It Was Already Too Late 💔

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Chapter 12: The Day She Smiled Again

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Maya woke up to sunlight filling her room.

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For once, she didn't wake up thinking about Ethan.

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She didn't wake up wondering what he thought of her.

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She didn't wonder whether he would speak to her at school.

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She simply woke up feeling happy.

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She stood in front of her mirror and smiled.

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“I think I'm finally okay.”

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At school, Lena noticed immediately.

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“Something's different about you.”

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Maya laughed.

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“What?”

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“You're glowing.”

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Maya rolled her eyes.

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“I'm just happy.”

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“Because of Ethan?”

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Maya shook her head.

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“No.”

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“Daniel?”

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“No.”

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“Then what?”

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Maya smiled.

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“Me.”

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Lena stared at her for a moment before smiling.

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“I'm proud of you.”

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During lunch, Maya sat beneath the tree with her notebook.

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She opened to a new page.

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At the top, she wrote:

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I Choose Me.

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She stared at those words.

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They felt different now.

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Months ago, she had written about Ethan.

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Every page had been about him.

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His smile.

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His voice.

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His attention.

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Now, her pages were about her dreams.

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Her future.

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The person she wanted to become.

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She started writing.

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I used to think being loved by someone else would make me enough.

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Now I know I was enough before anyone loved me.

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She stopped.

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A tear rolled down her cheek.

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But this time, it wasn't a tear of sadness.

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It was relief.

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“Maya?”

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She looked up.

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Ethan stood in front of her.

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“Can I sit?”

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She smiled.

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“Of course.”

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He sat beside her.

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“I've been meaning to tell you something.”

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“What?”

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“I'm proud of you.”

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Maya looked surprised.

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“Why?”

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“Because you're different.”

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She smiled.

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“So are you.”

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Ethan laughed softly.

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“I'm trying.”

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There was a pause.

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Then he said, “I don't want to rush anything between us.”

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Maya looked at him.

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“Okay.”

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“I just want to be your friend.”

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She smiled.

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“I'd like that.”

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Ethan nodded.

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For once, he wasn't asking her to love him.

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He wasn't asking for another chance.

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He wasn't asking her to forget the past.

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He was simply grateful that she was still willing to have him in her life.

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After school, Maya and Daniel walked toward the gates.

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Daniel looked at her.

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“You seem happy.”

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“I am.”

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“Good.”

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Maya smiled.

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“I think I've finally learned something.”

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“What?”

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“You can't choose who loves you.”

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Daniel nodded.

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“But you can choose who you become.”

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Maya smiled.

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“Exactly.”

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They continued walking.

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Behind them, Ethan watched from a distance.

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He smiled.

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He wasn't jealous anymore.

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He was happy for her.

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And for the first time, he understood that loving someone didn't always mean having them.

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Sometimes...

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It meant wanting them to be happy, even if you weren't the reason.

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Maya walked through the school gates without looking back.

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She didn't know it would be one of the last ordinary days of her life.

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She didn't know that the happiness she had finally found would soon be tested.

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And she certainly didn't know that Ethan would one day stand beside her grave...

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wishing he could return to this exact moment.

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Because some moments feel ordinary while you're living them.

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Only later do you realize they were precious.

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And sometimes...

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You don't realize how much time you have until there isn't any left.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxe3FfNXQkV

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