Enter Liam

"It was you," Ethan whispered again, his voice shaking. "You've been pretending to be Emily this whole time?"

Alex couldn't breathe. The truth hung in the air between them like a storm cloud about to burst.

But before Alex could speak, Liam stepped forward. "Wait, what's going on?"

Ethan pointed at the laptop screen, his finger shaking. "Alex has been pretending to be a girl named Emily online. He's been tricking me for weeks."

"Days," Alex corrected softly. "It's only been a few days."

"Like that makes it better?" Ethan's face was red with anger and hurt.

Liam moved beside Ethan, looking at the texts on the screen. His eyes widened, then narrowed as he turned to Alex. "You did this? Why?"

Alex opened his mouth, but no words came out. How could he explain that what started as a stupid joke had turned into something real? That he had feelings for Ethan that he didn't know how to share?

"I can explain," Alex finally said.

"No need," Ethan grabbed his jacket. "I think I get it. You wanted to make me look stupid. Congratulations. It worked."

"That's not—" Alex started, but Ethan was already heading for the door.

"I'm staying at Liam's tonight," Ethan said, not looking back. "I can't be here right now."

The door slammed shut, leaving Alex alone with Liam, who stared at him with cold eyes.

"You really messed up," Liam said.

Alex sank onto his bed, his legs too weak to hold him. "I know."

Liam didn't leave. Instead, he sat down on Ethan's empty bed. "Ethan's my best friend. We've known each other since we were kids. I've never seen him this upset."

"I didn't mean to hurt him," Alex whispered.

"Then what did you mean to do?" Liam's voice was strangely calm.

Alex looked up, shocked by the question. He expected Liam to yell at him or threaten him, not ask for his side of the story.

"It started as a joke," Alex admits. "But then we started talking, really talking. He told me things—told Emily things—that he never shared with me in real life.

And I liked that version of him. The one who wasn't afraid to open up."

Liam was quiet for a long moment. "Ethan doesn't trust easily. His parents..." He stopped, shaking his head. "That's not my story to tell. But you broke that trust. Big time."

"I know," Alex repeated, feeling smaller by the second.

"Give him space," Liam said, standing up. "I'll try to calm him down."

Alex looked up in surprise. "Why would you help me?"

Liam paused at the door. "I'm not helping you. I'm helping Ethan. He deserves better than this."

With that, Liam left, and Alex was truly alone with the mess he'd made.

Three days passed. Ethan didn't come back to the room except to grab clothes when Alex was in class. Jasmine tried to cheer Alex up, but nothing helped. He'd ruined everything.

On the fourth morning, Alex woke to a text from an unknown number:

"Meet me at the campus coffee shop at 10. We need to talk. - Liam"

Alex read the message three times. Why did Liam want to meet him? Was it a trap? Did he want to yell at Alex in public?

Despite his worries, Alex found himself at the coffee shop at exactly 10 AM. Liam was already there, sitting at a corner table with two cups of coffee.

"You came," Liam said, pushing one cup toward Alex.

"Why did you want to see me?" Alex asked, not touching the coffee.

Liam took a sip from his own cup. "Ethan's miserable."

"Join the club," Alex whispered.

"No, I mean really miserable. He's not eating, not sleeping. He keeps checking his phone like he's waiting for a message." Liam leaned forward. "He misses Emily."

Alex's heart did a strange flip. "But Emily isn't real."

"The person he connected with was real," Liam said pointedly. "That was you, wasn't it? Behind all the lies, that was actually you sharing your thoughts, your feelings."

Alex nodded slowly. "Yes, but—"

"But nothing. Ethan fell for someone who understood him, who made him laugh, who listened. That person happens to be you."

"He hates me now," Alex said.

"He's hurt," Liam amended. "There's a difference."

"Why are you telling me this?" Alex finally picked up the coffee. It was still hot.

Liam sighed. "Because despite everything, I think you care about him. Really care. And Ethan deserves someone who cares."

Before Alex could reply, the coffee shop door opened and Ethan walked in. He stopped dead when he saw Alex and Liam sitting together.

"What is this?" Ethan asked, his voice carrying across the quiet shop.

Liam stood up. "This is me trying to fix things."

"By going behind my back?" Ethan looked betrayed for the second time in a week.

"By getting you two to talk," Liam said strongly. "Sit down, Ethan."

To Alex's surprise, Ethan did sit down, though as far from Alex as the small table allowed.

"You have five minutes," Ethan told Alex, not meeting his eyes.

Alex took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. What I did was wrong and stupid and hurtful. But the things I shared with you as Emily—those were real. My feelings are real."

Ethan finally looked at him. "What feelings?"

"I like you," Alex said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I have for a while. I just didn't know how to tell you."

"So you lied instead?" Ethan's voice was hard, but his eyes showed confusion.

"I messed up," Alex admits. "I know that. And I understand if you never want to talk to me again. But I needed you to know that the person you connected with—that was the real me. Not some made-up character."

Ethan was quiet for a long moment. Then he asked, "Why did you create Emily in the first place? Why not just talk to me as yourself?"

Alex looked at Liam, who nodded encouragingly.

"Because I was scared," Alex said honestly. "Scared you wouldn't like the real me."

Something shifted in Ethan's face. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"I know, I—wait, what?" Alex blinked in confusion.

"We live in the same room," Ethan said. "If I didn't like you, one of us would have moved out by now."

"Oh," Alex said, feeling a small spark of hope.

Liam stood up suddenly. "I'm going to let you two talk alone."

As Liam walked away, Ethan leaned forward. "I'm still mad at you."

"I know," Alex nodded.

"And I don't forgive you. Not yet."

"I understand."

Ethan took a deep breath. "But I miss talking to you. Or Emily. Or whoever that really was."

"That was me," Alex said softly. "All me."

"Prove it," Ethan challenged. "Tell me something only Emily would know."

Alex thought for a moment. "You're afraid of thunderstorms. Not because of the lightning, but because your dad used to yell at you when you got scared of them as a kid."

Ethan's eyes widened. "You really were listening."

"I always listen to you," Alex said.

Just then, Alex's phone buzzed. He ignored it, but it buzzed again. And again.

"You should get that," Ethan said.

Alex pulled out his phone and froze when he saw the screen.

Multiple texts from GamerEthan23.

But Ethan was sitting right in front of him, without his phone in his hands.

"What is it?" Ethan asked, noticing Alex's face.

With shaking hands, Alex turned the phone so Ethan could see.

GamerEthan23: Hello Emily. Or should I say Alex? GamerEthan23: I know your secret now. GamerEthan23: And I'm not happy about it.

"That's not me," Ethan whispered, his face going pale. "I'm not sending those."

They both looked at each other as the truth hit them at the same time.

The mystery person—the one who had been using Ethan's account all along—was still out there.

And now they knew about Alex too.