Part Five: Growing Closeness
From the very next day, Ethan began paying special attention to Annarosé. Whether it was the classroom, the cafeteria, or the school garden, he always managed to be near her.
"Mind if I sit here?" he asked casually, sliding into the seat next to her even though half the bench was empty.
Annarosé glanced at him, surprised, but nodded softly. "Sure."
Ethan smiled, that same confident smile that made it hard for her to look away.
During class breaks, he would strike up conversations.
"You're always reading," he said, leaning toward her one afternoon. "Don't you ever get bored of books?"
Annarosé tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Books are… peaceful. They don't disappoint."
Ethan chuckled, his gaze lingering on her face. "Then maybe I'll add a little excitement to your peaceful world."
His words made her heart skip. She quickly lowered her eyes, but the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her.
Across the room, Nick watched every second of it. His jaw clenched tighter with each passing glance, each smile she gave Ethan. It hurt more than he wanted to admit.
Later that evening, as they worked together in the library, Nick was unusually silent. He scribbled notes without saying much.
Annarosé noticed. "You're quiet today. Is something wrong?"
Nick shook his head, avoiding her eyes. "Nothing…" His voice was low, almost bitter.
But deep inside, he knew it wasn't nothing. Every time he saw Ethan near her, laughing, charming her, a part of him broke a little more.
And Ethan… what had started as just another game for him was beginning to feel different. For the first time, he wasn't sure if he was still playing.
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