Unspoken Heart

Chapter 9: The Night That Changed Everything

I woke up the next morning with a decision.

This had to stop.

Whatever was happening between Ethan and me—it was reckless. It was dangerous. And if we weren’t careful, we were going to destroy everything.

So I did the only thing I could.

I put distance between us.

I stopped looking at him. I stopped reacting when he was near. I made myself cold, forcing every feeling down until it was buried under layers of denial.

And for a while, it worked.

I avoided him in the hallways, ignored him at the dinner table, and trained myself not to flinch whenever his name came up in conversation. He noticed—of course, he did—but he didn’t say anything.

At first.

The first few days, there were lingering stares, a few subtle smirks, like he thought I was playing some kind of game. But when I didn’t react, the amusement in his eyes faded, replaced by something else. Frustration? Annoyance?

I didn’t care.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

Then came the party.

Claire had been begging me to go out for weeks. "You need a distraction," she had said, dragging me toward my closet and throwing outfits onto my bed. "Come on, Aria. You’ve been acting weird lately. You need a night to forget about whatever’s been bothering you."

I hesitated. The last thing I wanted was to be surrounded by loud music, drunk strangers, and the kind of reckless chaos that came with these parties.

But maybe she was right.

Maybe I did need a distraction.

So I let her pick my outfit—a short black dress that I normally wouldn’t wear—and let her drag me to one of the biggest parties of the year.

The house was packed when we arrived, the bass from the speakers shaking the floor. The air smelled of alcohol and expensive cologne, and everywhere I looked, people were either dancing, making out, or laughing like they had no worries in the world.

I forced a smile, pretending to enjoy myself.

Claire disappeared into the crowd almost immediately, finding some guy she had been flirting with for weeks. I didn’t mind. In fact, I preferred it. At least this way, I didn’t have to pretend for her sake.

I made my way to the kitchen, grabbing a drink just to have something to do with my hands. The liquid burned down my throat, but I welcomed the distraction.

Then Ethan walked in.

And suddenly, the room felt too small.

He wasn’t alone. A girl clung to his arm, her laugh loud and flirtatious as she leaned into him. She was gorgeous—long legs, perfect hair, the kind of confidence that came with knowing you could have anyone you wanted.

And Ethan?

He looked completely at ease, whispering something in her ear that made her giggle.

My grip tightened around my cup.

For days, I had been avoiding him, pushing every feeling away, convincing myself that whatever this was—it wasn’t real.

But now, watching him with her, something inside me snapped.

Then, just to make it worse, his eyes met mine.

He smirked.

Like he was daring me to react.

I should have looked away. I should have turned around and walked out of the room.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I grabbed the nearest bottle, poured myself another drink, and downed it in one go.

The burn was stronger this time, but I barely felt it.

If he wanted to play games, fine.

Two could play.

I turned toward the crowd, forcing a flirtatious smile as I stepped onto the dance floor. The music pounded through my veins, drowning out the thoughts in my head.

Someone grabbed my waist—some guy I didn’t know, didn’t care to know. He pulled me close, his hands wandering, his breath hot against my skin.

I let him.

Not because I wanted him.

But because I knew Ethan was watching.

And I wanted him to see.

I wanted him to feel what I felt.

I tilted my head back, pretending to laugh at something the guy said, pretending I wasn’t acutely aware of the weight of Ethan’s stare.

Then suddenly, the warmth of the stranger’s hands was gone.

I blinked, my vision slightly hazy from the alcohol, and before I could register what was happening, Ethan was standing in front of me, his jaw clenched, his expression unreadable.

The guy I had been dancing with looked between us, confused. "Dude, what the hell?"

Ethan didn’t even acknowledge him. His eyes stayed locked on me, dark and intense. "Let’s go."

I crossed my arms, ignoring the way my heart slammed against my ribs. "Excuse me?"

His jaw tightened. "We’re leaving."

I scoffed, forcing a laugh. "Since when do you get to tell me what to do?"

His eyes burned into mine. "Since you decided to act like an idiot."

Anger flared in my chest. "Oh, I’m the i***t? That’s rich, coming from you."

The guy behind me muttered something under his breath and walked away, clearly wanting no part in whatever this was.

Good. Because this? This was a mess.

A mess I didn’t know how to get out of.

Ethan took a step closer, and suddenly, the air between us felt charged. The music, the crowd, everything else faded into the background.

"Are you done?" he asked, his voice low.

My hands curled into fists at my sides. "Are you?"

Something flickered in his eyes. A challenge. A warning. A question neither of us wanted to answer.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to hold my ground.

I had started this game.

But I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the consequences.