The space between us

Chapter One — The Seat Beside Him

Amara Bennett had one rule when it came to university.

Do not get distracted.

It was a simple rule. A necessary one.

Distractions came in many forms—parties, gossip, unnecessary friendships, bad decisions, and, according to Amara's older brother, Daniel, people who smiled too much and promised things they couldn't keep.

Amara had no intention of falling for any of them.

She was at university for one reason: to build the future she had spent years imagining.

Nothing else mattered.

At least, that was what she kept telling herself as she hurried across the university courtyard on a Monday morning, with one hand gripping the strap of her brown shoulder bag and the other holding her phone.

8:54 a.m.

Her economics lecture began at nine.

"Perfect," she muttered. "Absolutely perfect."

She had planned to leave her apartment thirty minutes earlier. Unfortunately, her alarm had decided not to ring, her bus had arrived late, and her morning had somehow turned into a disaster before she had even eaten breakfast.

Students moved around her in every direction.

Some sat beneath the tall trees surrounding the courtyard, laughing over cups of coffee. Others hurried toward different buildings with backpacks hanging from their shoulders. Somewhere nearby, music played from someone's phone, mixing with the sound of voices and footsteps.

The university always felt alive in the morning.

Amara usually liked that.

Today, however, she was too busy trying not to be late.

"Amara!"

She stopped.

Nia Carter stood beneath one of the large oak trees near the lecture building, her arms folded across her chest.

Even from a distance, Amara could see the disapproving expression on her face.

"Oh, no," Amara whispered.

Nia began walking toward her.

"What time do you call this?"

Amara continued walking.

"Good morning to you too."

"You said you'd be here by eight forty-five."

"And I am here."

"It's eight fifty-five."

Amara checked her phone.

"Technically, it's eight fifty-four."

Nia stared at her.

"That is not better."

"I tried."

"You always say that."

"Because it's always true."

Nia sighed dramatically before linking her arm through Amara's.

"One day, Professor Williams is going to lock you out of his class."

"He's never done that."

"There's always a first time."

Together, they hurried toward the lecture hall.

Amara and Nia had become friends during their first semester after being paired together for a presentation. What had started as an awkward conversation over a shared assignment had somehow become a friendship Amara couldn't imagine university without.

Nia was everything Amara wasn't.

She was loud when Amara was quiet.

Bold when Amara hesitated.

Social when Amara preferred spending an evening with a book.

She also had an irritating habit of noticing things Amara didn't want anyone to notice.

"By the way," Nia said as they climbed the steps, "you still haven't told me what happened with that guy from the library."

Amara groaned.

"Nothing happened."

"He asked for your number."

"And I said no."

Nia stopped walking.

Amara nearly walked into her.

"You said no?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't know him."

"That's usually why people ask for numbers. So they can get to know you."

Amara pushed open the lecture hall door.

"You're exhausting."

"And you're impossible."

They entered just as the room began to fill.

Professor Williams had not arrived yet.

Amara released a quiet breath.

"See? We're not late."

Nia pointed at the clock.

"Don't celebrate yet."

They moved toward the middle section of the hall where they usually sat.

Amara preferred seats that weren't too close to the front but not so far back that she couldn't concentrate. Today, most of the good seats were already taken.

Her eyes immediately landed on two empty chairs near the window.

"Those."

Nia followed her gaze.

"Fine."

They made their way toward the seats.

Amara dropped her bag onto one chair and sat down.

Nia took the seat beside her.

Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, falling across Amara's notebook.

She smiled.

"Perfect."

Nia opened her bag.

"You are far too emotionally attached to windows."

"Natural light helps me think."

"You know what helps me think?"

Amara glanced at her.

"What?"

"Food."

Amara laughed.

"You ate before leaving home."

"That was an hour ago."

Before Amara could respond, the sound of the door opening made several students turn.

A young man walked into the lecture hall.

Amara barely noticed him at first.

Then Nia went quiet.

Amara looked at her.

"What?"

Nia's eyes were fixed on the entrance.

Amara followed her gaze.

The young man walking down the aisle was tall, with dark wavy hair and a black sweater pushed slightly over the sleeves of his shirt. He carried a notebook beneath one arm and wore an expression that suggested he was thinking about something more important than the room around him.

He didn't look at anyone.

Didn't greet anyone.

Didn't stop to talk.

He simply walked toward the row beside Amara.

Her attention returned to her notebook.

