The days seemed to stretch longer now. Maya could feel it, that quiet pull between herself and Kian, the tension lingering just beneath the surface. They were trying, really trying to put things back together, but there were still so many unspoken words, so many unresolved feelings. And every time Maya looked at him, there was a part of her that couldn't help but wonder—was it enough? Was this really going to work?
She sat on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her as she stared out the window. The city below was alive, bustling with the usual energy, but in her small apartment, it felt like the world had come to a standstill. The silence in the room was deafening, and it felt as though the space between her and Kian was widening again.
Her phone buzzed, breaking the stillness, and she picked it up quickly, hoping for a distraction. It was a message from Ivan.
"How are you holding up? I know things with Kian are complicated, but I'm here if you need to talk. Don't forget that."
Maya stared at the message for a long moment. Ivan had always been there for her, in ways that Kian never could be. He understood her, knew the parts of her that Kian didn't. He had always been the one to listen when she needed to vent, the one who knew how to make her smile when everything felt dark. But now, things were different.
She felt a flutter of guilt in her chest. Kian was making an effort. He was trying, even if it wasn't always the way she imagined. But Ivan… Ivan was always there, always a steady presence. And that, more than anything, made her question where her heart truly lay.
She typed out a quick response to Ivan, careful to keep her words light. "I'm okay. Just trying to figure things out. I'll be fine, but thank you for checking in. I appreciate it."
She set her phone down, her fingers brushing against the smooth surface of the coffee table. The hum of the refrigerator in the corner seemed louder now, as though mocking the silence between her and Kian.
The door creaked open, and Kian stepped in, his presence filling the room immediately. Maya glanced up, her gaze meeting his. His eyes, still tired but softer than before, studied her with a mixture of concern and something else—a vulnerability that Maya hadn't seen in him before.
"Hey," he said, his voice hesitant. "I—" He paused, taking a breath before continuing. "I got us dinner. Thought we could talk. If you're up for it."
Maya nodded, forcing a small smile. She didn't know if she was up for it, but she appreciated the gesture. She could see that he was trying, really trying to make things right. And in some way, it made her heart ache even more.
"Dinner sounds good," she replied, her voice softer than she intended.
Kian set the takeout boxes on the counter and turned to face her. There was a long pause before he spoke again, his words coming out slowly, as if he was carefully choosing each one.
"I've been thinking," he began. "About everything. About us. And I know I haven't been the easiest person to be with. I've made mistakes. I've hurt you. But I want to do better. I want to fix this, Maya. I don't want to lose you."
Maya's chest tightened. His words were genuine, she could feel it, but there was still that nagging doubt at the back of her mind. Could they really make it work? Could she truly forgive him, or would the past always hang over them like a shadow?
"I don't want to lose you either," she said quietly, her eyes meeting his. "But I can't pretend that everything is okay when it's not. We've got so much to figure out."
Kian nodded, his eyes not leaving hers. "I know. And I'm not asking you to forget what's happened. I just want you to know that I'm here. And I'll do whatever it takes to show you that I'm serious about making things work."
The sincerity in his voice made Maya's heart ache. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust that he could be the man she needed, the man he used to be, before everything became so complicated.
But there was still so much she didn't know. So much she wasn't ready to face.
The silence between them lingered, thick and heavy. Maya felt the weight of it pressing down on her, suffocating her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was standing at a crossroads. She could stay, try to rebuild what they had, or she could walk away, leaving the past—and Kian—behind.
But as much as the idea of leaving seemed appealing, there was a part of her that couldn't let go.
She glanced at the dinner on the counter, the steam rising from the boxes. It seemed like a small, insignificant moment, but in the midst of everything, it felt like the first step toward healing. Toward something new.
"I'm not ready to make any promises," she said softly, breaking the silence. "But I'm willing to try. I think we owe it to ourselves to see where this can go. No more running away."
Kian's face softened, a small but genuine smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I'm not running either," he said, his voice steady. "I'll be here. Whatever you need."
And for the first time in a long while, Maya believed him. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't easy. But it was a beginning. A new chapter, maybe. One that neither of them had the answers to yet, but both were willing to face together.