Lena didn't sleep.
Not really.
Every time she closed her eyes—
She saw him.
Standing too close.
Looking at her like that.
Saying those words.
Because it's you.
Her heart did that annoying thing again.
Over and over.
—
By morning, she was done.
Done overthinking.
Done feeling things she couldn't explain.
Done with Ethan Blake.
At least…
That's what she told herself.
—
"Lena!"
She turned at the sound of her friend, Maya, jogging up beside her.
"You look like you didn't sleep," Maya said.
"I didn't."
"Why?"
Lena hesitated.
"…Ethan."
Maya's eyes lit up instantly. "Oh my God, what happened?!"
"Nothing," Lena said quickly.
"Nothing doesn't make you look like that."
Lena sighed. "We almost… kissed."
Maya froze.
Then grabbed her arm.
"YOU WHAT?!"
"Keep your voice down!"
"Sorry—sorry—but WHAT?!"
"It didn't happen," Lena said, running a hand through her hair. "We got interrupted. Again."
Maya stared at her like this was the best news she'd heard all year.
"This is not nothing," she said. "This is everything."
"It's not everything," Lena argued. "It's a mistake waiting to happen."
"Or," Maya countered, "it's the best thing that's happened to you since you started hating him."
Lena opened her mouth to argue—
Then closed it.
Because she didn't have a good comeback.
—
The moment she walked into class…
She felt it.
His presence.
Like always.
Her eyes lifted—
And there he was.
Already looking at her.
Not smirking.
Not teasing.
Just watching.
Like he'd been waiting.
Her breath caught.
Great.
Perfect.
Exactly what she didn't need.
—
He didn't say anything.
Neither did she.
But the silence between them?
It wasn't empty.
It was full of everything they weren't saying.
—
After class, she tried to leave quickly.
Tried.
"Lena."
She stopped.
Of course she did.
Slowly, she turned around.
Ethan was already walking toward her.
Focused.
Determined.
Dangerous.
"What?" she asked, trying to sound normal.
"You left last night."
"You didn't try to stop me."
A pause.
"Would you have stayed if I did?"
Her heart stuttered.
"…No."
He stepped closer.
"Liar."
God.
He needed to stop doing that.
—
"We shouldn't do this," she said, even as she didn't move away.
"Do what?"
"This… whatever this is."
"And what is it?" he asked quietly.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But it's not a good idea."
"Since when do you avoid bad ideas?"
"Since they started involving you."
A beat.
Then—
"Too late."
Her breath caught.
"What?"
Ethan's gaze dropped briefly to her lips.
Then back to her eyes.
"You're already involved."
—
Her heart was racing now.
Fast.
Unsteady.
Unfair.
"Ethan…"
"Tell me to stop."
His voice was low.
Serious.
Not teasing.
Not playing.
Real.
"Tell me to walk away," he continued, "and I will."
She should.
She knew she should.
This was messy.
Complicated.
Dangerous.
Everything she didn't need.
But—
Her voice betrayed her.
"I can't."
That was all it took.
—
He closed the distance.
Slowly.
Like he was giving her time to change her mind.
She didn't.
His hand lifted—
Brushed lightly against her cheek.
Warm.
Gentle.
Nothing like the way he usually was.
Her breath caught.
"Last chance," he murmured.
She shook her head slightly.
No.
—
And then—
He kissed her.
Soft.
At first.
Like he was testing it.
Like he didn't want to push too far.
But the second she didn't pull away—
Everything changed.
His hand slid to the back of her neck, pulling her closer.
The kiss deepened.
Warmer.
Stronger.
Real.
Lena's fingers gripped his shirt instinctively, holding on like she might fall.
Because she was.
Falling.
Fast.
Too fast.
Everything disappeared.
The noise.
The hallway.
The world.
It was just him.
Just this.
Just them.
—
And for the first time—
There was no arguing.
No tension.
No fighting.
Just feeling.
—
When they finally pulled apart—
Her breath was uneven.
His wasn't much better.
They stayed close.
Foreheads almost touching.
Neither of them ready to step back.
"That…" Lena started, then stopped.
"Yeah," Ethan said quietly.
"That wasn't supposed to happen."
"And yet…"
Her lips parted slightly.
"This is a mistake."
"Probably."
A pause.
Then—
"Do you regret it?" he asked.
Her answer came faster than she expected.
"No."
Something in his expression shifted.
Something softer.
But only for a second.
—
"Good," he said.
And then—
He kissed her again.
—
This time—
There was no hesitation.
No holding back.
No pretending.
Just them.
And whatever this was becoming.
—
And deep down—
Lena knew one thing for sure.
This?
Was going to change everything.