Bound by Whispers

eleven

Ethan's POV

Every study session with August was becoming a highlight of my day. It had been a week since she started tutoring me, and each time we met, I found myself looking forward to our time together. We always chose to study outside, either in the library or the school cafeteria. Being away from the confines of the classroom somehow made learning more enjoyable.

There was something about August that drew me in, something beyond her beauty and intelligence. She had this alluring aura that made me want to spend more time with her, to unravel the layers of her personality. I loved the way she challenged me and pushed me to do better. Her dedication to helping me succeed was evident in every session we had.

Today was a big step for us. I had asked August to come to my house on the weekend since the library was closed. It was a bold move, and I could tell she was a bit hesitant, but she agreed. This was uncharted territory for us, a new door opening to a closer connection. I was genuinely happy, excited about the opportunity to spend more time with her.

I busied myself cleaning my room, wanting everything to be perfect for her visit. I couldn't help but feel a little nervous, though. What if she didn't enjoy herself? What if she regretted agreeing to come here? I pushed those thoughts aside, reminding myself that I had to stay positive and just be myself.

Just then, I heard the bell ring, and my heart skipped a beat. I hurried to the door, trying to keep my cool as I opened it to find August standing there. Her presence filled the room, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Hey," I greeted her, trying to sound casual despite the excitement bubbling within me.

"Hey," she replied with a warm smile, her eyes shining with curiosity.

I stepped aside, inviting her in. "Come on in," I said, gesturing towards the living room. "Make yourself at home."

As we settled into the cosy space, I felt a sense of ease wash over me. But it seemed like she was still a bit nervous, trying to keep herself busy. "You start by solving this question. I'll teach you the rest after I see your progress," she said, taking my test papers and checking them while I attempted the questions. They were pretty easy, but I had to maintain my act of being clueless.

Even after she had finished correcting her papers, I pretended to be stuck on the second step. She looked at me with a sigh, and I was hoping she'd help me out, but instead, her eyes started wandering around my room.

Panic shot through me when I realised I had forgotten to hide my paintings.

She stood up and walked to a particular painting, and I wished I could disappear into thin air. It was a painting of a view from a car's window on a rainy day, with a girl walking without a care about the rain, seemingly enjoying it.

I just hoped she wouldn't read through the painting. I hoped she wouldn't realise it was her in the painting.

"Do you like the rain?" she asked, still admiring my painting.

"Uh, not really. It's quite messy when it rains," I replied, hoping she wouldn't read too much into it.

She just nodded, respecting my response and keeping her thoughts to herself. Then she turned back towards me, walking back to her initial spot on the couch.

We resumed our tutoring session without much conversation, diving into various topics that would appear in our upcoming exams. Around two hours later, we were finally done. She sat on the edge of my bed, and I brought some snacks for us to munch on. We enjoyed them in silence, her occasionally using her phone.