We fell in love in math class

Chapter 20 "A Little Jealousy"

(Friday Morning - School Grounds)

Xyleme's POV:

The day after Ethan and I made things official, I woke up feeling lighter than ever. I mean, I actually had a boyfriend now. But it wasn't just anyone; it was Ethan. As I walked through the school gates, I spotted him leaning against the wall, talking to one of the girls from our class. She was laughing at something he said, and for some reason, it made my stomach twist.

X: "Is this what people call jealousy? Ugh, get it together, Xyleme..."

I approached them, trying to act casual, but I couldn’t help the little bit of awkwardness creeping in.

E: "Morning, Xyleme!" he greeted with his usual smile, totally unfazed. "You're early today."

Girl: "Oh hey, Xyleme!" she said with a cheerful wave. "Ethan was just telling me about the school festival plans."

I forced a smile. "Yeah, I heard about it... sounds cool." But my eyes darted to Ethan. Why was she so close to him?

E: "Yeah, we were just discussing the booths. Anyway, you hungry? We’ve got time before class."

X: "Sure, let's go," I said quickly, before Ethan could say anything else to her.

As we walked away, I could still feel the girl's eyes on us. I knew it was irrational, but I couldn’t shake off the jealousy. I didn't say much as we made our way to the canteen, and Ethan noticed.

E: "You okay? You’ve been quiet."

X: "I'm fine," I said, even though I knew I wasn’t convincing.

Ethan stopped walking and turned to face me, his expression serious. "No, you're not. Tell me what's wrong."

I hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I just... I saw you with that girl earlier, and I guess I felt... weird."

E: "Oh, I get it," he said with a small smile. "You're jealous, aren't you?"

X: "What? No!" I protested, but I could feel my face burning. "Okay, maybe a little... but it’s just because I—"

Before I could finish, Ethan grabbed my hand and pulled me close. "You don't have to be jealous. I'm yours, remember?"

X: "Yeah, but..." I started, but Ethan just leaned down and kissed me right there in the middle of the hallway, where anyone could see.

My mind went blank, and I could feel a few people staring, but I didn’t care.

E: "See? I want everyone to know," he whispered against my lips as he pulled away.

I blinked, still processing what just happened. "Ethan... you’re crazy."

E: "Only for you."

(Later – During Class)

Xyleme's POV:

I couldn't focus at all. My mind kept going back to that kiss, and the way Ethan had said I didn’t need to worry. It was like he always knew exactly what to do to make me feel better, and that thought kept me smiling like an idiot.

As the class went on, I glanced over at him. He was paying attention, but he must’ve felt my eyes on him because he looked over and raised an eyebrow, mouthing, "What?"

I quickly turned back to my notebook, but I couldn’t help but grin. Ethan leaned closer, whispering, "Meet me after school, okay? I have something planned."

X: "Another surprise?" I whispered back.

E: "You’ll see."

(Time Skip – After School)

Ethan's POV:

I waited for Xyleme outside his classroom, and when he came out, he looked a little nervous, but mostly excited. "So, where are we going?" he asked.

E: "Just follow me," I said, taking his hand. I led him outside to the back of the school, where there was a quiet spot near a small garden.

X: "Ethan, why are we here?"

I turned to him, taking both his hands in mine. "I wanted to say it properly, without distractions."

X: "Say what?" he asked, his eyes wide.

I took a deep breath. "That I love you, Xyleme."

For a moment, he just stared at me, and I was terrified that I had messed up. But then, he broke into the biggest, brightest smile I had ever seen.

X: "Ethan, I love you too!" Xyleme practically shouted, and in his excitement, he grabbed his bag and tossed it straight at Ethan. The bag hit Ethan’s chest with a thud, and Xyleme burst into laughter. "Oops, my bad. I was just really happy."

E: "Did you just throw your bag at me?" Ethan said, half laughing, half bewildered, as he picked it up.

X: "Hey, it's called expressing my feelings," Xyleme said with a playful grin. "If I didn't love you, I would’ve thrown it harder."

Ethan shook his head, smiling. "You're impossible."

(A Few Moments Later – Sitting Together by the Garden)

We sat down on the grass, still holding hands, and I felt like everything in the world was perfect at that moment.

E: "So, do you still feel jealous?" I teased, poking his cheek.

X: "Maybe... but not as much," he said, sticking his tongue out. "Just... don’t give me a reason to be, okay?"

E: "Never," I said, leaning in to kiss him again.

And for a little while, there were no worries, no distractions, just the two of us, and that was all I needed.