Maybe

Chapter 23 Jealousy?

[This chapter contains jealousy ;)..]

In an attempt to ignore him, I retreated to my room, leaving him sitting there with that mischievous look of his. Frustrated, I grabbed a pillow and blanket, marched back towards him, and flung them in his direction. But he was quick; he caught them effortlessly before they could even touch his face.

"You're sleeping on the couch," I declared, my tone laced with irritation. I couldn't quite pinpoint what was bothering me more – the unexpected kiss or his infuriatingly smug expression. With a sigh, I turned on my heel and slammed the door shut behind me. Leaning against the doorframe, I couldn't help but feel a wave of embarrassment wash over me.

I flopped onto my bed, trying to shake off the awkwardness of the moment. Just then, my phone chimed with a text notification. I grabbed it eagerly, and unsurprisingly, it was from Ethan.

OTP

Ethan: I want to sleep on the bed; I'm a guest, you should treat your guest better.

You: You're more like a cockroach than a guest. What do you mean by cock- God- Someone's getting high.

Ethan: Do you know you're boring? I guess you might get that a lot too.

You: I get that I'm so breathtaking, handsome, cool, talented, lovely, and so on. These words never stop.

Ethan: You should keep your high self-esteem aside; that's annoying. I'm sleeping. Don't text me again.

You: Good night, baby.

Ethan: Ew, not 'baby'. Ugh, asshole. Worst night to you. And stop texting.

I set my phone aside with a smile, struck by the thought that despite being in the same location, he chose to text me instead of calling out. He could have just shouted across the room. Closing my eyes, I focused on trying to fall asleep. The next day, he left after breakfast without any further interaction.

Later that evening, Janice called me to a location unfamiliar to me, as I hadn't explored many places yet. It turned out to be a basketball court, where I found Janice waiting for me. Unfortunately, Ethan was also there, which didn't sit well with me after the events of the previous night. Jake's presence confirmed Ethan's likely attendance.

"Now why is Ethan here?" I asked Janice, annoyance evident as I recalled the uncomfortable situation from the night before, reluctant to face him again.

"What do you mean? What happened?" Janice replied, looking puzzled. Our closeness seemed to complicate things in her eyes.

"Hi, I'm Ralph," a man suddenly approached me, catching me off guard. I glanced at him, confused by his sudden appearance.

"Hey, Nina, this is my childhood friend, Ralph," Janice introduced us with a hint of mischief in her voice, almost as if setting us up for a blind date. I greeted Ralph with a simple hello and then looked away, feeling oddly self-conscious. He seemed eager for more conversation, but I remained quiet, my attention drawn to Ethan, who was staring at me from across the room. I could feel his gaze lingering in the periphery of my vision.

An impish idea suddenly crossed my mind, and I turned back to Ralph with a mischievous smile. Playfully, I lightly hit his shoulder, catching him off guard. "Hey, it feels like we've met before, right?" I teased.

Ralph, slightly bewildered, managed a polite smile. "Uh, yeah? I don't think so, though."

"But you look so familiar," I persisted, leaning into the playful charade.

"He's into basketball, maybe you've seen him at games or on TV?" Janice chimed in, eyeing Ralph with a subtle grin.

Ralph chuckled, clearly amused. "Nope, never been recorded! I'm not as popular as those two," he gestured towards Ethan and Jake, who snickered nearby. Janice and I exchanged a knowing glance as our expressions shifted.

Jealousy..

They leaned against the wall, their intense stares making us uneasy. Though others were nearby, their expressions were unsettlingly possessive, jealousy writ large on their faces. We exchanged glances, each raising an eyebrow. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked. She hesitated, then replied, "Maybe?"

The gossip continued as we made our way to Janice's place later that evening. It was meant to be a casual get-together, but with Ethan, Jake, Janice, Ralph, and myself, it felt more like an impromptu sleepover. We started off with a game of Truth or Dare, which quickly escalated into a significant issue.

The bottle spun, drawing all attention to Janice and Ralph. I found myself seated between Ralph and Ethan, while Janice sat next to Ralph, and Jake beside her. Finally, the bottle stopped directly in front of me.

"Truth Or Dare?"

"Dare"

Let the game begin.

Kissing, hugging, or anything intimate would be a complete disaster for me, and Janice knew it. It was my turn to pick between dare or truth, and opting for dare, Janice gave me a challenge that seemed both simple and difficult.

"Flirt with someone next to you, anyone," she said.

I glanced over at Ethan, certain he expected me to choose him. However, I surprised everyone by turning completely around to face Ralph instead.

Ralph and I had just met earlier that day. I could practically feel his annoyance building as I prepared to execute Janice's daring challenge.

"Hey, boy," they cheered enthusiastically, their voices trailing off in a collective "woooooo." As I casually placed one of my hand on his shoulder, he startled slightly, but I sensed immediately that he wasn't just another typical guy.

To describe him would be to say he was a simple yet striking individual—perfectly styled light blonde hair, eyes as deep and blue as the darkest ocean, and a smile that radiated innocence and warmth.

In this high school, it seemed like most guys had blue eyes, but his were uniquely captivating.

I couldn't help but smile at him and quip, "No wonder the sky looks so dark today—all the color must be in your eyes." Another chorus of "wooooo" erupted from our friends. Feeling emboldened, I continued, "Your eyes are like the ocean; I could swim in them all day." He blushed and shyly covered his mouth, looking as surprised as a startled grandpa.

Trying to lighten the mood further, I added playfully, "I think there's something wrong with my phone. Could you try calling it to see if it works?" Our friends erupted into laughter, some even doubling over and clutching their stomachs in amusement.

"Nice move, Nina!" Janice exclaimed with a grin.

"Come on, we're not kids. That was just a typical, cheesy line anyone could come up with," I retorted, glancing briefly at Ethan. He appeared unfazed, laughing along with us.

tsk, Maybe he doesn't care at all, I thought to myself.

Deciding it was pointless to linger and chat with Ralph any longer, especially with Ethan seemingly unperturbed, I made my way home earlier than usual. Leaving Janice's place, I walked alone. After a while, I felt a presence behind me, and suddenly hands gripped my waist in a dimly lit corner. There was a familiar scent in the air, one I recognized instantly.