The next morning, there was a quiet buzz of excitement in the classroom.
Elena sat at her desk, trying to focus, while Ethan entered with his usual calm, confident air.
When the teacher explained the rules of the group project, everyone's attention went to one thing — Elena and Ethan were partners.
> "You two will be working together on this project," the teacher said.
"Your grade will depend entirely on your coordination."
Elena peeked at him from the corner of her notebook.
Ethan simply gave a small nod, as if saying, "Challenge accepted."
---
For the first time, they were officially sitting together in the library.
Elena twisted her pen nervously and whispered,
> "So… where do we start?"
Ethan spread out his notes in front of him.
> "Let's make a plan first. Clear roles or we'll waste time."
After a brief hesitation, Elena said,
> "Fine… I'll handle the research."
Ethan raised an eyebrow and smirked.
> "And I'll handle the presentation and summary. Deal?"
> "Deal," Elena said reluctantly.
And then silence fell.
No jokes, no teasing — just work.
Yet every time their eyes met, there was a strange electricity in the air.
---
A few hours later, Ethan leaned back slightly and said softly,
> "You know… you're really focused."
Elena looked at him, surprised.
> "I… yeah… and you?"
Ethan gave a small, easy smile.
> "Me? I'm just… enjoying working with you."
Elena's cheeks flushed lightly.
> "Enjoy…? Seriously?"
> "Seriously," Ethan said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
They continued working, but now every glance felt personal.
Every soft smile, every quiet laugh, carried a hint of something more.
Hours passed, and when the bell rang, Elena packed her bag.
Ethan passed her a small note.
> "See you tomorrow. Don't forget the draft."
— E.W.
Elena looked at the note and pressed her lips together, smiling faintly.
> "He really is… different," she whispered to herself.
As she walked out of the classroom, Ethan's friends were already watching him.
> "Bro… something's going on between you two, right?"
Ethan just shrugged, but there was a hint in his eyes…
Something had changed.
And neither of them fully realized that this change… was the start of the next chapter of their lives.
The next few days felt different at school.
Every hallway, every classroom seemed charged — not with noise, but with a quiet tension that only Elena and Ethan seemed to notice.
During lunch, Elena sat at her usual table, notebook open, pretending to work.
Suddenly, Ethan slid into the seat across from her.
> "Mind if I join?" he asked casually, though his tone hinted at amusement.
Elena raised an eyebrow.
> "Since when do you sit here?"
Ethan smirked.
> "Since I realized it's more interesting when you're around."
Elena rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips.
> "You're impossible," she muttered.
> "I prefer… challenging," Ethan replied, leaning back.
---
Later that day, during the group project session, their classmates watched closely.
Elena and Ethan worked side by side, silently exchanging glances, scribbling notes, and sometimes bumping elbows accidentally.
Each time, a small spark of awareness ran through them.
One of Ethan's friends leaned over.
> "Bro… you two are like… fireworks waiting to explode."
Ethan didn't answer. Instead, he glanced at Elena and said softly,
> "Focus."
Elena laughed under her breath.
> "You're enjoying this too much, aren't you?"
> "Maybe," Ethan admitted, eyes glinting.
"But at least we're getting the project done."
---
The next morning, Elena found another small note in her locker.
This time, it was just three words:
> "Keep looking up." — E.W.
She smiled to herself, tracing the letters with her fingers.
> "What does that even mean?" she whispered, though a strange warmth filled her chest.
As they entered class, the teacher announced yet another surprise — a pop quiz.
Elena groaned, and Ethan's smirk returned.
> "Looks like the universe is testing us," he said.
Elena shot him a look.
> "Or maybe it's just testing how much I can tolerate you."
> "That… I can help with," Ethan teased, leaning closer.
For the first time, Elena didn't push him away.
Instead, she found herself laughing softly, her heart racing more than the quiz ever could.
And as the school day went on, it became clear —
this wasn't just about projects or pool rescues anymore.
Every glance, every small interaction, every teasing word was weaving something real between them.
Something neither of them could ignore.
Today was exciting for everyone at school — the annual school fair!
Stalls, games, and the sweet aroma of food made the entire campus lively.
Elena and Ethan's classmates were buzzing with excitement, but both of them were focused on something else — each other.
---
Elena was watching Ethan from a distance while eating cotton candy with her friends.
Ethan, in his usual confident style, was at a game stall, challenging students with a smirk.
And then, when their eyes met, neither could hide a small laugh.
> "So… ready for a challenge?" Ethan teased, holding a game ticket in his hand.
Elena raised an eyebrow.
> "Challenge? You know I'm going to win."
> "We'll see," Ethan replied, mischief glinting in his eyes.
---
They picked a ring toss game.
With every throw, they exchanged glances, teased each other, and shared soft laughs.
At one point, Elena missed a toss, and Ethan quickly guided her hand.
> "There… just like that," he said softly.
Elena's heart started racing.
> "Thanks… again," she whispered.
> "You're welcome," Ethan replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
---
At the final stall of the fair, they stood in front of a chocolate fountain.
Elena took a piece of chocolate and mischievously looked at Ethan.
> "Try it," she teased, holding the chocolate between her fingers.
Ethan hesitated for a moment, then lightly tasted the chocolate from Elena's fingers.
For a moment, time seemed to pause — their eyes locked.
Elena laughed softly.
> "You really are… different," she said quietly.
> "Different in a good way, I hope," Ethan replied, with a genuine smile.
Amid the chaos of the fair, both realized —
this wasn't just fun or teasing anymore.
These small moments, these little interactions, were building something real between them.
Something neither of them could ignore.
______End of Chapter __________