MidReal Story

The Brother I Dated

Frost

Scenario:A girl named Ashley, in her senior year of high school, unexpectedly develops a romantic interest in her best friend since birth, Ethan, on the first day of the new school year.

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A girl named Ashley, in her senior year of high school, unexpectedly develops a romantic interest in her best friend since birth, Ethan, on the first day of the new school year.

Ashley

She is a high school senior and soccer team captain. She is introspective, loyal, and impulsive. Ashley has been best friends with Ethan since birth, sharing a deep bond. On the first day of senior year, she feels a sudden crush on Ethan, creating a conflict with her longstanding friendship. Despite her initial hesitation, Ashley struggles with these new feelings, questioning her longheld loyalty to her friends, including considering crossing boundaries.

Ethan

He is Ashley's childhood best friend and teammate in high school. He is athletic, dependable, and kindhearted. Ethan has been by Ashley's side since elementary school and remains one of her closest confidants. Throughout their lives, he has been supportive and protective of Ashley. With his good looks and charismatic presence, he inadvertently ignites romantic feelings in Ashley during their senior year, testing the depth of their friendship.

Matt

He is Ethan's twin brother and Ashley's other close friend since elementary school. He is mischievous, confident, and charismatic. Matt often plays pranks on his brother Ethan and enjoys causing slight chaos in their social circle. Although he sometimes dismisses the depth of others' feelings, he values the close bond between himself, Ashley, and Ethan. His presence contributes to the dynamic within the group of friends.

I never thought I’d be one of those girls to fall for her best friend.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve known my fair share of girls who have had crushes on their BFFs.

My other best friend Morgan has had plenty of crushes on hers, and I can't blame her.

All my life I've seen guys fawn all over Morgan, and even though she's dated some real jerks, she always manages to stay loyal to her friends.

That's one thing I love about her; she'll do anything for the people she cares about.

As for me, though, I've never really been tempted by my best friends.

Sure, they're both good-looking in their own ways, and I'd take a bullet for them any day.

I just never thought of them as more than that: my friends, my confidants, the guys I go to for advice when I need it.

That all changed today, though, first day of our senior year.

Something about Ethan just... clicked with me.

I don't know what it is, or why now, after eighteen years of being friends with the guy, suddenly I'm seeing him in a whole new light.

Maybe it's because he's taller now?

Or maybe it's because he looks even more handsome than before?

Whatever it is, it's got me feeling like I'm going to puke.

I'm sitting at our usual lunch table with Morgan, and Ethan's in the lunch line with Matt.

I keep picking at my cafeteria fries while trying not to stare too obviously at Ethan as he talks to Matt about their plans for the weekend.

Morgan's chatting my ear off about cheerleading practice, but I can barely focus on what she's saying because all I can think about is how cute Ethan looks in his new haircut.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed it yet, but I think he looks even more adorable now that his hair isn't covering his eyes all the time.

Morgan pauses her monologue long enough to check her phone for a text, and that's when I finally muster up the courage to ask her if she's noticed anything different about Ethan today.

My heart starts beating faster as soon as I open my mouth.

I try to keep my voice steady, but inside I'm freaking out. "Do you think... do you think Ethan looks any different today?"

I ask casually, drumming my fingers against the tabletop like it's no big deal.

Morgan looks up from her phone, raising an eyebrow at me.

I can feel myself starting to blush already, and I know she's going to see right through me.

"Like... what do you mean?"

She asks, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studies my face.

I shrug, trying to play it cool.

"I don't know. I just thought maybe he got a new haircut or something."

I say, picking up a fry and shoving it in my mouth so I don't have to say anything else.

Morgan watches me for a moment longer, then leans in close to whisper, "You've been acting weird all day. Is everything okay?"

My hands start shaking a little as I consider telling her the truth.

I want to tell her everything - about how I can't stop staring at Ethan, about how I keep imagining what it would be like if we were more than friends.

But before I can say anything, Ethan comes over with his lunch tray and plops down in the seat next to me.

His arm brushes mine as he settles in, and I nearly knock over my drink. Morgan watches the whole thing with growing suspicion, and I can see the exact moment when realization dawns on her face.

She grins knowingly and whispers, "You like him, don't you?"

I jerk away from her so fast that I almost knock over my chocolate milk.

My face feels like it's on fire as I frantically shake my head, but my denial comes out way too loud.

