**Awkward Silence**

A week had passed since that fateful night, and the tension between Lyra and Ethan was palpable. They had barely spoken to each other, and when they did, it was stilted and formal. Lyra had tried to brush off the incident, focusing on her work as Ethan's personal assistant, but the air between them was thick with unspoken emotions. As she sat at her desk, typing away on her computer, Lyra couldn't help but feel a sense of unease whenever Ethan walked into the room. She had tried to avoid him as much as possible, but it was hard to do so when they were working together on a project. Ethan, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding her altogether, his interactions limited to brief, curt responses. Lyra's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Ethan's footsteps approaching. She felt a flutter in her chest, but she didn't look up, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy. "Lyra, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked, his voice low and hesitant. She nodded, still not looking up. "Of course, Ethan. What's up?" He cleared his throat before speaking. "I was wondering if we could...talk about what happened last week." Lyra's heart sank, but she tried to remain composed. "I don't know if there's anything to talk about, Ethan," she said, her voice neutral. Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I know I wasn't exactly...in control of my actions that night. But I want you to know that I'm not using you, Lyra. I swear, I didn't mean to hurt you." Lyra's eyes narrowed, her grip on her pen tightening. "You didn't hurt me, Ethan," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm just fine." Ethan's eyes searched hers, but Lyra refused to meet his gaze. She knew that if she did, he would see the pain and confusion written all over her face. "I want to make things right between us, Lyra," Ethan said, his voice softening. "I value you as a friend and as my assistant. Can we...try to move past this?" Lyra shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "I don't see why we can't. It's not like it's going to affect our work or anything." Ethan's face twisted in a mixture of relief and guilt. "Okay, good. Because I really need your help on this project, Lyra." She forced a smile, trying to reassure him that everything was fine. But deep down, she knew it wasn't. Not by a long shot. As they worked together, Lyra tried to keep her distance, but it was hard to ignore the lingering awkwardness between them. She had thought that things would go back to normal once they had both gotten over the initial shock, but now she wasn't so sure. The rest of the day passed in an uncomfortable blur, with Lyra trying her best to focus on her work while Ethan hovered around her, trying to make conversation. But Lyra couldn't shake off the feeling that their relationship had been irreparably damaged, and she wasn't sure if it could ever be the same again. As the day drew to a close, Lyra gathered her things and prepared to leave. Ethan caught up with her, his voice low and urgent. "Lyra, wait." She turned to him, her eyes questioning. "Yes?" "Can we...talk about this some more?" he asked, his eyes pleading. "Maybe over coffee or something?" Lyra hesitated, unsure of what to say. Part of her wanted to agree, to try and work through the emotions that had been building up inside her. But another part of her was screaming to get away, to leave Ethan and his confusing emotions behind. "I don't know, Ethan," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll think about it." With that, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, looking uncertain and lost.