All Chapters of We Were Almost : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

150 Chapters

Chapter 11: The arrival (Maya's pov)

She was sitting on the floor.Not because she planned to, because standing felt like too much and sitting on the bed felt wrong and the floor was the only place left.Her phone was in her hand. Dark screen. No new messages.Three hours since his last text. Three hours since he said I'm sorry. I'll explain everything. I'm coming to see you.Coming to see her.Here.To her hometown. To her father's hospital. To her mother's house with the cracked ceiling and the two million naira of debt.She should sleep. It was past midnight. Her mother was asleep in the next room. The house was quiet.She couldn't sleep.She stared at the door like he might walk through it any second.Her phone buzzed.She grabbed it.Ethan: I'm outside.She stood up so fast her head spun.Walked to the door. Opened it quietly. Stepped out into the night.He was standing by the gate. His car parked down the road. Looking at her like he wasn't sure if she would come.She walked toward him.Stopped a few feet away.The

Chapter 12:The text

Maya's pov She was at the shop again.Her mother had asked her to check the locks. Simple task. Ten minutes. But Maya stood there longer than she needed to, staring at the symbol on the wall.Still there. Still watching.She took a photo. Sent it to Ethan.Still here.He replied fast: I know. I hate it.She smiled wistfully.Then she checked the locks. Turned to leave.Her phone buzzed.She looked down.Unknown number.Stop looking. You won't like what you find.Maya's blood went cold.She stared at the words. Read them three times.The stranger. He had her number. He knew she was looking. He was watching right now.She spun around. Looked at the street. The trees. The windows.No one.But someone was there. Somewhere. Watching.She called Ethan.He picked up on the first ring. "Maya?""Someone texted me.""Who?""I don't know. Unknown number. They said…" Her voice caught. She read it out loud. "Stop looking. You won't like what you find."Ethan was quiet for a second. Then: "Send me

Chapter 13:The call ( Ethan pov)

Ethan's hands gripped the steering wheel.The road stretched ahead, dark and empty. He had been driving for two hours. Two more to go. Maya was waiting. Scared. Alone.His phone rang.Jake.Ethan stared at the name on the screen. His best friend. Three years of friendship. Three years of laughs and late nights and knowing someone had your back.He almost didn't answer.He answered."Jake.""Ethan." Jake's voice was shaky. "I need to explain.""Then explain."A pause. Then: "I hired someone to watch her."Ethan's jaw tightened. "I know.""Not because I wanted to hurt her. Because I wanted to protect you.""Protect me from what?""From her." Jake's voice cracked. "She comes out of nowhere. She's poor. Her family is drowning in debt. And suddenly she's all you think about? I had to make sure she wasn't using you."Ethan gripped the phone harder. "You don't know her.""I know her type.""Her type?" Ethan's voice rose. "What type is that? The type that sends money home to her sick father?

Chapter 14:The fight (Maya's pov)

Chapter 14: The fight (Maya POV)The car was packed.Two bags. Her mother's tears. Her father's blessing from a hospital bed. Ethan standing by the gate waiting.Maya stood in her childhood room one last time.Same cracks in the ceiling. Same window. Same everything.Nothing was the same.Her phone buzzed.Unknown number: Tick tock. 18 hours left.She stared at the words.Then she did something different.She typed back: Who are you?Three dots appeared. Then: Someone who knows everything about you.Maya: Then you know I don't scare easily.Unknown: Everyone scares eventually.Maya: Not me.She put the phone in her pocket and walked out.The drive to the city was long, but Maya wasn't quiet this time."Pull over," she said.Ethan looked at her. "What?""Pull over. I need to make a call."He pulled to the side of the road.Maya took out her phone. Called Bisi.Bisi picked up on the first ring. "Maya? Where are you? I've been so worried...""I need you to do something.""Anything.""Go

Chapter 15: the name (Maya pov)

The police station waiting room was cold.Not the cold temperature. Something else. Fluorescent lights. Hard plastic chairs. People who had seen too much.Maya sat staring at the wall.Ethan was on the phone with his father. Words she couldn't hear.Her mind was somewhere else.Someone pointed Jake at you.The stranger's words kept repeating.Someone who knew things about you before Jake ever heard your name.She ran through everyone she knew. Everyone who knew her family. Everyone who knew about the scholarship.Too many names. None fit.Ethan sat beside her. "My father is sending security. Safe house."Maya nodded."What are you thinking?" he asked."The man who approached Jake. He knew my mother worked at a textile shop before I was born. Only family knows that.""That's a small list.""Small enough."Her phone buzzed.Unknown number: Tick tock. 8 hours.She stared at it.Then she called the number.It rang once. Twice. Three times.A voice answered. Low. Calm. Familiar."Hello, Ma