A few kids from the table next to us glance over curiously, and Ethan pauses mid-bite of his sandwich, raising an eyebrow at me.

"What's up?"

He asks, clearly confused.

I scramble to come up with something, anything, to cover my tracks.

"Uh... Morgan was just asking if I wanted to try out for the school musical with her."

I mumble, sinking lower in my seat and avoiding eye contact with everyone.

Morgan smirks knowingly but doesn't say anything else.

Ethan shrugs and goes back to eating his lunch, but now I'm even more flustered than before. I can feel Morgan watching me from across the table, and I know she's not going to let this go anytime soon.

I just hope she doesn't say anything to Ethan about it.

I don't think I could handle that level of humiliation right now.

Just when I think things can't get any worse, Ethan glances over at me again and asks if I'm feeling okay.

I swear I can feel my cheeks burning even hotter than before.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine."

After lunch, I make a quick escape to the bathroom and splash some cold water on my face.

I grip the edges of the sink and stare at my reflection in the mirror, willing myself to get it together.

I've known Ethan my whole life - there's no reason for me to be acting like some lovesick preteen just because he got a haircut.

I take a few deep breaths and remind myself that I'm a rational person.

I can handle this.

Just as I'm about to head out to my next class, the bathroom door creaks open and Morgan walks in.

She raises an eyebrow at me, clearly still suspicious about my behavior at lunch.

"What are you doing in here?"

She asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I... uh... I was just splashing some water on my face."

I stammer, quickly reaching up to pretend like I'm fixing my ponytail. Morgan looks unconvinced, but mercifully doesn't push the issue any further.

"Okay... well, you better hurry or you'll be late for class."

She says, heading into one of the stalls.

I practically run out of the bathroom, not wanting to give her another chance to question me.

As I round the corner into the hallway, I almost collide with Ethan.

"Whoa... easy there."

He laughs, reaching out to steady me by the shoulders.

His hands linger on my shoulders even after I've gotten my balance back.

I feel like I can't breathe, like all of the air has been sucked out of the hallway and there's nothing left to fill my lungs.

Ethan's fingers press gently into my skin through the thin material of my t-shirt, and I swear I can feel the warmth of his touch all the way down to my bones.

Kids rush past us to their next classes, but I'm frozen in place.

I'm so hyperaware of every single point where our bodies are touching that I feel like I might shatter at any second.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Ethan asks, studying me with concern etched across his face.

He leans in a little closer, peering at me as if he's trying to figure out what's wrong.

I have to fight the urge to close my eyes and savor how close he is, how good he smells up this close. "Yeah... yeah, I'm fine."

I say, my voice coming out hoarse and barely audible over the sound of everyone rushing past us in the hall.

Ethan raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.

His thumbs absently trace small circles on my shoulders, sending shivers down my spine.

Just as he opens his mouth to ask me again what's wrong, the bell rings.

I jump at the sudden noise, and Ethan finally drops his hands from my shoulders.

He hesitates for a moment, then says, "We can talk later if you want."

I nod, trying to ignore the fluttering in my chest.

Morgan appears behind me, her voice teasing as she says, "Don't worry, Ethan, I'll make sure she doesn't faint before then."

I glare at her, but Ethan just laughs and tells me to have a good practice.

I nod, trying to act normal as I walk with Morgan to our next class.

Ethan glances back at me once as he heads in the opposite direction, his eyes searching my face for some sign that everything is really okay.

I force a smile and wave at him, then turn and head into class.

The whole time we're sitting there, I can feel Morgan watching me out of the corner of her eye, but she doesn't say anything else about it until we're walking out of class.

"So... did you and Ethan make plans to talk later?"

She asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Maybe."

I mumble, not wanting to get into it with her again.

"Hey... wait up!"

Ethan calls, jogging down the hallway towards us.

Morgan rolls her eyes and mutters something under her breath before stalking off towards the soccer field.

Ethan slows down as he reaches us, falling into step beside me as we walk. "So... what's up?"

He asks, glancing over at me with concern etched across his face.

"Nothing... just heading to soccer practice."

I say, trying to sound casual.

But my voice comes out shaking slightly, and Ethan frowns.

"Are you sure everything's okay?"

He asks again, stopping in the middle of the hallway and turning to face me.

His hand reaches out to grip my arm gently, stopping me from walking any further.

I look away, unable to meet his gaze.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine."

I mumble, wishing I could just disappear into thin air right now.

Ethan studies me for another moment before finally letting go of my arm and taking a step back.

