When The World Turns

Chapter 9 (Official)

"You're late," the teacher says, his voice a bit too sharp as he glances up from his desk.

"Sorry, Mr. Lawson, something held me up," I mumble, my gaze falling to the floor. I didn't mean to be late, but my thoughts have been elsewhere.

"Go take your seat," he replies without another word.

I nod quickly, sinking into my desk. The room feels stifling as I try to pull myself together. The weight of the last few days presses down on me, and I can't stop thinking about Adrianna. What did she mean? Was there something I missed? I shudder at the thought of what else she might throw at me. What if this is just the beginning?

I bite my lip, my fingers digging into my notebook, but it doesn't help. I can't stop replaying the scene between Adrianna and me, my mind spiraling. Did I deserve this? Have I done something wrong? Why did she lash out at me like that? I can't make sense of it.

I feel my heart twist when I think about the moment with Ethan, too. Why did I let myself act like that? Why did I let him see me fall apart? Of all people, the one who's been kind to me, I had to lose control in front of him. What if he regrets talking to me now? I rub my temples, but the thoughts don't stop.

Before I realized it, the class had ended. The bell rings, and I hear someone call my name. "Max?" Ethan's voice cuts through my fog of thoughts.

I blink, disoriented. "Huh? Oh... hey..."

Ethan, standing by the door with a soft smile on his face, waves. "You okay?"

I nod quickly, trying to compose myself. "Yeah.."

Unsure what to say next, the space between us feels heavier now, and I don't know how to fill the silence.

Ethan takes a step closer, his eyes narrowing slightly, noticing something. "You've been biting your nails again," he says softly, his voice almost like a whisper. There's a concerned expression on his face now.

I glance at my fingers, and sure enough, one of them is bleeding slightly from where I had been gnawing at it. I freeze, too mortified to say anything at first.

"You might want to stop," he adds, his tone gentle but firm. "Your finger's bleeding."

"Oh, gosh. I'm so sorry." I my hand back quickly, flustered.

Ethan laughs softly, shaking his head. "You're apologizing to me, but you should be apologizing to your finger."

I chuckle nervously as my heart thumps in my chest. "Oh, right... Sorry, finger..." I mutter, voice quiet and awkward, letting out a giggle at how ridiculous I sounds.

There's a pause, a comfortable silence, but it hangs between us like a strange, electric tension. Ethan looks at me, his expression softening as if he's trying to find a way to ease the moment.

"So, did you eat yet?" he asks suddenly, his tone awkward as if trying to fill the gap.

My stomach growls at the mention of food, and I wince. "No, actually. I haven't," I admit, a little embarrassed. Luckily, I've still got $10, I think to myself, but I don't say it out loud.

Ethan nods like he expected that answer. "Alright, then. Let's have lunch together," he suggests, sitting down next to me at the desk.

I blink, surprised. "Wait, you're not eating in the cafeteria?"

Ethan smirks, a playful look in his eyes. "Not if it's without you."

He reaches into his bag and pulls out a lunchbox, opening it with a flourish. Inside, there's a neatly made sandwich, perfectly toasted bread, golden-brown on the outside, and filled with slices of turkey, cheddar cheese, and crisp lettuce.