Maybe

Chapter 3 So Close

__Ethan__

She needs to stay away from Dylan. I always make sure to watch out for him when she's around, to protect her from any possible harm.

Glancing nervously around, she quickly checked if anyone was observing us. "Just leave me be!" she shouted abruptly, then darted away.

I understand your intentions.

"I love you, too!" I called out after her. Startled, she jumped and swiftly slammed the door shut.

Ouch, that was harsh. You didn't have to shut it so forcefully; it could break, sweetheart.

She could be quite clumsy at times.

— Nina —

I shrugged it off, thinking my racing heart was just from running. After hearing those words, my pulse quickened even more.

God, he is way too handsome.

I freshened up and went to bed, hoping to sleep.

The next day at school...

I was making my way down the hallway towards my locker when I spotted Janice. She looked unusually cheerful, so I called out to her. Her face lit up even more as she turned towards me. "Hey, who's got you smiling like that?" I teased with a smirk. Her cheeks instantly flushed, and she responded, "Listen, I've got something really exciting to share with you. Do you want to hear it?"

"Spill the tea already!" I exclaimed eagerly.

"Alright, calm down. See that guy over there?" She pointed discreetly towards Ethan, who glanced our way and winked, sending a shiver down my spine. I quickly looked away, trying to hide my reaction.

Damn it, Nina, stop swooning over him.

"Eww, Ethan?" I sighed with disappointment.

"No, not him. The guy next to him, the one with brown hair and about the same height," she clarified.

"Oh, I see him. What about him?" I asked.

"His name is Jake. I really like him, but I'm not sure if he—" Janice began.

"Girl, he totally likes you back! I swear!" I interrupted excitedly.

"Shh, keep it down. He's just really nice to everyone," she whispered back.

"Yeah, unlike that flirt Ethan," I remarked.

"Why do you keep bringing up Ethan?" she teased with a smirk.

"Don't be ridiculous; he's the last person I'd ever like," I retorted.

"Uh huh, sure. You can't deny he's got your attention," she teased.

"I'm not hiding anything. I'd be perfectly fine if I never saw him again," I insisted.

"Alright, we'll see about that," Janice said knowingly.

"What about you? You should tell Jake how you feel. I really think he likes you too," I suggested.

"And I think he'll turn me down flat... By the way, where's Emily, your partner in crime?" Janice asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, please, she's not my partner in crime. And maybe she's just avoiding something," I replied.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted us. "Speaking of Emily, I know where she's been," a new guy said, catching us off guard.