"Okay... well... I'll see you later then."

He says softly. I nod, still refusing to look at him directly.

My heart feels like it's pounding so loudly that I'm surprised Ethan can't hear it over the sound of everyone rushing past us in the hallway.

We stand there awkwardly for another moment before Ethan finally turns and heads off towards his own class.

I watch him go, feeling like I'm going to pass out any second now.

I walk out onto the soccer field for practice, trying to shake off the weird feelings that have been following me around all day.

I drop my bag onto the grass and sit down to tie my cleats, listening as Matt teases Ethan about his new haircut.

Ethan laughs and shoves him away, but I can feel myself blushing at the mention of his name.

I focus on dribbling the ball back and forth across the field, trying to clear my head.

But every time I close my eyes, I see Ethan's face in front of me, his fingers tracing circles on my shoulders in the hallway.

I open my eyes and focus on the ball, determined to push thoughts of Ethan out of my mind for good.

We run drills for what feels like hours before finally taking a break to refill our water bottles.

As I'm walking over to the cooler, I notice Ethan jogging towards it from the other side of the field.

I try not to look at him as he approaches, focusing instead on unscrewing the cap on my water bottle. "Hey," he says, coming up beside me and leaning down to fill his own bottle from the cooler.

I nod at him, still refusing to meet his gaze.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

He asks again, glancing over at me with concern etched across his face.

I nod quickly, forcing a smile onto my face.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine."

I say, turning away from him and taking a long drink from my water bottle.

Ethan hesitates for another moment before finally turning away and heading back out onto the field.

I watch him go, feeling like I can finally breathe again now that he's not standing right next to me.

I take another long drink from my water bottle, trying to calm my racing heart.

But just as I'm about to turn and head back out onto the field, I hear Ethan's voice behind me.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

He asks again, jogging back over to the water cooler.

I turn to look at him, feeling like I'm going to pass out any second now.

His eyes are searching my face for some sign that everything is really okay, and I know I have to say something before he starts getting worried again.

"I'm fine, Ethan," I snap, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.

Ethan takes a step back, looking surprised by my outburst.

"I'm fine," I repeat, my voice shaking slightly this time.

"Just leave it, okay?"

I turn away from him and grip my water bottle tightly in my hand, trying to steady myself.

My heart feels like it's pounding so loudly that I'm surprised Ethan can't hear it over the sound of everyone else running around on the field. "Okay... sorry," he says softly, hesitating for another moment before finally turning and heading back out onto the field.

I watch him go, feeling like I've just made a huge mistake.

I shouldn't have snapped at him like that... but I couldn't help it.

Every time he asks me if I'm okay, it feels like he's seeing right through me and into the deepest parts of my soul.

Ethan pauses, glancing back at me with a mixture of confusion and concern.

"Look, if something's going on, you can tell me," he says, his voice gentle but insistent.

I bite my lip, torn between wanting to confide in him and the fear of what might happen if I do.

I avoid Ethan for the rest of practice, still feeling shaken from s###g at him.

As we're packing up our bags to head home, he comes over to me and asks if we can talk.

My heart starts racing again, and I try to think of an excuse to get out of it.

But before I can say anything, he suggests that we walk home together like we always do.

I nod, hoping that the familiar routine will help ease the tension between us.

As we walk, Ethan tries to lighten the mood by telling me about some prank Matt pulled on him earlier that day.

I laugh politely, but my mind is still reeling from everything that's happened today.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, Ethan turns to me and asks what's been going on with me lately.

I hesitate, unsure of how much to reveal.

A part of me wants to confess everything and risk losing our friendship forever.

But another part of me is terrified of rejection and wants to keep my feelings hidden forever. "It's nothing," I say finally, trying to sound casual.

"Just a lot going on with school and stuff."

Ethan looks at me skeptically, but he doesn't push the issue any further.

Instead, he asks me about my day and what I did after school.

I tell him about soccer practice and how Matt made fun of his haircut again.

Ethan laughs and shakes his head, saying that Matt is just jealous because he can't pull off a haircut like that.

We continue walking in silence for a few more minutes before Ethan speaks up again.

"Hey... can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I reply, wondering what he's going to ask me now.

"Do you want to hang out sometime this weekend?"

I'm taken aback by the question, but I try to play it cool.

"Yeah... sure," I say, hoping my voice doesn't betray my nervousness.

"Awesome," Ethan says, smiling at me.

