The next few days passed in a blur. I was no longer just the quiet, unnoticed girl at school. Now, I had a role to play. And every time Ethan and I crossed paths, I felt more and more like I was stepping into a world that didn't belong to me.
I had convinced myself this was still a game, just a cover to keep his family off his back, but the lines between real and fake were getting harder to distinguish. Every moment I spent with Ethan, every glance, every smile, made me question what was really going on between us. It wasn't supposed to be this complicated.
On Friday afternoon, I found myself waiting outside the gym after practice, my mind buzzing. Ethan had promised to meet me there so we could head home together. It was still hard to believe how quickly my life had changed. Just a few weeks ago, I couldn't even imagine being this close to him, and now, it was almost routine. The thought should've been comforting, but all I felt was unease.
A few minutes later, Ethan appeared, his hockey bag slung over his shoulder. As always, his presence seemed to fill the room, drawing the attention of everyone around us. His friends greeted him with casual high-fives, and I felt the familiar tension in my chest. It was strange, being part of his world but not belonging to it. I was just a bystander, watching from the sidelines. But that wasn't how it was supposed to be. We were supposed to be a couple. A real one, even if it was fake.
"Ready?" Ethan asked, his voice pulling me from my thoughts. He flashed me a smile, though I noticed a flicker of something else in his eyes, something softer, more serious.
"Yeah," I answered, forcing a smile of my own as I picked up my bag. "Let's go."
We walked out of the gym together, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. The tension between us was palpable, but neither of us spoke. As we neared the parking lot, Ethan's hand brushed against mine, just briefly. I couldn't help the small gasp that escaped my lips at the touch. It was so simple, so innocent, but it sent a jolt through me, leaving my heart pounding.
Ethan didn't seem to notice, or maybe he did, but he didn't comment on it. He simply led me to his car, and we climbed in, the silence settling around us as he started the engine.
We drove in comfortable quiet for a while, the soft hum of the car filling the space between us. I could feel the weight of his gaze on me as we approached the first intersection, but when I turned to meet his eyes, he quickly looked away, focusing on the road ahead.
I didn't know why, but his sudden retreat bothered me. Why was he acting like this? Was it just part of the act? Or was it something more?
"Ethan," I said quietly, breaking the silence. "Are you okay?"
His hands tightened around the steering wheel, and he glanced at me briefly, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. I'm fine."
I could tell he was lying. There was something in the way his jaw clenched, the way his posture stiffened, that told me otherwise. But I didn't press him. He was probably just feeling the pressure of everything. In our arrangement, his family, school, and hockey, it had to be a lot for him to handle.
"Are you sure?" I asked again, my voice softer this time.
Ethan sighed, his eyes flicking back to me. "I'm just… thinking about some stuff. It's not easy, you know? Trying to keep up with everything, especially when I have to pretend like this is all normal."
I blinked, surprised by his honesty. "You're not the only one," I said, a bitter laugh escaping me. "It's a little overwhelming for me, too."
For a moment, neither of us said anything. The weight of his words hung in the air, and I felt the distance between us shrink, if only a little. For the first time, I realized that maybe we were both in this together, playing a part, sure, but also navigating something we couldn't quite understand.
"I didn't mean to make it harder on you," Ethan said, his voice quieter now. "I just didn't know how else to handle it. My family… they won't let up."
I nodded, understanding more than I wanted to admit. His family was a huge part of his life, and I could see how much their pressure weighed on him. It wasn't just about us anymore, it was about his entire world colliding with mine.
"Don't worry about me," I said, offering him a small smile. "I signed up for this, remember?"
Ethan didn't return my smile, though he did give a small, appreciative nod. "Still, I don't want you to feel like I'm taking advantage of you. You've been great, Scarlet. I know it's not easy, but you've been handling it better than I expected."
Something in his words made me feel warm inside, but also uneasy. It was as if he was saying more than he meant. I wasn't sure if he realized it, but I could hear the unsaid words in his tone. I was more than just a friend, more than just a cover-up for his family. He was acknowledging that there was something between us, something neither of us could easily explain.
"Thanks," I said quietly, not knowing how else to respond. "I'm just doing my part."
As we neared the end of the street, I felt the weight of the silence press down on us once again. It wasn't uncomfortable, though. It was… intimate, in a way that I didn't know how to process. This was supposed to be fake, but the more time I spent with Ethan, the harder it was to ignore the growing connection between us.
When we finally reached my house, Ethan parked the car in the driveway. For a moment, neither of us moved. The engine ticked softly as the car cooled, and the soft glow of the streetlights outside cast a faint, golden hue over us.
"Thanks for the ride," I said, finally breaking the silence.
Ethan nodded, but instead of getting out of the car, he turned to face me. His gaze was intense, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.
"Scarlet," he began, his voice low and serious, "I don't want this to be just about appearances. I know we're pretending, but I… I don't want to lose what we have."
I stared at him, my heart racing. Was he saying what I thought he was saying? Or was I reading too much into it? He leaned in just slightly, and I held my breath, my pulse quickening in anticipation.
"I don't either," I whispered back, unsure of what I was getting myself into.
But in that moment, I realized whatever this was, it was no longer just a game.