WHAT WE LOST

Chapter Two—Getting Closer

CHAPTER TWO

GETTING CLOSER

Monday came faster than Amara expected.

She walked through the school gates with her bag hanging from one shoulder, trying to convince herself that she wasn't looking for anyone.

She was.

Her eyes moved across the compound almost immediately.

The football field.

The cafeteria.

The senior classroom block.

Nothing.

She frowned slightly.

Why was she looking for Ethan?

They had only known each other for a few days.

It wasn't like she was supposed to expect him to be waiting for her every morning.

She shook her head and continued walking.

"Amara!"

She turned.

Ethan was jogging toward her.

A smile immediately appeared on her face.

"You scared me."

"Why?"

"I didn't know who was calling me."

Ethan laughed.

"You didn't recognize my voice?"

"No."

"Wow."

He placed a hand over his chest dramatically.

"That's actually painful."

Amara rolled her eyes.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

They started walking toward their classrooms together.

"So," Ethan said, "how was your weekend?"

"Fine."

"That's it?"

"What else do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. Tell me something interesting."

Amara thought for a moment.

"I watched movies."

"That's not interesting."

"It is to me."

"What movie?"

She told him.

Ethan immediately started making fun of her choice.

"You actually like that?"

"Yes."

"Your taste is questionable."

"At least I have taste."

They both laughed.

When they reached the junior classroom block, Amara stopped.

"I have to go."

"Okay."

She started walking away.

Then Ethan called her again.

"Amara."

She turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Don't disappear during break."

She smiled.

"I won't."

That morning, Amara couldn't stop thinking about how quickly seeing Ethan had become something she looked forward to.

But there was another thing she had started thinking about too.

Her friends.

Since the argument, she hadn't spoken to any of them.

They had tried to talk to her once or twice, but Amara wasn't ready.

She wasn't angry anymore.

She just didn't know how to go back to the way things were.

During break, she sat alone for a few minutes.

Then Ethan appeared.

"You promised you wouldn't disappear."

Amara looked up.

"I didn't."

"Good."

He pointed toward the cafeteria.

"Come."

"Where?"

"You're eating with us today."

"Us?"

"My friends."

Amara hesitated.

"I don't know."

"They won't bite."

"Are you sure?"

"Mostly."

She laughed and followed him.

Ethan's friends were sitting around a table, talking loudly.

The moment they saw Amara, one of them looked at Ethan and grinned.

"So this is the girl."

Ethan frowned.

"What girl?"

"The girl you've been texting every night."

Amara's eyes widened.

She looked at Ethan.

"You told them?"

"I didn't tell them anything."

His friend laughed.

"Bro, you didn't have to. You smile at your phone every five seconds."

Everyone at the table laughed.

Ethan shook his head.

"You people are annoying."

Amara sat down, trying not to laugh.

One of the boys looked at her.

"I'm Ryan."

Another one introduced himself.

"David."

Then another raised his hand.

"Don't mind these idiots. I'm Marcus."

Amara smiled.

"Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too."

Within minutes, she was laughing with them.

Ethan watched her from across the table.

She seemed different from the girl he had met that Friday.

The sadness wasn't completely gone, but she wasn't hiding behind it anymore.

She was laughing.

She was comfortable.

And he liked seeing her like that.

After lunch, Amara returned to class with a smile on her face.

She hadn't expected Ethan's friends to be so funny.

She also hadn't expected to enjoy herself that much.

By Wednesday, sitting with them during break had become normal.

By Thursday, Ryan was already calling her part of the group.

"Amara, tell Ethan he's wrong."

Ethan looked at him.

"About what?"

"Everything."

Amara laughed.

"He's probably right."

Ethan stared at her.

"You too?"

"Always."

"Wow."

He shook his head.

"I regret introducing you people."

Amara smiled.

"Too late."

Their friendship was becoming something neither of them could ignore.

They talked more.

They joked more.

And somehow, they always found a reason to be around each other.

Sometimes Ethan would wait outside her classroom.

Sometimes Amara would pass by the senior block just because she knew he might be there.

