The Space Between Us

The weekend passed with a suffocating silence between Li Wei and Mei Ling. For the first time since they were children, they weren't in constant contact. Li Wei found himself checking his phone obsessively, waiting for a message or a call from her, but there was nothing. Mei Ling, it seemed, had truly taken his words to heart and was giving herself the space to think.

On Sunday afternoon, unable to bear the quiet any longer, Li Wei decided to distract himself by visiting the small teahouse near their neighborhood. It was a place filled with memories of laughter and stolen glances, but right now, he felt a strange comfort in being surrounded by the familiar. The smell of jasmine tea and the warm glow of lanterns provided a soothing balm, if only temporarily.

As he sat down at one of the tables, he noticed the older woman who ran the teahouse, Mrs. Liu, giving him a kind smile. She had known both him and Mei Ling since they were kids, and she could tell something was weighing on him.

"Li Wei, you look like you’ve got the whole world on your shoulders today," she remarked, pouring him a cup of tea without him even having to ask.

Li Wei forced a smile. "Just… a lot on my mind, Mrs. Liu."

She chuckled knowingly. "I see. Sometimes it’s good to have a little space to sort out the heart."

Li Wei looked at her in surprise, wondering if she somehow knew what was going on between him and Mei Ling. But before he could ask, Mrs. Liu was off to serve other customers, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the warm cup of tea in his hands.

As he sipped, he replayed his confession over and over in his mind, regretting how abruptly he had blurted out his feelings. Maybe he had scared her away, forced her to confront something she wasn’t ready to face. He didn’t want to lose her friendship, but he also knew he couldn’t go on pretending everything was normal.

Just then, his phone buzzed with a message. His heart leapt, thinking it might be Mei Ling, but it was just a reminder from one of his professors about an upcoming assignment. With a sigh, he put his phone back down, resigning himself to the wait.

Meanwhile, across town, Mei Ling was sitting alone in a quiet corner of the university library, her mind just as unsettled as Li Wei’s. She had spent the past two days trying to untangle her emotions, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t find a clear answer.

Part of her was touched by Li Wei's confession. The fact that he had cared about her for so long, silently enduring his feelings while supporting her every step of the way, was both humbling and overwhelming. But there was another part of her—an anxious, uncertain part—that wondered if she was ready for the change this confession implied.

Her life had always been bright and uncomplicated, with Li Wei by her side as her best friend, her constant. The idea of stepping beyond that boundary frightened her. What if things didn’t work out? What if they tried, only to end up drifting apart? The thought of losing him, of breaking the friendship they had spent years building, was too painful to imagine.

Just as her thoughts spiraled, a voice broke her concentration. "Mei Ling? You alright?"

She looked up to see her friend, Yan Chen, standing there with a concerned expression. Yan Chen was someone she had met at university, and they had quickly bonded over shared interests and classes. She was one of the few people Mei Ling had confided in since starting college.

Mei Ling hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, just… a lot on my mind."

Yan Chen raised an eyebrow and sat down across from her. "You’ve been really quiet this weekend. Is it about that guy, Li Wei?"

Mei Ling blinked in surprise. She hadn’t mentioned Li Wei by name before, but Yan Chen seemed to have picked up on her emotions regardless.

"It’s… complicated," Mei Ling admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "He told me something, and now I don’t know what to do."

Yan Chen listened attentively, her expression softening. "Sometimes, when someone close to you says something unexpected, it’s like they’ve shifted your whole world. It’s okay to feel confused. But you should also think about what you feel deep down."

Mei Ling nodded, appreciating her friend’s advice. She had been so wrapped up in Li Wei’s emotions that she hadn’t taken the time to truly examine her own. What did she feel? Did she only see Li Wei as her best friend, or had her heart been keeping a secret from her?

"Thanks, Yan Chen," she murmured, feeling a bit of clarity wash over her. "Maybe… I need to see him, to really talk this through."

On Monday, Li Wei walked onto campus feeling a bit defeated, preparing himself for yet another day without hearing from Mei Ling. But as he passed by the main courtyard, he saw her standing there, waiting for him. The sight of her brought a flood of relief and nervousness all at once.

"Mei Ling," he greeted, his voice shaky but hopeful.

She looked at him with a calm determination, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Li Wei, can we talk somewhere private?"

Nodding, he led her to a quieter part of the campus, under the shade of a large maple tree. They stood there for a moment in silence, each gathering the courage to speak.

Finally, Mei Ling broke the silence. "Li Wei… I’ve been thinking about what you said. About your feelings."

Li Wei looked at her, his heart pounding as he waited for her to continue.

"I don’t want to lose you," she began, her voice gentle but firm. "You’ve been my best friend for so long, and I can’t imagine my life without you. But… I’m scared. I’m scared of what might happen if we go down this path and it doesn’t work out."

He felt a sharp pang in his chest, but he managed a nod. "I understand, Mei Ling. I don’t want to force you into anything you’re not ready for. I just… I needed you to know how I feel. I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer."

She looked away, her gaze fixed on the ground. "Part of me feels the same way, Wei. But I need time. I need to figure out what these feelings mean for us—for our friendship."

Li Wei took a step closer, his hand reaching out to gently touch hers. "I’ll wait, Mei Ling. However long you need, I’ll be here."

Her eyes met his, a mixture of relief and gratitude shining in them. For a moment, they stood there, hands clasped together, letting the unspoken understanding settle between them. They might not have the answers yet, but they knew that whatever happened, they would face it together.

As they slowly released each other’s hands, Mei Ling gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Li Wei. For being patient. For being you."

And with that, they parted ways, each carrying a new sense of hope and uncertainty, yet feeling closer than ever before.

---

That night, as Li Wei lay in bed, he felt a strange peace. He knew there were no guarantees, no promises that things would go the way he hoped. But Mei Ling’s words echoed in his mind, her gentle smile still vivid in his memory. It was enough to know that, for now, they were willing to try—to take things slowly and see where this uncharted path would lead them.

He was ready to wait, to face whatever came next. Because, for Mei Ling, he would wait as long as it took.