"We should grab some food or see a movie or something."

I nod, my heart pounding in my chest.

As we continue walking home, I can't help but think about what might happen if I tell him how I really feel.

Will he reject me and end our friendship forever?

Or will he feel the same way and we'll be able to explore our feelings for each other?

The thought sends a thrill through me, and I have to remind myself to stay calm and not let my emotions get the best of me.

As we approach my house, Ethan slows down and turns to look at me.

"Hey... are you sure everything's okay?"

I hesitate for a moment, unsure of what to say.

But then I take a deep breath and decide to just go for it.

"Look, I..."

I start to say, but before I can finish my sentence, a loud clap of thunder booms through the sky and it starts pouring rain.

Ethan grabs my hand and pulls me into a nearby abandoned building to wait out the storm.

The building is dark and musty, but it's better than standing outside in the rain.

We stand there for a moment, listening to the sound of the rain coming down around us.

I can feel Ethan's hand still holding mine, and it sends a shiver down my spine.

"I guess this isn't exactly what I had in mind when I asked you to hang out," he says with a laugh.

I smile and shake my head.

"It's okay," I say.

"I'm not exactly dressed for the weather either."

Ethan looks at me and nods in agreement.

"You're right," he says.

"You're soaked."

I look down at myself and see that he's right.

My clothes are clinging to my body, and my hair is plastered to my head.

I can feel the cold seeping into my bones, and I shiver involuntarily. "Here," Ethan says, taking off his jacket and wrapping it around my shoulders.

I look up at him gratefully and smile.

"Thanks," I say.

"No problem," he replies with a smile of his own.

We stand there in silence for a moment, listening to the sound of the rain coming down around us.

Then Ethan speaks up again.

"So... are you going to answer my question?"

I look up at him curiously, wondering what he means.

"What question?"

He smiles at me and raises an eyebrow.

"You know what question," he says with a laugh.

"The one about hanging out sometime this weekend."

I blush slightly at his words and look away from him.

"I... uh... I don't know," I stammer nervously.

Ethan looks at me with concern in his eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

I take a deep breath and nod slowly, trying to gather my thoughts together so that I can answer him properly. "Yeah... I'm fine," I say finally, looking up at him again.

"I just... uh... I don't know what to say."

Ethan looks at me with confusion on his face, and I realize that I've said something wrong again.

But before I can try to explain myself further, he reaches out and brushes a wet strand of hair away from my face.

As his fingers touch my skin, I freeze in place, unable to move or speak.

The sound of the rain pounding against the building outside seems to echo the pounding of my heart in my chest.

I try to say something, but no words come out.

All I can do is stand there and stare at him, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Ethan looks at me with concern in his eyes, waiting for me to respond.

But I just stand there, blushing like crazy and unable to form a coherent sentence.

He squeezes my hand gently, as if trying to prompt me into saying something.

Finally, I manage to open my mouth and start speaking.

"Ethan, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

He looks at me intently, his eyes searching mine.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me," he says softly, his hand still holding mine reassuringly.

The sound of the rain continues to echo around us, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest.

I take a deep breath and try to gather my thoughts together.

"I... uh... I have an exam coming up soon," I stammer, trying to come up with something to say.

Ethan looks at me with a confused expression on his face.

"An exam?"

I nod quickly, hoping he'll buy my excuse.

"Yeah... I really need to study for it."

Ethan nods understandingly, still holding onto my hand.

"Okay... well, maybe we can hang out another time then," he says with a smile.

I pull my hand away from his and wrap his jacket tighter around myself, trying to hide my nervousness.

"Yeah... that sounds good," I say, looking down at the ground.

As we stand there waiting for the rain to let up, I can't help but feel guilty for not telling him the truth.

The rain continues to fall outside, and I can feel the weight of my unspoken words hanging in the air.

I fidget nervously under Ethan's jacket, still warm from his body heat.

Trying to break the awkward silence, I speak up again.

"Morgan said something interesting the other day," I say, trying to sound casual.

Ethan looks at me curiously, waiting for me to continue.

"She said that we would make a perfect couple," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my words.

"A perfect couple?"

I nod quickly, trying to gauge his reaction.

"Yeah... but it's not like that could ever happen," I add hastily, hoping he doesn't notice my attempt to fish for information.

Ethan looks thoughtful for a moment before responding.

"I guess you're right," he says finally, a small smile playing on his lips.

"It would be weird if we dated."