Chapter 16:The trap

Chapter 16: The trapMaya didn't sleep.She sat by the window watching the city lights.Thinking.Planning.Running through every word Femi said.Sixteen years of watching him fail.Her father. Her family. Her entire life was shaped by a man she barely remembered.Her phone buzzed.Unknown number: 4 hours.She stared at the words. Four hours until her scholarship died.She typed: Why are you doing this?Unknown: When you love someone the way I loved your mother, sixteen years is nothing.Maya felt sick.Unknown: I watched you grow up. Smart. Beautiful. Strong. You got all of that from her.Maya: And my father?Unknown: Your father gave you nothing but debt and failure.Maya closed her eyes.Unknown: Four hours. Say goodbye to your scholarship.She didn't reply.Instead, she called her mother."Mama. I need you to send him a message.""What kind?""The kind that makes him think you're finally ready to leave."Silence."Maya, I can't…""You don't have to mean it. Just make him believe it."

Chapter 17: The morning after

Maya didn't remember falling asleep.One moment she was sitting in the back of the car, her mother's head on her shoulder. The next, she was in a bed. Sunlight through curtains. Someone knocking.She sat up fast.Her room. Ethan's father's house. She was still in yesterday's clothes.The knock came again."Come in."Ethan opened the door. He looked tired but calm. "Hey.""Hey.""Your mother is awake. She's asking for you."Maya swung her legs off the bed. "What time is it?""Almost noon. You slept eight hours."Eight hours. She hadn't slept eight hours in weeks.Her mother was in the kitchen. Sitting at a large table with a cup of tea. Looking smaller than Maya remembered."Mama."Her mother looked up. Smiled. Tired but real."Aya. Come sit."Maya sat beside her.They didn't talk for a moment. Just sat together.Then her mother said: "Your father called. He's being moved to a hospital here. Ethan's father arranged it."Maya blinked. "What?""They're bringing him this afternoon. Better

Chapter 18:Back to school

Two weeks later, Maya went back to class.Not because she was ready, but because staying away felt worse. The scholarship was safe. Her father was recovering. Her mother was finally sleeping through the night.There was no reason to hide anymore.But walking across campus felt like walking onto a stage.People looked. Whispered. Turned away when she caught them. Maya kept her head up and kept walking. She had faced worse than whispers.Bisi was waiting by the science building.She ran at Maya like a missile. Arms wide. Face wet before she even got there."Maya! Oh my god, Maya!"They crashed into each other. Hugged so tight Maya couldn't breathe."I'm okay," Maya said. "I'm okay."Bisi pulled back. Looked at her face. Wiped her own tears."You're not okay. You look like you haven't slept in weeks.""I've slept.""Liar."Maya smiled. "Okay. I've slept a little."Bisi grabbed her hand. Pulled her toward the bench. The same bench where everything had shifted between her and Ethan."Sit.

Chapter 19:The first time

Chapter 19: The first timeMaya didn't remember the last time she felt this happy.Three weeks of peace. Three weeks of healing. Three weeks of waking up without fear.Her father was home. Weak but recovering. He sat on the porch every morning, drinking tea, watching the world go by. Her mother stayed close. Always touching his shoulder. Always smiling.The shop was closed. Maybe forever. But somehow, that felt okay.Ethan came every weekend. He helped her father fix things. Ate her mother's foodfalls asleep on their couch watching movies.He fit. Like he had always been there."You're different," Bisi said one afternoon. They were studying in the library."Different how?""Softer. Happier." Bisi grinned. "It's disgusting. I love it."Maya laughed. Real laugh. The kind that came easy now."Ethan did this to you.""He helped."Bisi leaned forward. "You love him."It wasn't a question.Maya thought about it. About the bench. About the night he drove four hours. About the way he held he

Chapter 20:The new girl

Three days.That was how long Maya's peace lasted after the text.Three days of looking over her shoulder. Three days of jumping at shadows. Three days of Ethan checking his phone every five minutes.Then nothing.No more texts. No more threats. Just silence."Maybe it was nothing," Bisi said. They were walking to class together. "Maybe someone is just messing with you.""Maybe.""You don't believe that.""No."Bisi sighed. "I didn't think so."Ethan was waiting outside her lecture hall."Anything?" Maya asked.He shook his head. "My father traced the number. Burner phone. Bought with cash. Dead end."Maya felt the familiar weight settle back on her chest."So we wait.""So we wait."He took her hand. Squeezed."But we wait together."That afternoon, Maya's mother called."Your father is doing well. The doctors are happy."Maya smiled. "That's good, Mama.""He's asking about you. When are you coming home?""Soon. Maybe this weekend.""Good. Bring Ethan. I'll cook his favorite."Maya l

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