Ethan sat at his desk, staring at the course selection sheet like it was some unsolvable puzzle. His heart thumped a little harder than usual, not because of the courses, but because of the girl he couldn’t get out of his head—Mia.
Mia was everything Ethan wasn’t. She was cool, popular, the kind of girl who effortlessly made every room she entered brighter. With her perfectly styled hair and casual confidence, she always seemed untouchable. Everyone wanted to be around her, to bask in her light. And Ethan? Well, he was just a quiet guy who spent his time doodling in notebooks, dreaming of a world where he could actually talk to her. They had a few mutual friends, exchanged casual greetings in the hallway, but that was the extent of it.
Until recently.
A week ago, during lunch, he overheard Mia talking to one of her friends about next year’s classes. She hadn’t made any concrete decisions, but from what he gathered, she was leaning towards taking Computer Science. The thought of being in the same class as her next year set his heart racing. It wasn’t just the chance to be near her—it was the idea that maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to be more than just another face in the crowd.
But there was a problem.
Ethan’s true passion was Art History. He had always been drawn to the great masters, the way they expressed raw emotion on canvas, the stories told in every brushstroke. Spending a year diving into the subject would be a dream come true. It felt like the perfect fit for him. Yet, here he was, torn between following his passion or following the girl who made his heart skip a beat.
The decision weighed heavily on him. Every time he picked up the pen to mark his course sheet, his thoughts drifted to Mia. Was it worth giving up his dream for a chance to be in the same class as her? It sounded ridiculous when he thought about it logically, but logic had no place in matters of the heart.
His friends gave him mixed advice. Some told him to go for Art History—follow his dream. Others, the ones who knew about his crush on Mia, encouraged him to take Computer Science. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” they said, “What if this is your chance to really get to know her?”
Days passed, and Ethan still couldn’t decide. The deadline for submitting his course selection loomed closer, and his mind was in knots. Every time he thought about Art History, excitement surged through him. But every time he thought about Mia, his heart fluttered in a completely different way. He could already picture them sitting together in class, sharing laughs, maybe even working on projects together.
Finally, the night before the deadline, Ethan made his choice. With a deep breath and trembling hands, he crossed out “Art History” and circled “Computer Science.” His stomach twisted in knots, but he told himself it was the right move. Maybe this was his chance to finally get closer to Mia.
The first day of class came quicker than he expected. Ethan walked into the Computer Science room, his eyes scanning the room for her familiar figure. He hadn’t been able to sleep the night before, the thought of seeing Mia making his heart race. But as the minutes ticked by, and more students filed in, there was no sign of her.
A sinking feeling set in.
Where was she?
By the end of the period, he was completely deflated. He had given up on his dream, given up on Art History, and Mia hadn’t even shown up. After class, he wandered the hallways in a daze, hoping to bump into her, to ask her casually about her class choices without looking desperate.
He spotted her sitting with her friends at lunch, as radiant and untouchable as ever. Gathering his courage, he walked over to her table. She looked up, flashing him a quick, polite smile.
“Hey, Mia,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady. “What class did you end up picking for this year?”
She grinned, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “Art History. I don’t know, I just felt like it was something different, something cool, you know?”
Ethan’s stomach dropped. Art History. Of course.
He forced a smile, though inside, he felt like his heart had been punched. “Oh, nice. I, uh, picked Computer Science,” he mumbled, suddenly feeling foolish.
Mia nodded, completely unaware of the internal battle Ethan had fought. “That’s cool! Well, I’m sure you’ll love it.”
As he walked away from her table, the noise of the cafeteria faded into the background. He had given up his dream, the thing he was truly passionate about, to chase something that wasn’t even real. Mia hadn’t picked Computer Science. She wasn’t going to be in the same class as him. Instead, she was in Art History, the class that he was supposed to be in.
Ethan sighed, leaning against the wall, the weight of his decision crashing down on him. He had lost more than just a class. He had lost a piece of himself in trying to follow someone else’s path.
But maybe there was still time to fix things. He’d talk to the guidance counselor tomorrow, see if he could switch back into Art History. Maybe he could reclaim his passion and, in the process, find his way back to something real.
As for Mia, maybe their paths would cross again. Maybe they were destined to, when the time was right. But for now, he had to start by being true to himself.
See also: Piet Hein’s Glove Rhyme