Neither of them admitted that they were doing it on purpose.

One afternoon, Ethan was sitting outside with his friends when Amara walked past.

He immediately called her.

"Amara!"

She turned.

"What?"

"Come here."

"I have somewhere to be."

"Where?"

"Home."

"That's not somewhere you're going right now."

She laughed.

"How do you know?"

"Because you're still standing here."

She rolled her eyes but walked over.

Ethan moved his bag from the seat beside him.

"Sit."

She sat down.

His friends exchanged looks.

Amara noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing," Ryan said.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing."

Ethan gave him a warning look.

"Don't start."

Ryan smiled.

"I'm not saying anything."

Amara laughed.

She was beginning to feel like she belonged around them.

For the first time since her fight with her old friends, she didn't feel completely alone.

She had new people to talk to.

People who made her laugh.

And most importantly, she had Ethan.

At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

One evening, Ethan called her.

They stayed on the phone for almost two hours.

They talked about school.

Then music.

Then movies.

Then childhood memories.

Amara told him about one of the most embarrassing things she had ever done at school.

Ethan laughed so loudly that she had to pull the phone away from her ear.

"Stop laughing!"

"I'm sorry!"

"You don't sound sorry."

"I can't help it."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

Amara became quiet.

Ethan didn't notice the way she smiled.

He was right.

She didn't hate him.

Not even close.

As the days passed, Amara began noticing little things about Ethan.

He remembered things she told him.

He knew when something was bothering her even when she said nothing.

He always made sure she had eaten.

If she was having a bad day, he somehow found a way to make her laugh.

And whenever she walked into the school compound, he was becoming the first person she looked for.

She knew something was happening.

She just didn't know what to call it.

One Friday afternoon, Amara and Ethan were sitting behind the classroom block.

The school was almost empty.

Most students had already gone home.

Ethan was scrolling through his phone while Amara watched him.

She had been quiet for several minutes.

Ethan looked up.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

"No."

"Yes."

Amara smiled.

"Okay, maybe a little."

"Why?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know."

Ethan laughed.

"You're weird."

"You're the one who asked."

He put his phone away.

"Okay. What's on your mind?"

"Nothing."

"You're doing that again."

"Doing what?"

"Saying nothing when there's clearly something."

Amara looked down at her hands.

She had been thinking about this for days.

She liked Ethan.

She knew she did.

But saying it out loud felt terrifying.

What if he didn't feel the same?

What if telling him ruined everything?

She took a deep breath.

"Ethan?"

"Yeah?"

"I have something to tell you."

He looked at her.

"Okay."

Amara stared at him for a few seconds.

Then she suddenly smiled.

"You're actually very annoying."

Ethan blinked.

"That's what you wanted to tell me?"

She laughed.

"No."

"Then what?"

She looked away.

"I think I like you."

Silence.

Amara immediately covered her face with both hands.

"Oh my God. I can't believe I just said that."

Ethan started laughing.

"Don't laugh!"

"I'm not laughing at you."

"You are!"

"I'm just surprised."

Amara lowered her hands slowly.

"Forget I said anything."

"No."

"Ethan."

"I said no."

She looked at him.

"Why?"

He smiled.

"Because I like you too."

Amara stared at him.

"You do?"

"Yeah."

"Since when?"

Ethan shrugged.

"Maybe since the day I found you crying behind the classroom block."

She smiled.

"You liked me because I was crying?"

"No."

He laughed.

"I liked you because you made me want to know you."

Amara looked down, trying to hide her smile.

"So what does that mean?"

Ethan smiled.

"I guess it means we're both in trouble."

She laughed.

"Why?"

"Because now that I know you like me..."

He paused.

"...I'm not planning on letting you escape that easily."

Amara shook her head, laughing.

"You are so annoying."

"And you still like me."

She smiled.

"Unfortunately."

They sat there laughing together as the afternoon sun slowly disappeared behind the school buildings.

Neither of them knew exactly what they were going to become.

But for the first time, they both knew one thing.

The feeling wasn't one-sided.