The New Kid’s Heart

Chapter 3: A girl?

Ethan had always been the type to keep to himself. He wasn’t exactly shy, but he preferred the quieter moments. The kind of moments when he could just observe, like when he was sitting in the courtyard, watching the students hustle to their next class.

That’s when he saw her.

She was walking across the yard, her hands full with books, when a gust of wind caught her papers. The pages flew into the air, scattering like leaves in the wind. Ethan stood up immediately, instinctively stepping forward to help.

“Wait!” he called out, rushing over.

The girl’s eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, she froze. Her books were scattered on the ground, and she bent down to pick them up, but the wind wouldn’t stop, pushing the papers further away.

“I got it,” Ethan said, bending down to gather the papers before they could fly too far.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice soft but filled with relief. She glanced up at him, her cheeks turning pink. “I didn’t even see you coming.”

Ethan chuckled. “I guess I have a knack for sneaking up on people.”

She smiled, her blush deepening. “I’m Fiona, by the way.”

“Ethan,” he replied, handing her the last of the papers.

“Thanks again,” Fiona said, tucking the papers into her arms. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“No problem,” Ethan said with a smile, feeling a sense of satisfaction from helping her.

As she turned to leave, she paused, looking back at him. “You’re new here, right?”

“Yeah, just transferred,” Ethan replied.

Fiona smiled again, her cheeks still a little pink. “Well, welcome. It’s nice to meet you, Ethan.”

“Nice to meet you too,” he said, watching her walk away.

First-Person Perspective (Ethan’s Thoughts)

I didn’t expect that.

I mean, I’ve helped people before, but something about Fiona made me feel... I don’t know, good. It wasn’t anything more than just helping someone in need, but it felt nice to do something for her. She seemed genuinely grateful, and I appreciated that.

But no, I don’t feel anything beyond that. She’s just a girl I helped out. That’s all.

First-Person Perspective (Fiona’s Thoughts)

That was embarrassing.

I mean, I’ve had my share of clumsy moments, but that one? Dropping all my papers in front of someone I don’t even know? Ugh.

But then Ethan showed up, and he was so calm about it. He didn’t make a big deal out of it, and when he smiled at me, it made me feel a little better. He was just being kind, not making me feel stupid.

I’m glad I met him. He seems like a nice person.

Third-Person Perspective

As Fiona walked away, Ethan stood there for a moment, still processing the encounter. He couldn’t help but feel good about helping her. It was just the right thing to do, and he didn’t think much more of it.

He glanced at the clock, realizing he had to head to his next class. As he turned to leave, he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, his time here might not be so bad after all.