"Nice
to meet you, Abigail. I'm Ethan. I will see you around."
"Yeah,
see you," I muttered as he walked away, that unmistakable smile still lingering
in my thoughts. Nothing more than a passing distraction, I reminded
myself. I have other things to focus on.
I
caught up with Aria and Ryan, they where 30 minutes later.
"Aria,
I was looking for you this morning. What happened?" I asked, concern written
all over my face.
"I
overslept. Nothing serious," she said with a shrug, her tone unusually flat.
"Okay,
if you're sure."
"And
I'm invisible, right?" Ryan chimed in, finally looking up from his phone.
"It's
normal for you to be late," I teased, rolling my eyes. "Honestly, you were
early by your standards."
He
laughed, and we all headed to the canteen for lunch. Over sandwiches and
coffee, I told them about Ethan, not skipping the part where I practically
drooled over him. They both laughed, though I noticed something was off with
Aria. She was quieter than usual, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.
I
didn't push her, though. If she said she was fine, I'd take her at her word for
now.
We
had one more class before the day finally ended. I didn't see Ethan again,
which I was kind of happy with.
I
barely had the energy to drag myself inside once I got home. The day had
drained me—lectures, work, barely a break to breathe. I tossed my bag aside,
kicked off my shoes, and headed straight for the shower, letting the warm water
wash over me. It felt like the only thing that could make me feel anything
resembling human again.
But
even as the water poured over me, my mind kept wandering. Ethan.
It
was strange. I barely knew him. We'd exchanged a few words, and I'd caught
myself admiring him more than I'd like to admit. But it was nothing. Nothing
real. Just a fleeting distraction in an otherwise chaotic routine.
You're
not looking for this, I told myself. Ethan was easy to talk to, kind, and
definitely attractive—but that was all. There were other things to worry about.
Yet,
despite the rational part of me trying to dismiss him, my mind couldn't seem to
let go of the image of him leaning in slightly as we spoke, the soft lilt of
his voice when he smiled, the warmth in his eyes.
A
knock on my door broke through the haze of my thoughts.
"Abi?
You okay in there?" Nova's voice called through the door, snapping me back to
reality.
"Yeah,
just tired. I'll be out in a second," I called back.
As
I lay back on my bed, though, the thought of Ethan wasn't the only thing
nagging at me. My phone buzzed, a message from Aria.
I
smiled for a moment. Aria. I hadn't really checked in with her today.
It
had been a week since I'd started this job, and I'd barely seen her. Our usual
hangouts after school had been replaced by rushed mornings and late-night study
sessions. Aria was my best friend, but lately, it felt like I was losing touch
with her.
I
glanced at the text.
"I'm
fine. Don't worry about me. But hey, don't forget about me, okay?"
I
stared at her message, realizing how selfish I'd been. Here I was, lost in
thoughts of Ethan—a guy I barely knew—while my best friend was left feeling
like she was being neglected.
Stop
it, Abi.
I
dropped my phone on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. I needed to focus. I
needed to be there for Aria, no matter how much work or distractions filled my
mind. Ethan wasn't important. Not yet.
With
a deep sigh, I closed my eyes. The lingering thoughts of Ethan slipped
away—replaced with a growing sense of guilt. Tomorrow, I'd be better for Aria.
I'd show up for her like I always had.
And
as for Ethan…
I
have to stop, he's not the one.