I nod in agreement, trying to hide my disappointment.

"But, you know," Ethan continues, his voice softer now, "sometimes weird isn't such a bad thing."

I look up at him, my heart skipping a beat.

"Do you really think so?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly with hope.

He looks at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine.

Then he smiles and nods.

"Yeah," he says softly.

"I do."

The sound of the rain outside continues to echo around us, but it's no longer the only thing filling my mind.

As I stand there, wrapped in Ethan's jacket, I can feel the warmth of his words spreading through me like a gentle fire.

And I know that no matter what happens next, this moment will stay with me forever.

I shiver as I look down at myself and realize that my shirt is soaked through.

It clings to my body, and I can see my n###s poking through the thin fabric.

I'm mortified as I look up and see Ethan's eyes flicker down to my c##t before he looks away again, his cheeks turning bright red.

He clears his throat and looks out the window at the rain.

"So... are you still up for hanging out this weekend?" he asks, trying to sound casual.

I nod quickly, still feeling embarrassed about my see-through shirt.

"Yeah... sure," I say quietly.

We stand there in awkward silence for a few minutes before Ethan finally speaks up again.

"I think the rain is letting up," he says, gesturing towards the window where the rain has slowed to a light drizzle.

"Want to make a run for it?"

I hesitate, glancing at the downpour outside.

"Only if you promise not to laugh when I slip and fall," I reply with a nervous chuckle.

Ethan grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Deal," he says, holding out his hand for me to shake.

I quickly cover my chest with my other hand, still feeling self-conscious about my see-through shirt.

Ethan turns away from me, clearly trying not to look at my c##t again.

He clears his throat and glances out the window once more.

"I think the rain is letting up a bit," he says, his voice a little shaky.

I nod, still feeling embarrassed about my see-through shirt.

"Yeah... I guess we should head home," I say quietly.

Ethan nods and turns back to face me.

"Okay... well, let's make a run for it then," he says, offering me his hand again.

I take it and we stand there for a moment, waiting for the rain to slow down even more.

Finally, we make a dash for the door, Ethan's hand still gripping mine tightly.

The cold rain hits us as soon as we step outside, and I gasp in surprise.

The droplets sting my face and soak through my clothes even more.

But with Ethan holding my hand, I manage to keep my footing on the slick sidewalk.

We run as fast as we can, our feet pounding against the wet pavement.

I can feel the rain seeping into my shoes and chilling my toes, but I don't care.

I'm too busy trying to keep up with Ethan's long strides.

Finally, we reach the front steps of my house, breathless and soaked to the bone.

Ethan lets go of my hand and looks at me with a grin.

"Made it," he says triumphantly.

I laugh and nod, still trying to catch my breath.

"Yeah... thanks for the help," I say gratefully.

Ethan smiles and glances down at his jacket, which I'm still wearing.

"Oh... right," he says, looking a little embarrassed.

"You should probably take that off now."

I nod quickly and start to unbutton the jacket.

But then I hesitate, realizing that I'm still wearing my s#####h shirt underneath. Ethan notices my hesitation and looks away quickly again, his cheeks turning bright red once more.

"Sorry," he mutters under his breath.

"It's okay," I say quietly, feeling a little embarrassed myself.

"I'll just go inside and change."

Ethan nods without looking at me again, clearly still uncomfortable with the situation.

I quickly take off his jacket and hand it back to him, our fingers brushing briefly as he takes it from me.

"Thanks for letting me borrow this," I say softly.

Ethan nods again and looks down at the jacket in his hands.

"No problem," he says quietly.

"Well... I guess I'll see you this weekend then?"

I nod quickly, feeling a little disappointed that he's leaving already.

"Yeah... sure," I say quietly.

Ethan smiles and turns to leave, his wet clothes clinging to his body just like mine do.

I watch as he walks away, his footsteps splashing through the puddles on the sidewalk.

As he reaches the end of the block, I realize that I'm still standing on the doorstep, shivering in my wet clothes.

I sigh and turn to go inside, but then I stop and call out his name.

"Ethan!"

He turns around and looks at me, his expression confused.

"Do you want to come in and get warm?"

I ask hesitantly.

Ethan pauses for a moment before nodding slowly.

"Yeah... sure," he says quietly.

We walk back up the steps together, both of us dripping water all over the floor.

I lead him into the living room and gesture for him to sit down on the couch.

