Chapter 13 — Locked In
740 Words
lena Carter
The storm started around eight that evening.
By nine, rain hammered violently against Westbridge Academy while thunder shook the windows hard enough to rattle the sports building.
Lena should’ve gone home earlier.
Instead, she got trapped helping organize equipment for the upcoming tournament.
Now she stood in the storage room holding a flashlight while the lights flickered dangerously overhead.
“This is your fault,” she informed Ethan.
“How exactly?”
“You distracted me.”
“That sounds like a you problem.”
Lena rolled her eyes.
They’d spent the past hour arguing while sorting uniforms and equipment into storage closets.
Mostly because working together alone had become impossible lately.
Every accidental touch felt loaded now.
Every glance lingered too long.
And neither of them knew how to act normal anymore.
Another loud crack of thunder echoed outside.
Then suddenly—
the lights shut off completely.
Darkness filled the room instantly.
“Oh my God,” Lena muttered.
Ethan laughed somewhere nearby. “You scared?”
“No.”
“You grabbed my arm.”
Lena immediately let go of him.
“I did not.”
“You literally did.”
Another flash of lightning illuminated the room briefly.
Just enough for Lena to realize Ethan was standing extremely close.
Way too close.
The flashlight flickered weakly between them.
“You know,” Ethan murmured softly, “this feels like the beginning of a horror movie.”
“You’d definitely die first.”
“Wow. Harsh.”
Lena smiled despite herself.
Then the storage room door suddenly slammed shut from the wind.
A loud click followed.
Silence.
Both froze.
Ethan walked over and tested the handle.
Locked.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Lena stared at him. “We’re stuck?”
“For now.”
“This is your fault too somehow.”
“Still not seeing the logic.”
Thunder crashed again outside.
The tiny storage room suddenly felt much smaller.
Especially with Ethan standing there looking entirely too attractive in low lighting.
Which honestly felt unfair.
Lena leaned back against the shelves with a sigh.
“Perfect.”
Ethan watched her quietly for a moment.
Then softer—
“You okay?”
The concern caught her off guard.
Again.
“I hate storms,” she admitted quietly.
Something in Ethan’s expression shifted immediately.
Gentler now.
Without joking, he stepped closer.
“Come here.”
Lena blinked. “What?”
“You’re tense.”
“I’m fine.”
“Lena.”
The way he said her name—
calm and low—
completely ruined her ability to argue.
Ethan gently pulled her toward him until her back rested lightly against his chest.
Warm.
Safe.
His arms wrapped loosely around her waist while rain pounded violently outside.
Lena’s heartbeat slowed slightly.
Because somehow Ethan always made chaos feel quieter.
“You smell like chlorine constantly,” she mumbled.
He laughed softly near her ear.
“You still keep stealing my hoodies.”
“They’re comfortable.”
“You’re comfortable.”
The words slipped out accidentally.
Silence followed instantly.
Lena slowly turned her head to look up at him.
Big mistake.
Because Ethan was already staring at her.
And suddenly the air changed again.
That dangerous tension returning immediately.
Only worse this time.
More intimate.
More emotional.
The flashlight dimmed further beside them.
Ethan’s fingers brushed lightly against her waist.
“Tell me to stop,” he whispered quietly.
Lena’s pulse jumped.
“You already know I won’t.”
His expression darkened slightly at that.
Then he kissed her.
Slowly at first.
But the second Lena kissed him back, Ethan completely lost patience.
His hands tightened against her waist as he pushed her gently against the shelves, kissing her deeper while thunder crashed outside.
Lena’s hands slid into his hair instantly.
The storm disappeared around them.
Everything disappeared.
Only him remained.
His mouth.
His heartbeat.
The way he touched her like he’d been trying to hold back for weeks.
A soft breath escaped her when Ethan kissed slowly down her jaw.
“Ethan…”
He stopped immediately.
“You okay?”
The concern in his voice nearly melted her completely.
Instead of answering, Lena pulled him back toward her by the collar.
Definitely answer enough.
Ethan laughed softly against her lips before kissing her again, slower this time.
Less desperate.
More dangerous somehow.
Because now feelings were involved too.
And both of them knew it.
- Writer
