THE COLLISION

Tobi didn’t wait for an invitation—he pushed the door open the moment Maya unlocked it halfway.

The force startled her, even though it shouldn’t have. He had always entered her life like this—sudden, unapologetic, unavoidable.

He smelled like midnight trouble—expensive perfume mixed with something reckless, something familiar enough to weaken her knees if she wasn’t careful. He walked in like he owned the place, like he always did, tossing his car keys onto the counter as though this apartment still belonged to both of them.

“Why are you acting like you don’t want to see me?” he asked, dropping onto her couch, legs stretched wide, confidence dripping from every movement.

Maya stayed near the door, fingers curling into her sleeves.

“You didn’t say you were coming,” she said.

Tobi smiled—that irritatingly confident smile that had once convinced her chaos was passion.

“You never mind when it’s me.”

She opened her mouth to argue, to remind him of the countless nights she had minded, when his presence came with silence and distance—but her phone buzzed in her hand.

Adrian.

“I’m close by. I can drop the food if you’re at home.”

Her heart skipped—not from guilt, but from relief.

Tobi leaned forward immediately, senses sharpening. “Who’s that?”

Maya locked the screen too fast. “No one.”

He stood, closing the distance between them, his presence filling the room the way it always had.

“Maya,” he said slowly, “you don’t lie to me.”

Her breath caught. He always knew. He didn’t need proof—just instinct. Another man had always irritated him, bruised his ego in ways nothing else could.

Before she could respond—

Three soft taps echoed through the apartment.

The sound sliced through the tension.

Maya froze.

Tobi’s eyes narrowed. “Expecting someone?”

Her pulse roared in her ears. She didn’t answer. Instead, she stepped around him, every movement deliberate, and opened the door just a little.

Adrian stood there holding a small takeout bag—rice and grilled chicken, steam faintly escaping the top. His presence felt different immediately. Calm. Grounded. Real.

“Maya,” he said softly, relief flickering across his face before his gaze shifted past her shoulder. His expression changed. “I didn’t know you had company.”

Tobi appeared behind her like a storm cloud, tall and unapologetic.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

Adrian didn’t rise to it. His voice remained steady. “I brought dinner. Maya didn’t eat.”

Tobi laughed—a short, mocking sound. “So you’re feeding her now?”

“Tobi, stop,” Maya snapped, louder than she intended.

The hallway fell silent.

Adrian gently placed the bag into her hands, his fingers brushing hers briefly—nothing intimate, just human.

“You don’t need to explain,” he said quietly. “Just… make sure you eat.”

His smile was small, a little wounded, but kind. “I’ll text you tomorrow.”

As he walked away, Maya felt something tug inside her chest—soft but undeniable.

Tobi shut the door harder than necessary.

“The hell was that?” he asked, voice low.

Maya folded her arms, grounding herself. “Someone who cares enough to check on me.”

Tobi stepped closer—too close. His energy pressed in on her, familiar and dangerous.

“Maya, don’t play with me.”

His hands found her waist lightly, possessive without permission. His voice softened, the way it always did when he wanted control without force.

“You know I don’t like sharing you.”

Her throat tightened. “But you’ve never wanted to keep me.”

That stopped him.

He exhaled, frustration and conflict colliding in his eyes. Then he whispered, almost like a confession he hadn’t planned to make—

“But I don’t want to lose you either.”

The words hit her chest harder than anger ever could.

For one dangerous second, the world narrowed.

His hands were warm. His forehead rested against hers. Their breaths mingled. It felt like the beginning of forgiveness—like slipping back into a familiar song.

And somewhere deep inside her, something stirred again.

A quiet pull.

A warning.

A strength she was still learning to trust.

Maya stepped back.

“Tobi… this is the problem.”

He stared at her, hurt flashing across his face, jealousy burning underneath. “You’re really letting that guy get between us?”

She shook her head. “You got between us. Adrian just reminded me I deserve more.”

The words settled heavy in the room.

Tobi scoffed, but his eyes softened—because the truth had found him, and he hated it.

He grabbed his keys. “Fine. Enjoy your dinner.”

At the door, he paused.

“And Maya,” he said without turning around, “don’t get too comfortable with him.”

The door closed behind him.

Silence followed.

Maya sank onto the couch, the takeout bag still warm in her hands. Her phone buzzed softly.

Adrian:

“Did you get inside okay?”

She looked toward the window.

The moon hung low and bright, watching.

And for the first time, Maya realized this wasn’t just about choosing between two men.

It was about choosing who she was becoming.

The collision had begun.