"I'll be right back," I say quickly before hurrying into the bathroom to grab some towels. When I come back out, Ethan is sitting on the edge of the couch, looking a little uncomfortable.

I hand him a towel and sit down next to him, wrapping my own towel around my shoulders.

We both start drying off in silence, neither of us really knowing what to say next.

Finally, after several minutes of awkwardness, I speak up again.

"Thanks for coming over today," I say softly.

Ethan looks over at me and smiles weakly.

"Yeah... no problem," he replies quietly.

We sit there for another minute before Ethan gets up and walks over to the window.

He stands there staring out at the rain for a long moment before turning back to face me again.

"Well... I should probably get going," he says hesitantly.

I nod slowly, feeling a little disappointed that he's leaving again so soon.

But then I remember what happened earlier between us, and how much it meant to me. "Wait," I say quickly, standing up from the couch and walking over to him.

Ethan looks at me curiously as I reach out and touch his arm gently.

"I wanted to say something else," I tell him softly.

"What's that?"

Ethan asks quietly, his eyes searching mine intently now.

I take a deep breath and try to find the right words to express my feelings.

"I really enjoyed spending time with you today," I say finally, my voice barely above a whisper now.

I watch his face carefully as I speak, trying to gauge his reaction.

But his expression is unreadable, and he doesn't say anything at first.

He just stands there staring at me with a blank look on his face.

Then he shifts his weight on the couch and adjusts his wet shirt again, clearly feeling a little uncomfortable.

Finally, he clears his throat and speaks up in a low voice.

"Yeah... um... me too," he says quietly, not quite meeting my eyes anymore.

I smile and nod slowly, trying to keep things light between us again.

"Good," I say softly.

Ethan smiles back at me and nods as well, but it's clear that he's still feeling a little awkward now.

We stand there for another moment before Ethan glances down at his watch suddenly and gasps in surprise.

"Oh no... I didn't realize how late it was," he says quickly, starting to head for the door now. "Do you need to go?"

I ask hesitantly, feeling a little disappointed that our time together is already coming to an end.

Ethan nods without turning around to face me again.

"Yeah... I'm sorry," he says apologetically over his shoulder now.

"But I really need to get home."

I nod silently and follow him to the door, watching as he reaches for the doorknob and hesitates there for a moment like he wants to say something else before leaving.

But then he just turns around and gives me a quick wave instead, looking a little flustered now as he rushes out into the rain once more.

"Well... um... bye," he calls back over his shoulder before disappearing down the sidewalk again.

The door closes behind him with a soft click, leaving me standing there alone in the silence of my living room once more.

I stand there for a moment, staring at the closed door in confusion.

Then I turn and walk back into the living room, still trying to process what just happened between us.

I pace back and forth across the floor, replaying our conversation over and over again in my head.

But no matter how many times I think about it, I still can't understand why Ethan reacted the way he did.

I sigh and stop pacing, looking around the room for something to distract myself with.

My eyes land on my phone sitting on the coffee table, and I quickly pick it up and start dialing Morgan's number.

As I wait for her to answer, I walk over to the couch and sit down, staring at the wet spot where Ethan was sitting just a few minutes ago.

The phone rings several times before Morgan finally picks up mid-ring.

"Hey," she says breathlessly, sounding like she was in the middle of something when I called.

"Hey," I reply quietly, my voice shaking slightly as I try to hold back my emotions.

"What's wrong?" she asks immediately, sensing that something is off.

I take a deep breath and let it all out at once - the rain, the abandoned building, my confession, Ethan's strange reaction.

Morgan listens silently as I ramble on, not interrupting me once until I finally finish talking. "Wow," she says softly after a moment of silence.

"I'm sorry."

I nod even though she can't see me.

"Yeah... me too," I say quietly, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes now.

There's another long pause before Morgan speaks up again.

"I need to tell you something about Ethan," she says hesitantly.

"What is it?"

Morgan takes a deep breath, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"He's been seeing someone else," she reveals, the words hanging heavily in the air.

I feel my heart sink, and I clutch the phone tighter, trying to process what she's just said.

"Who?"

I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," Morgan admits.

"I saw him with someone at the mall last weekend.

I didn't think much of it at the time, but now I'm not so sure.

" I nod, even though she can't see me.

"Okay," I say softly, trying to keep my emotions in check.

Morgan sighs on the other end of the line.

"I'm so sorry, Em," she says, her voice filled with regret.

"I feel like I should have told you sooner."

