The Morning After

Lena woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and a groan that felt like it came from deep within her soul. She rolled over in bed, peeking at her phone, hoping the time wasn't as early as it felt. When she saw the screen flash with *7:30 AM*, she sighed in relief and buried her face in her pillow. 

The office party had gone late, much later than she had anticipated, and she had no one to blame but herself. Between the fruity cocktails, endless dancing, and even more embarrassing interactions with Ethan, she was surprised she made it home in one piece.

Her mind flashed back to the rooftop bar-the sound of tropical music, Jessie laughing hysterically as Lena spilled yet another drink, and Ethan, in that ridiculously charming pineapple shirt, making her feel like her constant mishaps were adorable instead of mortifying.

But what stuck with her most wasn't the embarrassment. It was the dancing. Ethan had convinced her to stay on the dance floor for almost an hour. They swayed to the rhythm of the music, laughing as if they'd been friends for years. There had been a moment-just one-where she thought Ethan might actually lean in and kiss her. But of course, her clumsy footwork had ruined that moment, and they'd laughed it off like always.

Still, her heart raced at the memory. Could there actually be something between them? 

She couldn't let her imagination get too carried away, though. After all, Ethan still had a girlfriend. She couldn't forget that.

---

The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen as Lena sat at the counter, scrolling through her phone. Her inbox was mostly filled with random work emails and promotions, but then she saw a notification that made her heart skip a beat.

**Ethan**: Hope you're not nursing too bad of a hangover this morning. Coffee later?

Lena stared at the message, her mind racing. Coffee with Ethan, again? Just the two of them? Was it another casual hangout, or was there something more behind it?

She quickly texted back before overthinking it.

**Lena**: Definitely need some caffeine this morning. Let's meet around 11?

She tried not to let her mind spiral with possibilities, but it was hard not to when her longtime crush was suddenly inviting her out for coffee-again.

Before she could spend too much time obsessing over what she'd wear, Jessie called, her voice still groggy from the night before.

"Morning, sunshine," Jessie said, yawning into the phone. "You survive the party?"

"Barely," Lena laughed. "But I'm regretting all those coconut drinks."

"Oh, come on. You had fun! And from what I saw, you and Ethan were *very* cozy on that dance floor. Spill the details, girl."

Lena flushed. "It was nothing. We just danced. And he asked if I wanted to grab coffee later."

"Oh, *just* coffee?" Jessie teased. "Come on, Lena. There's something going on between you two, and you know it. The way he looks at you? That is not just casual interest."

Lena sighed, staring at her coffee cup. "I don't know, Jess. I mean, he's still with his girlfriend, right? I don't want to get ahead of myself."

"Pfft," Jessie scoffed. "Do you even know if they're still together? He doesn't talk about her, you haven't seen them together, and he spends a lot of time with *you*. I'm telling you, something's up. Besides, you deserve a shot with him."

Lena didn't respond right away, Jessie's words swirling in her mind. It was true that Ethan hadn't mentioned his girlfriend recently, and the fact that he kept inviting her to coffee was strange. Could it really mean something more? Or was she just overthinking everything?

"Well, I guess I'll find out at coffee later," Lena finally said, trying to keep her hopes in check.

Jessie let out a playful squeal. "You better! And text me all the juicy details afterward. I want to know everything."

Lena laughed and hung up, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety as she got ready for the day.

---

By the time 11:00 AM rolled around, Lena was standing outside their usual café, nervously fidgeting with her phone. She wore a casual outfit-jeans and a soft sweater-but had spent way too long debating if it looked too dressed up or not. She didn't want Ethan to think she was putting in too much effort, but she also wanted to look cute. It was a fine line to walk.

Just as she was about to text Ethan, she saw him approaching from down the street, looking effortlessly handsome in his leather jacket and dark jeans. His hair was slightly tousled, and he flashed that easy grin as soon as he saw her.

"Lena," he said warmly. "How are you feeling after last night?"

"Better than I deserve," Lena admitted with a laugh. "I was worried I might have embarrassed myself one too many times."

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "Not at all. You were great. Besides, it's not a real party until someone spills a drink, right?"

Lena smiled, feeling her nerves start to melt away. Ethan had a way of putting her at ease, even when she felt like a complete mess.

They headed inside, grabbing their usual coffees and finding a quiet corner to sit. The conversation flowed easily, as it always did, but today there was something different in the air. Lena couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she felt a new kind of tension a good tension building between them.

At one point, Ethan leaned back in his chair, his eyes lingering on her for just a moment longer than usual. "You know, I've been thinking a lot lately," he began, his tone more serious than usual.

Lena's heart skipped a beat. "Oh? About what?"

Ethan hesitated, looking down at his coffee cup before meeting her gaze again. "I know I haven't been very open about my personal life, but... things haven't been great with Megan."

Lena's breath caught in her throat. Megan his girlfriend. The name she'd tried so hard to avoid thinking about.

Ethan continued, his voice quieter now. "We've been growing apart for a while. I think we both know it's not working anymore, but we haven't had that conversation yet."

Lena wasn't sure how to respond. Part of her wanted to jump for joy at the thought of Ethan being single, but the other part the rational part knew this wasn't something to celebrate. He was going through a breakup, and that wasn't easy for anyone.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lena said softly, her hand brushing against his on the table. "That must be really hard."

Ethan gave her a small, grateful smile. "Yeah, it's been tough. But I guess I've just been waiting for the right moment to end things. I don't want to hurt her, you know?"

Lena nodded, understanding all too well. She'd been in messy breakups before, and they were never easy, no matter the circumstances.

As the conversation shifted back to lighter topics, Lena couldn't help but wonder what this new information meant for them. Was Ethan confiding in her because he saw her as a friend? Or was there something more behind his words? The way he looked at her, the way he kept inviting her to coffee... it all felt like there was something deeper going on.

But she didn't want to jump to conclusions. She needed to take things slow, even if her heart was already racing ahead.

---

After they finished their coffees, Ethan walked her back to the office. They stood outside for a moment, neither of them quite ready to say goodbye.

"Thanks for meeting up today," Ethan said, his voice warm and sincere. "It's always nice talking to you."

Lena smiled, her heart fluttering. "Same here. I'm always happy to grab coffee with you."

Ethan hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something more, but instead, he just smiled and gave her a quick hug before turning to walk away.

As Lena watched him go, her mind raced with a million thoughts. What did all of this mean? Were they just friends, or was there something more developing between them?

One thing was for sure Ethan's relationship with Megan was ending. And once that chapter of his life closed, maybe, just maybe, there would be room for something new.

---