He Chose Me

Chapter 3 – Small Confessions

The next morning, Abigail sat in the cafeteria, absentmindedly stirring her tea. Her mind wasn’t on the upcoming math quiz or the piles of homework she still had. Instead, it kept drifting back to yesterday—Ethan’s smile, the way he had looked at her, and the soft words he had whispered as they set up the poetry booth.

“Abby, are you even listening?” Sarah’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Abigail blinked. “Huh? Sorry, I was… just thinking.”

“You mean thinking about him, right?” Sarah teased, nudging her shoulder. “I saw the way you looked at him yesterday. Admit it—you like him.”

Abigail’s cheeks flared pink. “I… I don’t know. I mean, he’s nice, and… I guess I like him as a friend?” She quickly sipped her tea to hide her embarrassment.

Sarah rolled her eyes, smirking. “Friend? Please. Your heart is doing all the talking, and it’s screaming his name.”

Abigail groaned. “Sarah! Stop embarrassing me!”

Before Sarah could respond, a group of students walked past their table, laughing loudly. And of course, Vanessa was among them. She glanced in Abigail’s direction, her sharp eyes scanning every movement. When she noticed Abigail’s distracted gaze, her lips curved into a cruel smile.

“She’s really taken with him, isn’t she?” Vanessa whispered to her friends, loud enough for Abigail to hear.

Abigail stiffened. She wanted to disappear. Why did Vanessa always have to make everything uncomfortable?

As the morning passed, Abigail tried to focus on her classes, but the thought of Ethan lingered. During history, she caught herself doodling his name in the margin of her notebook. And each time someone mentioned the festival, her heart fluttered with anticipation.

The day passed in a blur until lunch, when fate—or maybe the universe—decided to intervene.

Ethan appeared at her table, holding a stack of papers. “Hey, I thought you might need these for the festival. I saved the extra poems that got submitted yesterday.”

Abigail’s heart skipped a beat. “Thanks… Ethan. That’s… really thoughtful of you.”

He shrugged, smiling. “I figured it might help. And, uh… I wanted to see if you’re okay. Yesterday, with Vanessa, I mean. You handled her really well.”

Abigail looked down at her hands, embarrassed. “I guess I did… thanks for stepping in. I didn’t expect you to notice.”

Ethan shrugged again, leaning casually against the table. “Of course I noticed. It’s hard not to when someone’s being unfair. And honestly… I think you’re really brave.”

Brave. Abigail’s stomach fluttered. Nobody had ever said that to her in such a way before.

They talked for a few more minutes, sharing small jokes and stories, and Abigail found herself laughing more freely than she had in weeks. With each passing second, the thought that she might actually like Ethan more than just a friend became harder to ignore.

Meanwhile, Vanessa’s gaze followed them from across the cafeteria, sharp and calculating. She was clearly not pleased. Her jealousy simmered, a dangerous mix of envy and obsession. No one—especially not Abigail—will take him from me, she thought.

By the end of lunch, Abigail returned to class with a strange combination of excitement and nervousness. Her heart felt lighter, yet at the same time, she knew this wasn’t going to be simple. Vanessa would make sure of that.

As she settled into her seat, she whispered to herself, almost like a promise, “I like him… and I’m not going to let anyone make this harder than it has to be.”

Somewhere in the back of the classroom, Vanessa’s smirk widened. The game was on.