Chapter 12
589 Words
Tangled Strings Part 2
Ethan had decided one thing when he woke up the next morning: he was going to avoid all three of them.
No more accidental library ambushes. No more cafeteria chaos. No more midnight dorm invasions. If he could just keep his head down, focus on his assignments, and maybe invest in noise-cancelling headphones, his life would return to normal.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
The moment he stepped into class, Adrian was already there — neat as always, flipping through his notes. Their eyes met, and Ethan’s chest gave an embarrassing jolt. He quickly looked away, sliding into his usual seat by the window.
He barely had time to set his bag down before Leo dropped into the seat beside him with a grin. “Morning, roomie-in-spirit.”
“I’m not your—” Ethan started, but Leo cut him off by setting a carton of juice on his desk.
“For you. Vitamins. I figured you looked pale last night.”
Ethan blinked at the juice, caught between appreciation and annoyance. Before he could respond, a shadow fell across the desk.
Kai, smirking as usual. “Cute. Buying him juice now?”
Leo scowled. “Mind your business.”
Kai plucked the straw out of the carton, twirled it between his fingers, then leaned close to Ethan and whispered, “He’s trying too hard. Don’t let him spoil you.”
Ethan’s brain short-circuited. His ears went red. “I—I don’t even—can you all stop—”
The lecture hadn’t even started, and already he felt wrung out.
---
By midday, Ethan realized his plan to “avoid them” was doomed.
At the library, Adrian quietly slid into the seat across from him, offering a fresh set of neatly written study notes.
At the cafeteria, Leo plopped down with his tray, loudly bragging about how he saved Ethan a seat “right in the middle” — between him and Adrian, of course.
And at sports practice, Kai “accidentally” bumped into Ethan during warm-ups, leaning close to say, “Careful, rookie. Don’t let the other two distract you.”
Ethan thought he might actually combust.
And yet… he couldn’t deny a part of him enjoyed their attention, even if he didn’t understand it.
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That night, Ethan was finally alone in his dorm room, determined to finish his essay. He wasn't alone entirely but one could say so, Jamie and Mark were asleep too. They both sleep like a log of wood that they wouldn't even know if anything happens beside them. Ethan's pen scratched against paper as he muttered quotes to himself.
Then came the sound.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He froze. It wasn’t the usual creak of pipes or footsteps in the hall. It came from outside — against his window.
Slowly, Ethan rose and crossed the small room, pulling back the curtain.
Nothing.
Just the faint sway of tree branches in the night breeze.
He sighed in relief—
And then spotted it.
A slip of paper, taped to the outside of his window.
His stomach dropped.
He unlatched the glass, peeled the paper free with trembling hands, and unfolded it.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
His knees almost gave out.
This wasn’t a joke. Someone knew where he lived. Someone had been here.
And before Ethan could even catch his breath, there was a knock at his door.
As he opened it Adrian walked in smiling at him while teasing him.
- Writer
