The Rule We Broke
519 Words
The silence after Ethan said my name was worse than if he had shouted.
I had seen my brother angry before.
I had seen him frustrated.
I had seen him disappointed.
But this was different.
This wasn’t anger.
This was betrayal.
His eyes moved from me to Liam, and for a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Liam stepped back.
Not away from me.
Away from the situation.
Like he already knew he was the person everyone would blame.
“Sophie.”
Ethan’s voice was low.
I swallowed.
“Ethan.”
“What are you doing?”
The question sounded simple.
But it wasn’t.
Because he wasn’t asking why I was at the arena.
He wasn’t asking why I was with Liam.
He was asking why I had crossed a line he created.
“I was talking to him.”
My brother laughed once.
A humourless sound.
“You know exactly who he is.”
I looked at Liam.
Then back at Ethan.
“No.”
My voice surprised even me.
“I know who everyone says he is.”
Ethan’s expression hardened.
“And you think you know better?”
“I think I’m allowed to find out.”
The words hung between us.
Liam looked at me.
Not with pride.
Not with satisfaction.
With worry.
“Sophie, you should go.”
I turned toward him.
“What?”
His eyes softened.
“This isn’t the time.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I’m tired of everyone deciding when I get to speak.”
Ethan looked hurt.
“Sophie.”
“I love you.”
The words made him pause.
“But you don’t get to control my life because you’re scared.”
His expression changed.
Because he knew I meant it.
For a few seconds, the only sound was the rain hitting the arena windows.
Then Liam quietly said:
“I’m leaving.”
My heart dropped.
“Liam—”
He looked at me.
And there was something in his eyes that made me stop.
A warning.
Not about Ethan.
About himself.
“This is exactly why I tried to stay away.”
Then he walked past my brother.
And for the first time…
Ethan didn’t look like he had won.
He looked worried.
───
I didn’t sleep that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Liam walking away.
Not angry.
Not because he didn’t care.
Because he cared too much.
My phone stayed silent.
No message.
No sarcastic comment.
No “did you eat?”
Nothing.
And I hated how much I missed it.
At 1:13 a.m., my phone finally lit up.
My heart jumped.
But it wasn’t Liam.
It was Ryan.
Are you okay?
I stared at the message.
Then another appeared.
I know what happened.
My stomach tightened.
How?
Before I could reply:
Sophie, please don’t make the same mistake twice.
I frowned.
Same mistake?
I typed:
What does that mean?
The dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then:
Ask Ethan about what Liam did.
I stared at the screen.
Because suddenly…
I wasn’t sure who I was supposed to be afraid of.
- Writer
