Chemicals

14

 (Preferably 16+)

The hallway felt quieter now, almost too quiet. With Andrea and Frank gone, it was just Ethan and me again. I could still feel the irritation bubbling inside from Andrea's overly friendly behavior. I tried to push it away, reminding myself that there were bigger things to worry about, but somehow it just kept creeping back.

Ethan walked close beside me, his hand brushing mine every so often as we moved through the dimly lit corridor. I could feel his calmness, but my own thoughts were racing. I hadn't said anything yet, but I couldn't stop thinking about the way Andrea had flirted with him back there, all casual, like she had every right to.

"You sure you're okay?" Ethan's voice was soft, his eyes flicking toward me as he spoke. He knew me too well to miss the fact that something was eating at me.

I hesitated, unsure if I should even bring it up, but I sighed. "I guess I'm just... a little off." I glanced at him, then quickly looked away. "About Andrea."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused. "Andrea? What about her?"

I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. "It's just... the way she talks to you. The way she looks at you."

Ethan looked at me, his expression still puzzled. "What do you mean?"

I sighed, a little more frustration slipping into my voice than I intended. "I mean, didn't you notice how flirty she was? She was practically throwing herself at you, and you... you didn't even seem to care."

Ethan blinked, taken aback, before letting out a small laugh. "What? No, she wasn't. Andrea's just... she's just friendly."

"Friendly?" I repeated, incredulity rising in my chest. "Ethan, she wasn't just being friendly. She was flirting with you, and you didn't even realize it."

He frowned slightly, clearly trying to replay the conversation in his head. "I didn't think she was... I mean, I guess she can be kind of... teasing, but I thought that was just how she is with everyone."

"Well, it's not," I muttered, my eyes narrowing. "She doesn't talk to everyone like that. She doesn't look at everyone like that."

Ethan stopped walking and turned to face me, his expression softening as he looked into my eyes. "Hey," he said gently, reaching out to take my hand. "You don't have to worry about Andrea, okay? I didn't even notice it, because I'm not interested. I only have eyes for you."

I felt my chest tighten, a mix of relief and embarrassment flooding through me. "I know, I just... it's hard not to notice it. She's beautiful, and confident, and I can't help but feel like she's trying to—" I stopped myself before finishing the thought, feeling a little silly for even bringing it up.

Ethan squeezed my hand, pulling me a little closer. "Kiya, I don't care how confident or beautiful she is. You're the one I'm with. You're the one I love." His eyes softened, and I could feel the sincerity in his voice. "You're everything to me. Don't let her get in your head."

I looked down for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. "It's just... I know I shouldn't let it bother me. But it does. Every time she's around, it feels like she's trying to... I don't know, make me feel small or something."

Ethan sighed, running his thumb gently over the back of my hand. "I get it. I do. But you've got nothing to worry about, okay? Andrea's not a threat. And if she's making you uncomfortable, we'll deal with it. I'll make it clear where things stand."

I nodded, feeling a little more at ease now that we were talking about it openly. Ethan always had a way of calming me down, making me see things in a more rational light. Still, the nagging feeling of jealousy hadn't completely gone away.