The weekend arrived with a rare warmth in the air, and students spilled out of the school with laughter and chatter. Annarosé walked down the steps, clutching her books, when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Annarosé," Ethan called smoothly. He was leaning against his sleek black car, keys spinning on his finger. His presence drew curious glances from other girls, but his eyes were fixed only on her.
"Do you need a ride home?" he asked, flashing his perfect smile.
Annarosé hesitated. "Oh, no… I usually walk."
Ethan tilted his head. "Walking is fine, but with me, you won't just get home—you'll have fun on the way. Maybe some coffee? Or… a drive by the river?" His tone was playful, yet his gaze was intense.
For a moment, Annarosé's heart raced. She wasn't used to this kind of attention, not from someone like Ethan.
Before she could answer, Nick appeared, walking quickly toward them. His eyes narrowed as he saw Ethan standing so close to her.
"Annarosé," Nick said firmly, ignoring Ethan altogether, "we still have to finish our history project, remember?"
Annarosé blinked, caught between the two cousins. Ethan smirked, sensing Nick's tension.
"Ah, the project," Ethan drawled. "But projects can wait. Life outside the library is so much more… exciting."
Nick's jaw tightened. "Or maybe some things are more important than your kind of excitement."
The sharpness in his voice surprised even Annarosé. She looked between them, feeling the weight of something she couldn't yet understand.
Ethan gave a small laugh, raising his hands as if surrendering. "Relax, cousin. I was just offering her a ride." He leaned closer to Annarosé and whispered just loud enough, "But the offer stands. Anytime."
Annarosé's pulse quickened, and though she nodded politely, her eyes lingered on Ethan for a moment longer than Nick could bear.
That night, Nick couldn't shake the image from his mind—Ethan's smile, Annarosé's blush, and the fear that maybe, just maybe, he was already losing her