Trust in Her Tricks

Chapter 12: Familiar Faces, New Beginnings

The past few weeks had settled into a routine that felt strangely comfortable. Ethan and Eris had officially been together for almost a month, but the ease with which they had transitioned from friends to something more surprised even Ethan. In many ways, it felt like nothing had changed at all. They still joked, teased, and hung out like before, except now, Ethan had the privilege of calling her his girlfriend.

Lunch at Maplewood High was always a good time for them to catch up with their small group of friends. Today was no different, except that Ethan felt the familiar buzz of excitement as they headed to their usual spot by the windows. They were joined, as always, by Lucas and Juan, two of their closest friends.

Juan Zane Martinez had been a part of their group for as long as Ethan could remember. They'd all met in middle school, back when Lucas still had braces and Eris was just as mischievous as she was now. The four of them had grown up together, forming a bond that survived all the awkward teenage phases.

"Yo, Ethan, Eris!" Lucas called, already seated at their table, waving them over with an exaggerated motion. He was leaning back in his chair, looking more laid-back than usual, while Juan sat across from him, smiling at the commotion.

Ethan grinned as they approached, dropping his backpack beside the table. "Hey, guys."

"About time you showed up," Lucas said, playfully tossing a crumpled-up napkin at Ethan's head. "Thought you were going to ditch us for some romantic lunch for two or something."

Eris raised an eyebrow, sliding into the seat next to Ethan. "And miss out on your delightful company? Never."

Juan chuckled, his calm demeanor a sharp contrast to Lucas's constant energy. "Yeah, Lucas was getting worried. You know how sensitive he gets."

Lucas shot him a mock glare. "Please. Like I'd miss Ethan's terrible jokes."

"Hey," Ethan protested with a laugh, "my jokes are great."

"Sure they are," Eris teased, leaning in closer to Ethan with a smirk. "But you know Juan's the real comedian of the group."

Juan raised an eyebrow, feigning modesty. "Oh, I don't know about that."

Eris leaned forward, her eyes twinkling with that familiar mischievous glint. "Go on, Juan. Hit us with one of your classics."

Juan sighed, shaking his head, but there was a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Alright, fine. What do you call cheese that isn't yours?"

Ethan groaned immediately, already knowing where this was going, but Eris played along. "What?"

"Nacho cheese."

There was a beat of silence, followed by Eris bursting out laughing while Ethan groaned even louder. "Oh no, not this one again..."

Juan simply shrugged, his grin widening. "Some jokes are timeless."

Lucas clapped Juan on the back. "See? Juan's the life of the party. You should learn from him, Ethan."

"Right," Ethan said, rolling his eyes but smiling nonetheless. "I'll take notes."

As the laughter died down, the group slipped into their usual flow of conversation, chatting about classes, weekend plans, and the latest Genshin Impact event Eris had become obsessed with.

"So," Eris said, eyes lighting up as she turned to Ethan, "did you get the new Xiao banner yet?"

Ethan smiled at the excitement in her voice. Ever since Genshin Impact had released another Xiao banner, Eris had been over the moon. "Not yet. I've been saving my primogems."

Eris let out an exaggerated sigh, leaning back in her chair. "I swear, if I don't get Xiao this time, I'm going to hunt him down in the game and make him sign a paper that he's officially married to me."

Lucas snorted. "Isn't that, like, your fifth time trying to get him?"

"Sixth," Eris corrected, her expression dead serious. "I'm that dedicated."

Juan smirked, shaking his head. "If anyone can pull it off, it's you."

"And Ethan?" Eris asked, turning to him. "Still Hu Tao, huh?"

"Yup," Ethan replied. "Hu Tao's my girl."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, his smile playful. "Well, if Ethan's going Hu Tao and Eris is after Xiao, where does that leave us?"

Eris leaned in, crossing her arms with a smirk. "Oh, don't worry. I've already decided. You're definitely Zhongli."

Juan looked up, surprised. "And what about me?"

Eris gave him a sly grin. "You, Juan? You're Albedo. Cool, smart, quiet, but secretly one of the best characters in the game."

Juan blinked, then nodded slowly, clearly pleased with the comparison. "I'll take it."

The conversation shifted again, as it often did, with the group bouncing between inside jokes and random topics. For Ethan, it felt good to be with people who knew him so well, who made life seem a little less complicated.

As lunch came to a close, Ethan glanced at Eris, her fingers absentmindedly tracing circles on the table. He caught her eye, and she smiled back at him, a soft warmth in her gaze that made his chest tighten in the best way.

This was what he had always wanted—this kind of closeness. The fact that it was Eris, the girl he'd fallen for so hard and for so long, made it all the more real. And now, with Juan and Lucas by their side, everything felt right.

"Alright, I gotta head to bio," Lucas said, standing and stretching his arms above his head. "Catch you guys later?"

"Yeah, we'll be around," Ethan replied as he and Eris stood as well. Juan lingered for a moment, his usual calm smile on his face as they gathered their things.

As they headed to their next class, Ethan couldn't help but feel that the pieces of his life were finally falling into place. With Eris by his side and their friends around them, there was a sense of balance that he hadn't felt in a long time.

And even though things weren't always perfect, he knew they'd figure it out. Together.