"It's okay," I assure her, my voice cracking slightly.

"You didn't know."

We sit in silence for a moment before Morgan speaks up again.

"Are you going to be okay?"

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Yeah... I'll be fine," I say, trying to sound more convincing than I feel.

Morgan nods on the other end of the line, even though I can't see her.

"Okay... if you need anything, just call me," she says softly.

I nod again, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes once more.

"Thanks," I say quietly before hanging up the phone and tossing it onto the couch beside me. The rest of the night is a blur as I pace back and forth across my bedroom floor, unable to sleep or focus on anything except Ethan and what Morgan just told me.

My phone buzzes with texts from him, but I ignore them all, not knowing what to say or how to feel right now.

Tears stream down my face as I replay our conversation over and over again in my head, wondering how things went so wrong between us.

Finally, around midnight, I collapse onto my bed and stare blankly at the ceiling for what feels like hours before drifting off into a fitful sleep.

The next morning comes all too soon, and I wake up feeling groggy and disoriented after barely getting any sleep at all.

I spend the morning in bed, staring blankly at the wall and trying to will myself to get up and face the day ahead.

But I can't seem to muster up the energy to do anything except lie there and think about Ethan and what happened between us.

My phone buzzes with another text from him, and I roll over to see what he's written this time.

"Meet me at the park at 3," it reads.

"We need to talk."

I stare at the screen for a long time, trying to decide what to do.

Part of me wants to ignore him and pretend like everything is fine between us, but another part of me knows that we need to have this conversation eventually.

After what feels like hours of deliberation, I finally type out a response and hit send.

"Okay," I write simply, not knowing what else to say.

The rest of the day is a blur as I try to distract myself with TV shows and books, but nothing seems to hold my attention for long. Finally, around 2:30, I drag myself out of bed and start getting ready for my meeting with Ethan.

My hands shake as I apply mascara and lip gloss, and I end up changing outfits three times before settling on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt.

I hate how much I still care about looking good for him, even after everything that's happened between us.

As I'm finishing up my hair, my phone rings with a call from Morgan.

I let it go straight to voicemail, not wanting to talk to her right now.

I know she's just trying to be supportive, but I can't handle her sympathy at the moment.

Instead, I stand in front of the mirror and practice looking calm and unbothered, trying to convince myself that everything is going to be okay.

But when I catch sight of my red-rimmed eyes in the reflection, I know that I'm not fooling anyone - least of all myself. At 2:45, I grab my keys and head out the door for the park.

My stomach twists into knots with each step as I walk through the quiet streets toward our meeting spot.

When I finally arrive at the park, Ethan is already there waiting for me on a bench near the playground.

He looks up as soon as he sees me approaching, his expression serious and somber.

"Hey," he says softly as I sit down next to him on the bench.

"Hey," I reply, my voice barely steady as I brace myself for whatever he's about to say.

Ethan takes a deep breath, looking down at his hands before meeting my eyes.

"I need to be honest with you," he says, his voice filled with a mix of regret and determination.

"I don't know where to start," he says quietly, his voice cracking slightly.

I sit rigidly on the bench next to him, my hands clenched in my lap to stop them from shaking.

The afternoon sun casts long shadows across his face as he stares at the ground between his feet.

After what feels like an eternity, he finally speaks again.

"I've been seeing someone else," he admits, his voice coming out hoarse and hesitant.

I feel my throat tighten as I try to process what he's just said.

"Who?"

I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan takes another deep breath before answering.

"Her name is Sarah," he says softly.

"She's in my chemistry class."

I nod slowly, trying to keep my emotions in check.

"How long?"

I ask, my voice shaking slightly.

Ethan hesitates before answering.

"Two weeks," he admits, looking down at his hands again.

"I didn't mean for it to happen," he continues, his voice filled with regret.

"It just kind of did."

I sit there in stunned silence for a long moment, trying to process everything he's just told me. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I ask finally, my voice cracking slightly as I struggle to hold back tears.

Ethan looks up at me, his eyes filled with remorse.

"I didn't think it was serious enough to mention," he explains quietly.

"But then things started getting more complicated between us, and I didn't know how to tell you."

I nod slowly, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes once more.

"I'm sorry," Ethan says softly, reaching out to take my hand in his.

I pull my hand away, needing space to think.

"Did you love her?" I ask, my voice barely steady.

Ethan hesitates, and in that moment of silence, I feel the weight of his answer before he even speaks.