Novels by Arafattt

The next morning, I woke up thinking about Ethan.Which was irritating.Not because I didn’t want to think about him.That was the problem.I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling.His hand in mine.The way he had looked at me after I finally admitted I liked him.The stupid smile on his face.I pulled the blanket over my head.This was ridiculous.My phone buzzed beside me.I reached for it.Ethan: Are you awake?I stared at the message.Another one came in.Ethan: I can literally hear you moving around.I sat up.Me: That’s creepy.The reply came almost immediately.Ethan: Good morning to you too.I smiled before I could stop myself.Then another message appeared.Ethan: Come outside.I frowned.Me: Why?Ethan: Just come.I looked down at myself.Oversized shirt. Messy hair. Absolutely no dignity.Me: No.Three dots appeared.Ethan: Maya.I sighed.Apparently confessing feelings had given this man confidence.I got out of bed, fixed my hair with my fingers and opened the doo

For a moment, nobody said anything.Mia’s eyes moved from Ethan to me, then back to Ethan.I could still feel the warmth of his fingers against my cheek.Perfect.Of all the moments she could have appeared, it had to be this one.Ethan lowered his hand.“Mia.”She stopped in front of us.“I hope I’m not interrupting.”“No,” I said quickly.Ethan looked at me.I ignored him.Mia’s gaze dropped to the books in my arms before returning to my face.“I came to talk to Ethan.”My grip tightened around the books.“I was leaving anyway.”“Maya,” Ethan said.I looked at him.The moment between us snapped the second Mia stepped in.“I’ll see you later.”Then I walked away before either of them could stop me.I got to my apartment and slammed the door harder than I meant to.For a second, I just stood there staring at it.I came to talk to Ethan.Mia’s words followed me all the way home.I dropped my books on the table and picked up my phone, then put it back down.What were they even talking ab

I stared at the wall longer than I wanted to admit.Three knocks.Usually, I would have answered without thinking.Tonight, I didn’t.My mind kept returning to the hallway.To Ethan standing in front of me.To his hand wrapped around mine.To the way he had looked at me before saying, “I need to tell you something.”I could still hear his voice.Still remember the way I had looked up at him, waiting.Then his phone had rung.Mia.I had pulled my hand away and gone inside before he could finish.My phone buzzed again beside me.I didn’t touch it.A minute later, another message came.Ethan: Please talk to me.I turned my phone facedown.Not tonight.⸻The next morning, I waited until I heard Ethan’s door close before leaving my apartment.Maybe that was cowardly.I didn’t care.I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs.I had almost reached the lobby doors when I heard him behind me.“Maya.”I stopped.Of course.I turned slowly.Ethan was walking toward me.“You’re avoiding me.”“I’m goi

Saturday morning should have been peaceful.Instead, Ethan knocked on my door at nine.I opened it with one eye barely functioning.“What?”“Breakfast.”“No.”“I bought coffee.”My hand stopped on the door.Ethan lifted the cup.I opened the door wider.He grinned.“Knew that would work.”“You’re manipulative.”“And yet here we are.”He raised the paper bag in his other hand.“Come over.”Ten minutes later, I was sitting at his kitchen counter eating a croissant.His phone was beside mine. My coffee sat next to his. He moved around the kitchen without asking whether I needed sugar because he already knew I didn’t.I stared at the cup.When had this become normal?“What are you doing today?” he asked.“Studying.”“All day?”“Yes.”“That sounds miserable.”“It’s called responsibility.”“I’ve heard rumours about it.”I rolled my eyes.“What about you?”“Library.”I looked at him.His grin appeared immediately.“No.”“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”“You were going to ask me

I spent most of Friday pretending the conversation with Ethan had never happened.It was surprisingly difficult.I wouldn’t like it.Four words.Four irritating words that had been replaying in my head since yesterday.And then there was the other thing.You know why.I did know why.That was the problem.I was sitting on my bed with my laptop open when three knocks sounded through the wall.Knock. Knock. Knock.I stared at it.Another three followed.I sighed and knocked back.Less than a minute later, someone knocked on my actual door.I opened it.Ethan stood there wearing black jeans and a dark shirt, his hair still slightly damp.I looked at him for one second too long.His mouth curved.“Are you done?”“Done with what?”“Looking.”“I wasn’t looking.”“Right.”I folded my arms. “Why are you here?”“I’m going out.”“Congratulations.”“And you’re coming.”I laughed.“No.”“You don’t even know where.”“That has never stopped me from saying no before.”“My friend is having a birthday

By Thursday, I had convinced myself that Nina was wrong.Completely wrong.Ethan and I were not dating.We were friends.Neighbours.Occasionally annoying classmates who somehow kept ending up in the same places at the same time.That was all.Which was why I absolutely did not notice when he walked into the lecture hall ten minutes late.I also did not notice the girl walking beside him.“Interesting,” Nina whispered.I kept my eyes on my laptop.“What?”“You just stopped typing.”“I’m thinking.”“You’ve been thinking about the same sentence for thirty seconds.”I looked down.She was right.The cursor was blinking after half a sentence I had apparently abandoned the second Ethan entered the room.“Maybe I forgot what I wanted to write.”“Mhm.”“Nina.”“I didn’t say anything.”“You’re saying plenty with your face.”She smiled and looked toward the door again.Against my better judgment, I followed her gaze.Ethan was standing near the back of the room talking to the girl beside him.