Hidden Flames..

Chapter 15

The days following their dinner felt like a slow burn for Ethan. He couldn't shake the way Lily's presence had affected him, how her smile lingered in his thoughts long after she'd left. The playful banter, the way she'd looked at him, the warmth that seemed to hang in the air between them—it all replayed in his mind, over and over. There was no denying the tension, the electric pull between them, but he pushed it all down, told himself it was nothing, that things were fine. He had to ignore it. She was Jake's sister. 

This was wrong. But nothing felt right anymore.It was a quiet Sunday afternoon when Lily decided to hang out with her friends. She hadn't seen them in a while, and after a long week of studying, she welcomed the distraction. She met up with Mia and Rachel at the local bar, a place she'd frequented for years. They sat in a booth, chatting and catching up, the clinking of glasses and low hum of conversation filling the space around them. The night rolled on, drinks flowing freely, the buzz of laughter and stories creating a comfortable warmth.By the time the evening wore on, Mia and Rachel were both a bit too tipsy, their words slurring as they nodded off in their seats, leaving Lily alone with her thoughts. Her mind wandered back to the dinner with Ethan, his laugh, the way he looked at her, like she was someone completely different now. She'd tried to ignore it, but tonight, sitting in the dimly lit bar with the alcohol loosening her tongue, the truth came crashing in. 

She was tired of pretending, tired of burying the feelings she'd been hiding for years.Grabbing her phone, she dialed Ethan's number. The moment he picked up, she didn't hold back."Hello?" Ethan's voice came through the phone, thick with the warmth of the evening.Lily's words spilled out, unfiltered, the alcohol giving her the courage she normally didn't have. "You know what? I LIKE YOU. But you always give me this spark, this feeling, and then you suddenly start acting like I'm your sister. I'm not your sister, Ethan. I'm Jake's sister. Only that. And today, I'm taking an oath. I'm gonna stop liking you. From now on, I'm gonna start liking someone else."Ethan paused, a chuckle slipping into his voice. "Lily? Are you drunk?"Lily smirked at the phone, swaying slightly in her seat. "Yes, I'm drunk. But it's none of your business.""Alright, alright," Ethan said, his voice still light, though a flicker of concern colored his tone. "But, Lily, where are you? Are you okay? Do you need help?""No, I'm fine," she replied, her words slurring a bit. "And no, I'm not telling you where I am."Ethan could hear the slight laugh in her voice, but something about it sounded off, like she needed help but didn't want to admit it. He wasn't about to let her be alone in that state. "Lily, please. Please, just tell me where you are. You can't stay there alone.""No," she replied stubbornly, shaking her head even though he couldn't see her. "I'm not telling you. You're not the boss of me."

Ethan sighed, trying to keep his patience. "Lily, come on. Please, just give the phone to the bartender. I'll talk to them. I just need to know where you are.""No," she repeated, her voice firm. "Why should I? You're not my dad.""Ethan," he said with a laugh, trying to make light of it. "Please. I'll only ask once more."There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Lily responded, her voice quieter now. "Okay, okay, fine. But this is the last time, you hear me?"Ethan could hear her fumbling as she passed the phone to someone. A deep voice answered, and Ethan quickly explained who he was, explaining Lily was too drunk to be alone. The bartender was kind enough to let him know where they were.After a brief exchange, Ethan hung up and headed out the door, his mind racing. 

He couldn't believe Lily had drunk-dialed him, confessing her feelings, only to follow it with stubbornness. Part of him was relieved she wasn't too far away, but another part of him couldn't shake the way her words had hit him. *I'm going to stop liking you.* The weight of her confession lingered, and it gnawed at him. How had things gotten so complicated?He drove quickly to the bar, his hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. The streets were quiet, but his mind was anything but.