my heart... it was pulling into Aaron.
Aaron, meanwhile, was patient. Steady. He'd walk me to class, offer coffee in the mornings, text me little playlists labeled "for you" with songs that knew exactly how I felt before I even admitted it.
One day after class, he caught up with me outside the library.
"You look like you've been crying," he said gently.
I smiled weakly. "I might've. Just… things at home are weird."
He paused, then said, "You don't have to carry it alone. I'm here, you know. Not just for dates?."
I looked up at him. His blue eyes didn't waver.
"I know."
Then, after a moment of courage: "Can we go somewhere quiet?"
He didn't ask questions. He simply took my hand, lacing his fingers with mine.
We ended up at the city overlook, a grassy cliff that offered a panoramic view of town. The wind played with our hair, and the sun was beginning to dip behind the hills, streaking the sky in gold and rose.
"I used to come here with my mom," he said softly. "Before the divorce."
I turned to him, surprised.
"She told me once, 'Don't waste time pretending you're fine. If you're not okay, say so. That's how people know to love you better.'"
I bit my lip.
"I'm not okay," I whispered. "I miss Kane. But not in the way he wants me to."
Aaron nodded, looking straight ahead. "And me?"
"You make things feel… extraordinary. Like I can finally breathe haha."
He smiled.
"I like being extraordinary," he said playfully.
We laughed. And then, he leaned forward and kissed me—soft and unhurried. Nothing like Kane's kiss. Nothing confusing. Just simple and safe.
When I got home that night, Kane's door was closed.