Part 2
The more time Maya spent with Alex, the more Ethan began to feel...real. He wasn't just a figment anymore, but a presence in her mind, a constant companion, whispering anxieties and doubts.
One evening, while studying in the library with Alex, Maya noticed a familiar scent. It was the faint, sweet aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg that she always associated with Ethan. She looked around, searching for the source, but found nothing.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked, concern creasing his brow.
"Nothing," Maya mumbled, forcing a smile. "Just...feeling a bit overwhelmed."
That night, as she lay in bed, Ethan's voice filled her head. "He's a good guy," he said, his voice tinged with a strange melancholy. "But he'll never understand you the way I do."
Maya sat up, her heart pounding. The words sent shivers down her spine. Was Ethan becoming jealous? Was her imaginary boyfriend feeling threatened by a real person? It was a terrifying thought, yet a strangely exciting one too.
The next day, Maya couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She imagined Ethan's eyes following her, a silent observer. When Alex called to ask her to study at his apartment, she hesitated.
"I can't," she said, her voice shaky. "Ethan...he's taking me to a concert tonight."
Ethan, of course, hadn't made any such plans. But as Maya spoke, she felt a surge of guilt, followed by a chilling sense of relief. Ethan had become a shield, a barrier against her burgeoning feelings for Alex.
"Oh, okay," Alex said, his voice flat. "No worries."
The disappointment in his voice was palpable. Maya's stomach lurched. She had hurt him, all for the sake of an imaginary boyfriend.
That night, in the quiet solitude of her room, Maya had a realization. Ethan wasn't a shield, but a prison. He was keeping her from the real world, the real connections she craved.
She needed to let him go.
But how?
The thought of telling Alex the truth felt impossible, a terrifying leap into the unknown.
She looked at the phone on her nightstand, the device that allowed her to create the elaborate lie of Ethan's existence. A new thought took root in her mind.
What if she could turn Ethan into a tool to break free?
What if she could use him to tell Alex the truth?
