Weeks blurred together in a haze of lectures, assignments, and stolen moments with Ethan. Noah told himself it was harmless. Just friendship. Two people who understood what it felt like to be caught in the aftermath of Chloe’s emotional storm. But every text, every coffee meetup, every late-night conversation was making it harder to lie to himself.
It started small. A message from Ethan after a tough exam: How’d it go? Want to grab food and vent? Noah had said yes before he could overthink it. They met at a quiet diner near campus. Ethan listened patiently as Noah rambled about coding bugs and imposter syndrome, offering advice that actually helped.
“You’ve got talent, Noah,” Ethan had said, gray eyes sincere. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
From there, it snowballed. Study sessions at the
