The lights were still out.
Rain poured against the windows, thunder shaking the walls, but inside the room…
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Lena could still feel Ethan's hands on her waist.
Warm.
Steady.
Dangerous.
"I can move," she said softly.
He didn't.
"…You're not moving."
"Neither are you."
Her breath hitched.
Okay.
Fair point.
—
Another flash of lightning lit up the room for a split second.
Just enough for her to see his face.
Close.
Too close.
His eyes weren't teasing anymore.
They were focused.
On her.
Her heart started racing.
"This is weird," she whispered.
"Then move."
"I will."
She didn't.
Neither did he.
—
Thunder cracked again—
And instinctively, Lena's grip tightened on his shirt.
Ethan stilled.
"You said you weren't scared."
"I said maybe a little."
A pause.
Then—
His hand shifted slightly on her waist.
Not pulling her closer.
But not letting her go either.
"I've got you," he repeated, quieter this time.
Her heart did that thing again.
That stupid, confusing thing.
—
"Ethan…"
"Yeah?"
She swallowed.
"I don't hate you as much as I used to."
Silence.
Heavy.
Then—
"That's disappointing," he murmured.
She almost laughed.
Almost.
"Shut up."
"You're getting soft, Carter."
"Don't push it."
A beat.
Then—
"You said my name again."
Her breath caught.
"I did not."
"You did."
"I didn't."
"Lena."
The way he said it—
Low.
Close.
Intentional.
Her pulse spiked.
"Stop," she whispered.
"Stop what?"
"Doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Making everything feel…"
She trailed off.
He leaned in slightly.
"Feel like what?"
Her heart pounded.
Too fast.
Too loud.
She could feel his breath now.
Warm.
Close.
Everything slowed.
The storm.
The world.
Her thoughts.
Just him.
Just this.
—
And then—
The door slammed open.
Light flooded the room.
"Seriously?! The power's out and you two are just standing in the dark?!"
Maya.
Of course.
Lena jumped back like she'd been burned.
Ethan stepped away instantly.
Distance.
Cold.
Gone.
Just like that.
—
"Sit," Maya ordered, flipping on her phone flashlight. "We're still working."
Lena sat down quickly, avoiding Ethan's gaze.
Her hands felt weird.
Her chest felt tight.
Everything felt—
Off.
—
Five minutes in…
The door opened again.
And this time—
It wasn't Maya.
"Ethan," a familiar voice said.
Claire.
Of course.
Lena's grip tightened on her pen.
Claire stepped into the room, completely unfazed by the situation.
"I've been looking for you," she said, walking straight up to him.
Ethan frowned. "Why are you here?"
Claire smiled. "You left before I could finish our conversation."
Her eyes flicked to Lena.
Brief.
Intentional.
"Oh," she added lightly. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Yes," Ethan said flatly.
Lena blinked.
Claire laughed softly. "Relax. I won't stay long."
She stepped closer to Ethan.
Too close.
Lena looked down at her book.
Didn't care.
Didn't care.
Didn't—
"So," Claire said, lowering her voice slightly. "Are you coming tonight?"
Ethan's expression didn't change. "No."
"You didn't even ask what it is."
"I already know."
Claire smiled knowingly. "You always used to come."
Used to.
Lena's stomach twisted.
Annoying.
Very annoying.
"I'm not going," Ethan repeated.
Claire studied him.
Then glanced at Lena again.
And smirked.
"Oh," she said softly. "Now I see."
Ethan's jaw tightened. "Claire—"
"It's fine," she cut in. "I won't interfere."
Lena's head snapped up slightly.
Interfere?
With what?
Claire leaned closer to Ethan, whispering something in his ear.
Too quiet to hear.
But whatever it was—
It made his expression darken.
"Not here," he muttered.
Claire smiled, satisfied.
Then she stepped back.
"I'll see you later, Ethan."
And just like that—
She left.
—
Silence.
Heavy.
Thick.
Lena focused on her paper.
Didn't look at him.
Didn't ask.
Didn't care.
She didn't care.
—
"Ask."
Her head lifted.
"What?"
"You want to," Ethan said.
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't care what you do outside of this room."
A pause.
Then—
"Liar."
Her eyes flashed. "Excuse me?"
"You care," he said simply.
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't!"
Maya slammed her book shut. "If you two don't stop, I swear I will separate you permanently."
They both went quiet.
But the tension?
Still there.
Burning.
—
Later that night…
Lena walked home again.
Same path.
Same silence.
But this time—
She felt it immediately.
That same off feeling.
Her steps slowed.
Her grip tightened on her bag.
Footsteps.
Behind her.
Again.
Her heart dropped.
Not again.
She turned—
And there they were.
The same guys.
But this time—
They didn't look amused.
They looked serious.
One of them smirked. "Missed us?"
Lena stepped back. "Leave me alone."
"Don't think so."
They moved closer.
Too close.
Her pulse spiked.
"Back off," she warned.
They didn't.
One of them reached for her—
"Didn't I warn you already?"
That voice.
Cold.
Deadly.
Ethan.
Relief hit her instantly.
But this time—
He didn't look calm.
He looked angry.
Really angry.
The kind of angry that made even Lena take a step back.
"Man, here comes her bodyguard again," one of them sneered.
Ethan didn't smile.
Didn't joke.
Didn't play.
He stepped forward slowly.
"You should've stayed away."
Something in his tone…
It wasn't a threat.
It was a promise.
The guys hesitated.
And for the first time—
They looked unsure.
"Let's go," one of them muttered.
And just like that—
They backed off again.
Disappearing into the darkness.
—
Silence.
Lena turned to Ethan.
"You keep showing up," she said quietly.
"I told you," he replied. "I don't act."
Her chest tightened.
"Why?" she asked.
A simple question.
But not a simple answer.
Ethan looked at her.
Really looked at her.
And this time—
He didn't look away.
"Because it's you."
Her breath caught.
"What does that mean?"
He stepped closer.
Slow.
Intentional.
The space between them disappeared again.
And just like before—
Everything else faded.
"Figure it out, Lena."
Her heart pounded.
Too fast.
Too loud.
And before she could stop herself—
She leaned in.
He didn't move.
Didn't stop her.
Didn't breathe.
Their lips were—
So close.
Just a breath away.
—
And then—
A car honked loudly nearby.
The moment shattered.
Again.
Lena stepped back instantly, heart racing.
"What are we doing?" she whispered.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
"I don't know."
But one thing was clear—
This wasn't hate anymore.
Not even close.