Undercover in the Ivy League

Pretending Nothing Happened

The sun was shining brightly on campus, students bustling around, going from one class to another. The previous night’s events lingered in the back of Ethan’s mind as he made his way through the hallways, trying to focus on his mission. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the memory of Sophia’s lips on his, the way her body had felt pressed against him, or the look in her eyes when she had kissed him.

He spotted Sophia after their law class, standing near the exit, scrolling through her phone with a furrowed brow. She looked as beautiful as ever, but there was a hint of something different in her demeanor—a quiet awkwardness that hadn’t been there before.

Ethan hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to approach her. He had to address what had happened last night, to clear the air between them. With a deep breath, he walked up to her, trying to appear casual.

“Hey, Sophia,” he greeted, his voice calm, though his heart was racing.

Sophia looked up, her expression instantly guarded. “Oh, hey, Ethan,” she replied, forcing a smile. But there was an undeniable tension in the air between them.

He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of how to start the conversation. “So, about last night...”

Sophia’s eyes widened slightly, and she quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing pink. “Uh, what about it?” she asked, feigning ignorance.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, studying her carefully. “You know... the party. Are we cool? Can we just pretend that... incident didn’t happen?”

Sophia’s heart skipped a beat. She had been hoping he wouldn’t bring it up, that they could just move on as if nothing had happened. The shame of how she had acted, how she had practically thrown herself at him, was overwhelming. She couldn’t believe she had behaved that way—especially since she had never been with anyone before. The thought of almost losing her virginity in such a careless moment made her stomach twist with embarrassment.

But she couldn’t let Ethan see that. She couldn’t let him know how much it bothered her. So, she did the only thing she could think of—she pretended not to remember.

“Incident?” She frowned, tilting her head slightly as if confused. “I don’t really remember much from last night... I think I might’ve had too much to drink.”

Ethan’s eyes widened, surprised by her response. For a moment, he felt a pang of disappointment. Did she really not remember? The way she had kissed him, the way they had almost—

But then, relief washed over him. If she didn’t remember, that meant they could move on without it being awkward. He could continue his mission without the added complication of their feelings getting in the way. It was better this way. Or at least, that’s what he tried to convince himself.

“Oh,” he said, trying to hide his mixed emotions. “Well, that’s probably for the best. I mean, nothing really happened anyway, so... yeah, we’re cool.”

Sophia nodded quickly, eager to put the whole thing behind her. “Yeah, cool,” she echoed, her voice a little too cheerful. “Let’s just forget about it.”

Ethan forced a smile, but there was a part of him that felt conflicted. He was relieved that it wouldn’t be awkward between them, but at the same time, he couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment that she didn’t remember their kiss. As much as he knew it was wrong, a small part of him had hoped she felt something too.

But he couldn’t dwell on it. He had a job to do, and getting involved with Sophia—especially in a romantic way—wasn’t part of the plan. No matter how much he was drawn to her, he had to stay focused on his mission.

Sophia glanced at him, trying to gauge his reaction. He seemed relieved that she didn’t remember, and that stung more than she expected. Did he regret what happened? Was he just relieved that she wouldn’t make things awkward? The thought made her feel a little sick, but she kept her feelings buried, determined to move forward as if nothing had happened.

“Well, I should get going,” she said quickly, not wanting to linger in this uncomfortable conversation any longer. “I have some studying to do.”

“Yeah, sure,” Ethan replied, nodding. “I’ll see you around.”

Sophia gave him a tight-lipped smile before turning to leave, her heart heavy with a mix of emotions. As she walked away, Ethan watched her go, his own feelings tangled and confused. He had to stay professional, to keep his distance—but the more time he spent with her, the harder that was becoming.

And despite everything, he couldn’t help but wish that she did remember.