Chapter One: A Quiet Collision
The collision wasn't dramatic.
No books fell. No one bumped into anyone hard enough to apologize repeatedly. No music played in the background to mark the moment.
It was quiet. Ordinary. Almost forgettable.
Almost.
Amara was walking down the hallway after her last class, her backpack slung over one shoulder, her mind already planning the evening ahead—homework, chores, silence. She liked silence. Silence didn't disappoint you.
As she turned the corner, someone stepped directly into her path.
She stopped short.
"So—sorry," the boy said instantly, stepping back.
Amara looked up.
He was tall, with calm eyes that held no rush, no impatience. He didn't stare at her like most people did—either curious or judgmental. He just looked… attentive.
"It's fine," she replied, adjusting her bag.
She tried to walk past him.
But he spoke again. "You dropped this."
She turned and saw him holding a small notebook—her notebook. The one she always kept hidden, the one filled with thoughts she never shared. Her heart skipped.
"Oh—thanks," she said quickly, taking it from him.
Their fingers brushed.
It was brief. Unimportant.
Yet something about the moment made her chest tighten.
He smiled—not a flashy smile, not one meant to impress—but a gentle one, like he wasn't trying to be anything other than himself.
"I'm Ethan," he said.
She hesitated. "Amara."
"Nice to meet you, Amara."
She nodded and walked away, telling herself it was nothing.
But as she reached the end of the hall, she realized something strange.
For the first time in a long while, she felt… seen.
Chapter Two: The Boy with Unspoken Strength
Ethan Blackwood wasn't popular.
He wasn't invisible either.
He existed somewhere in between—the kind of person people trusted without knowing why. Teachers relied on him. Friends leaned on him. Strangers felt safe around him.
But Ethan didn't see himself that way.
To him, doing the right thing was just normal.
That afternoon, as he watched Amara disappear down the hallway, he felt something unfamiliar tug at his chest. Not attraction—not yet—but curiosity.
There was sadness in her eyes. Not loud sadness. Quiet, carefully hidden sadness.
And for reasons he couldn't explain, he wanted to make sure she never had to face it alone.
Chapter Three: Small Acts of Protection
They didn't become friends overnight.
Their connection grew in small moments.
A saved seat in class.
A shared umbrella when the rain came suddenly.
A simple "Are you okay?" when Ethan noticed Amara's hands trembling during a stressful exam.
He never pushed. Never demanded explanations.
And that was what scared her most.
Because he stayed.
When rumors spread and whispers followed her, Ethan shut them down without raising his voice. When she forgot her lunch, he wordlessly slid half of his across the table.
He didn't act like a hero.
But somehow, every time the world felt too heavy, Ethan was there—steady, unmovable, like armor she hadn't asked for but desperately needed.
Chapter Four: Cracks In The Armor
"You don't trust anyone, do you?" Ethan asked one evening as they sat on the school steps, watching the sky fade into orange and blue.
Amara stiffened. "Trust is overrated."
He nodded slowly. "Maybe. But everyone deserves someone who won't leave."
She laughed softly. "That's not how life works."
Ethan looked at her then—really looked at her.
"Then maybe life needs to learn how to stay."
Her heart skipped.
She turned away before he could see the tears forming.