That evening, Maya stayed home.
She locked her door.
Closed her curtains.
And sat on her bed in silence.
Her mind replayed everything over and over again.
Ethan's words.
The man's offer.
The vision.
The way her ability suddenly stopped working.
Nothing made sense anymore.
For years, her power had been her burden.
Now—
It was something people wanted.
Something dangerous.
Something valuable.
Her phone buzzed.
Maya flinched slightly before looking at it.
A message.
Not from an unknown number this time.
From Ethan.
Are you okay?
She stared at the screen for a moment.
Then typed back.
I don't know.
A few seconds later—
I'm coming over.
Her eyes widened.
No—
But before she could finish typing—
A knock came from her window.
Maya froze.
Slowly, she stood up and walked toward it.
Her heart pounded as she pulled the curtain aside.
Ethan stood outside.
Like last night.
Like this was becoming a habit.
She opened the window slightly.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered.
"Making sure you're okay."
"I told you not to come."
"And I didn't listen."
She sighed softly.
"Ethan—"
"Let me in."
She hesitated.
But only for a second.
Then she stepped aside.
Inside her room, everything felt… smaller.
More personal.
More real.
Ethan looked around briefly before turning his attention back to her.
"You shouldn't be alone right now," he said.
"I've been alone for years."
"That was before."
Maya crossed her arms.
"And now?"
"Now you're a target."
The word hit differently coming from him.
She looked away.
Silence filled the room.
Then Ethan stepped closer.
"Maya."
She looked up.
For a moment—
They were too close.
Close enough for her to notice the small details.
The tension in his jaw.
The concern in his eyes.
Something softened inside her.
And that scared her more than anything.
"I don't trust you," she said quietly.
Ethan didn't react immediately.
"That's fair," he said.
"But you still came to me," he added.
She swallowed.
"I didn't have a choice."
"You always have a choice."
Their eyes locked.
And suddenly—
Everything felt heavier.
More complicated.
"You were part of them," she said again.
"And now you're protecting me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
That question hung between them.
Ethan didn't look away this time.
"Because I know what happens to people like you," he said.
Her breath caught.
"And I'm not letting that happen again."
Again.
That word hit hard.
Maya's heart pounded.
"What do you mean… again?"
Ethan froze.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
"You've done this before," she whispered.
He didn't answer.
And that silence—
That silence confirmed everything.
Maya stepped back slightly.
"You didn't just know Daniel," she said slowly.
"You were there when it happened."
Ethan's jaw tightened.
Still no answer.
"Tell me the truth," she said, her voice breaking slightly.
"Did you help them?"
The room felt suffocating.
Heavy.
Like the truth itself was too big to exist in that space.
Ethan finally spoke.
"Yes."
One word.
But it shattered everything.
Maya felt like the ground had disappeared beneath her feet.
"You…" her voice trembled, "you helped them take him?"
"It wasn't like that."
"Then what was it like?!"
Her voice rose, filled with emotion.
"I didn't know what they were going to do!" Ethan said.
"Not at first."
Maya shook her head, tears forming in her eyes.
"That doesn't make it better."
"I know."
Silence.
Painful.
Raw.
Real.
Maya turned away, trying to steady herself.
"I can't trust you," she said softly.
Ethan didn't argue.
He just stood there.
Watching her.
Waiting.
Then, quietly—
"I'm trying to fix it."
Maya closed her eyes.
"How?"
"By protecting you."
She let out a shaky breath.
"And after that?"
Ethan didn't answer.
Because maybe—
He didn't have one.
Or maybe—
He knew there wouldn't be an "after."
Maya turned back to him slowly.
Her heart still hurt.
Her mind still confused.
But one thing was clear.
This wasn't simple anymore.
It wasn't just fear.
Or curiosity.
Or danger.
It was something deeper.
Something harder to escape.
Something that made her stay—
Even when she knew she should walk away.
And that scared her the most.