Chapter 8 — Jealousy Looks Good on You
872 Words
Ethan Hayes
Ethan had spent the entire week pretending he still had control over the situation.
He didn’t.
Not anymore.
Because Lena Carter had somehow become the first thing he looked for every morning.
And the worst part?
She clearly knew it.
The gym buzzed with noise as students prepared for Friday night’s fundraiser event. Volleyball players decorated tables while music blasted softly through the speakers overhead.
Ethan leaned against the bleachers watching Lena argue with two freshmen over banner placements.
She looked terrifying.
Beautiful.
And completely stressed out.
“You’re staring again,” Noah commented beside him.
“I’m literally not.”
“You’ve looked at her every thirty seconds for the past hour.”
Ethan ignored him.
Mostly because he was right.
Lena suddenly glanced toward the bleachers.
Their eyes met instantly.
And just like always—
the entire room disappeared for a second.
Her expression shifted slightly.
Softer than usual.
Then—
another guy walked up beside her.
Tall.
Blond.
Basketball captain.
Jason Miller.
Ethan’s jaw tightened automatically as Jason handed Lena a drink while smiling down at her.
Lena laughed quietly at something he said.
That strange twisting feeling returned immediately inside Ethan’s chest.
Jealousy.
Which was ridiculous.
Because Lena wasn’t his.
Not officially.
Not at all, technically.
But watching another guy make her laugh still felt dangerously close to violence.
Noah noticed immediately.
“Oh, you’re gone.”
Ethan frowned. “What?”
“You like her so much it’s painful to watch.”
Before Ethan could deny it, Lena walked toward the bleachers carrying paperwork.
Jason followed behind her.
Fantastic.
“Hayes,” Lena said professionally. “The auction schedule changed.”
Ethan barely looked at the papers.
His attention stayed entirely on Jason standing beside her.
Jason smiled casually. “You swimming tonight?”
“Was planning to,” Ethan answered flatly.
Lena immediately noticed the shift in his tone.
And for some reason—
it amused her.
“You okay?” she asked innocently.
Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You seem busy.”
“I am busy.”
“With him?”
Jason looked deeply uncomfortable now.
Lena, however, crossed her arms slowly.
“Are you jealous?”
“Absolutely not.”
“You look jealous.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“Careful, Carter.”
The tension returned instantly.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
Familiar.
Jason wisely excused himself almost immediately.
The second he disappeared, Lena smirked slightly.
“You were jealous.”
“I was annoyed.”
“Same thing.”
Ethan lowered his voice carefully.
“You flirt with everyone now?”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“You flirt with breathing oxygen.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“Because I don’t actually care about them.”
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Lena’s expression changed instantly.
The teasing faded.
Something quieter replaced it.
Something dangerous.
Because suddenly this wasn’t flirting anymore.
This was real.
Ethan realized it the second silence filled the space between them.
Lena looked at him carefully.
“You mean that?”
He held her gaze steadily.
“Yeah.”
For once, no sarcasm.
No teasing.
No games.
Just honesty.
And honestly?
That terrified him.
Because Ethan Hayes didn’t do feelings.
He barely handled his own life properly.
Yet somehow Lena Carter had become important enough to ruin his concentration completely.
The fundraiser finally began an hour later.
Students crowded the decorated gym while music and laughter filled the room.
Lena stood near the stage organizing schedules when Ethan appeared beside her again.
“You’ve ignored me for twenty minutes.”
“I was working.”
“You looked at Jason twice.”
She rolled her eyes.
“You’re impossible.”
“And you like me anyway.”
Lena tried not to smile.
Failed immediately.
Ethan noticed.
Of course he noticed.
His expression softened dangerously.
“There she is.”
“What?”
“That smile you pretend doesn’t exist.”
Her heartbeat stumbled again.
God, this boy was becoming a problem.
A very attractive problem.
The lights dimmed slightly as slow music replaced the louder playlist.
Couples immediately moved toward the dance floor.
Lena looked away awkwardly.
Then Ethan held out his hand.
“Dance with me.”
She blinked.
“You hate dancing.”
“I hate people watching me dance.”
“That’s somehow worse.”
He smirked faintly.
“Come on, Captain.”
Lena stared at his hand for several seconds before finally taking it.
Big mistake.
Because the second Ethan pulled her onto the dance floor, the entire world seemed to narrow around them.
His hand settled carefully against her waist.
Warm.
Steady.
Possessive enough to make her nervous.
“You’re tense again,” he murmured.
“You make me nervous.”
Ethan looked genuinely surprised by that.
Then quietly—
“Good.”
Lena laughed softly despite herself.
They moved slowly with the music while conversations blurred around them.
And for the first time in weeks—
neither of them argued.
Neither of them fought.
It was almost peaceful.
Which somehow felt more dangerous than the tension ever had.
Because Lena was beginning to realize something terrifying:
She didn’t just want Ethan physically anymore.
She wanted all the quiet moments too.
- Writer
