The following days at Westbridge Academy stretched on like years for Ethan.
Everywhere he went, he could feel the whispers circling around him like vultures. In the cafeteria, in the courtyard, even in the library — the same hushed voices repeating the same story.
"Aria ran away from him."
"She didn't even give him a chance."
"He's so dumb for thinking she'd say yes."
Ethan clenched his fists under the table as he tried to study, keeping his head down, pretending not to hear. He had dealt with gossip before, but this felt different. This wasn't about him being the outcast, the boy who was always quiet. This was about her. About Aria. And the part that hurt most was not the gossip itself, but the fact that Aria didn't deny it.
She didn't even look his way anymore.
---
In class, it was worse.
They had always shared a desk — an unspoken bond that had grown stronger over time. But now, when he slid into his seat, Aria sat stiffly beside him, her eyes fixed on the chalkboard, her notebook opened like a shield. She didn't greet him, didn't ask questions, didn't make small talk.
The silence between them was unbearable.
Ethan wanted to speak. Every day, he wanted to turn to her and demand answers. Why did you say no? Why are you pretending I don't exist? But whenever he opened his mouth, the words stuck in his throat. He would glance sideways and see the tightness in her jaw, the way her hand gripped her pen so hard it might snap, and he knew — she was building a wall between them.
And he couldn't find the courage to climb over it.
---
It was Friday afternoon when the tension finally broke.
The final bell rang, and students spilled out of the classroom, eager for the weekend. Ethan lingered behind, shoving his books into his bag. He glanced at Aria, who was already gathering her things in a rush.
This was his chance.
He inhaled sharply, his heart pounding. "Aria—"
But she shot up from her seat before he could finish. Her chair scraped against the floor, and she pressed her books to her chest as if they were armor.
"I have to go," she muttered, not even sparing him a glance.
And then she slipped out of the classroom, weaving quickly through the crowd of students until she was gone.
Ethan sat frozen, the words he had rehearsed over and over stuck in his throat once more.
---
That night in the dormitory, his roommate Thomas, who barely paid attention to anything beyond sports, finally spoke up.
"Why do you keep staring at the ceiling like that?" Thomas asked, tossing a basketball from hand to hand.
Ethan sighed. "Forget it."
"Is it about Aria?"
The ball stopped mid-air. Ethan blinked, turning his head sharply. "What?"
Thomas smirked knowingly. "The whole school's talking about it, dude. Even Coach knows."
Ethan groaned, burying his face in his pillow. He didn't need the reminder.
Thomas leaned against the bedpost. "Look, man. If she said no, she said no. Don't torture yourself."
Ethan didn't answer. Because deep down, he knew Thomas was wrong. It wasn't that simple. Aria's eyes had told him something different that day. Her "no" wasn't the kind that meant rejection. It was the kind that hid something. Something she didn't want him to know.
---
Saturday morning, the students were allowed into town for errands. Ethan spotted Aria near the gates, walking with her friends. They laughed and chatted, but she seemed distant, her smile faint, her eyes flickering downward more than usual.
Ethan felt a pang in his chest.
Without thinking, he followed. Not close enough to be noticed, but just enough to watch her. She stopped at the bookstore, lingering by the shelves of exam prep materials. Her friends grew impatient and urged her along, but she stood there, staring at the books with a heaviness that made Ethan's heart ache.
She's struggling, he realized. Just like before.
But instead of approaching, he froze at the door, invisible in the shadow of the shop's awning. He wanted to step forward, to offer help again, but something stopped him. Maybe it was the memory of her sharp voice saying "Stop." Maybe it was fear of pushing her further away.
So he let her walk out with her friends, disappearing once again into the crowd.
---
That evening, Ethan sat at his desk, his pen unmoving over the paper. His mind was a battlefield.
Why won't she let me in?
Why does she pretend I don't exist when I know she cares?
What is she hiding from me?
The unanswered questions gnawed at him, stealing his focus. For once, he couldn't drown himself in equations or essays. He shut his book and clenched his fists.
He had to know the truth.
---
Monday morning.
The sun streamed weakly through the classroom windows. Ethan sat at his desk, staring at the empty seat beside him. Aria hadn't arrived yet. Students chatted noisily, some throwing curious glances his way.
When the door finally opened, Aria stepped in. Her eyes flickered briefly in his direction before she looked away, her lips pressed into a thin line. She sat down wordlessly, placing her books neatly on the desk.
Ethan swallowed hard. His chest ached, his palms clammy. This was it. He couldn't keep living like this, trapped in silence. He needed to speak, even if the words tore him apart.
But just as he turned to her, ready to break the wall between them, a voice boomed from the back of the classroom.
"Well, well, look who's sitting together again," sneered Daniel, the Prince of the class. His friends chuckled behind him. "The rejected nerd and the girl who doesn't want him."
The whole class erupted in laughter. Aria flinched, her face flushing scarlet. Ethan's fists tightened under the desk, his jaw clenched. He wanted to shout, to fight back, but his voice refused to rise above the noise.
The teacher entered, silencing the room with a stern glare. Students quickly shuffled to their seats.
But the damage was already done.
Ethan glanced at Aria. Her eyes were downcast, her pen trembling in her hand. And in that moment, he realized something that made his heart sink deeper than ever.
She wasn't just avoiding him because of what he asked.
She was afraid.
Of what, Ethan didn't know. But he was determined to find out.