Then he stopped.

Right beside the empty seat near the window.

Amara looked up.

So did he.

For one brief second, they simply stared at each other.

Then he pulled out the chair and sat down.

Amara blinked.

Nia slowly leaned closer to her.

"Do you know who that is?"

Amara opened her notebook.

"No."

Nia looked offended.

"Seriously?"

"Should I?"

"Amara."

"Nia."

"That's Ethan Cole."

Amara glanced at him again.

He was already writing something in his notebook.

"So?"

Nia stared at her.

"So?"

"Yes. So?"

"He's Ethan Cole."

Amara waited.

Nia sighed.

"Top student in our department."

"Okay."

"His father is Richard Cole."

Amara shrugged.

"I don't know who that is either."

Nia covered her face with one hand.

"Amara Bennett, how do you survive?"

"Peacefully."

Nia lowered her hand.

"Richard Cole owns one of the biggest investment companies in the country."

Amara's expression changed slightly.

She had heard the name before.

"That Richard Cole?"

"Exactly."

Amara looked at Ethan again.

He didn't look like the son of a famous businessman.

At least, not in the way she imagined wealthy heirs would look.

She expected something flashy.

Expensive watches.

Perfectly styled hair.

A group of friends constantly following him around.

Ethan wore a simple black sweater, dark jeans, and a pair of clean white sneakers.

He looked almost ordinary.

Almost.

"He's just a student," Amara whispered.

Nia gave her a look.

"Technically."

"What does that mean?"

"People say his father wants him to take over part of the company after graduation."

Amara turned back to her notebook.

"People say a lot of things."

Nia studied her.

"You really don't care, do you?"

"Why should I?"

"Because half the girls in this department care."

Amara tried not to look toward Ethan again.

"That's their business."

Before Nia could reply, Professor Williams entered the lecture hall.

Everyone immediately settled down.

Professor Williams was a man in his mid-forties with a reputation for being strict, intelligent, and impossible to impress with excuses.

Amara liked him.

Mostly because he didn't care who anyone's parents were.

If you failed, you failed.

If you succeeded, you earned it.

"Good morning," he said, placing his books on the desk.

"Good morning, sir," the class answered.

Amara picked up her pen.

The lecture began.

For the next twenty minutes, Professor Williams explained consumer demand and how changes in behavior could influence markets.

Amara listened carefully.

She took notes.

Beside her, Ethan's pen moved quickly across the page.

His handwriting was neat.

Annoyingly neat.

She told herself she had only noticed because his notebook was open beside her.

Nothing more.

"Can anyone explain one reason consumer demand might change?"

Professor Williams looked around the room.

Silence.

A few students looked down at their desks.

Amara knew the answer.

She hesitated.

Speaking in class had never bothered her, but she didn't particularly enjoy drawing attention to herself either.

Before she could decide whether to raise her hand, another student spoke.

"Price?"

Professor Williams nodded.

"Yes, price can influence demand. But what else?"

Silence again.

Amara raised her hand.

Professor Williams pointed toward her.

"Miss Bennett."

Amara sat up slightly.

"Consumer demand can change when people's preferences change. For example, if consumers begin to believe that another product offers better value or quality, they may stop buying the original product."

Professor Williams nodded.

"Exactly."

Amara smiled slightly and returned to her notes.

"Good answer."

She froze.

The voice had come from beside her.

Slowly, she turned.

Ethan was looking at her.

Not for long.

Just long enough for her to notice the strange color of his eyes—somewhere between green and brown.

"Thank you," she said.

He nodded once and returned to his notes.

That was it.

Three words.

Yet for some reason, Amara found herself staring at the side of his face for a second too long.

She quickly looked away.

Nia had seen everything.

Of course she had.

She leaned toward Amara.

"He spoke to you."

Amara whispered back, "He said three words."

"Still."

"He also has a mouth. I assume he uses it."

Nia covered a laugh with her hand.

Professor Williams looked in their direction.

Both girls immediately faced forward.

The lecture continued.

Amara tried to focus.

She really did.

But there was something distracting about being aware of another person beside you.

She could hear the quiet movement of Ethan's pen.

She noticed when he turned a page.

She noticed when he leaned back in his chair.

Once, she caught him looking at the same graph she had drawn in her notebook.

"Your numbers are wrong," he whispered.

Amara frowned.

"They are not."

He pointed.

She looked closer.

Her face immediately warmed.

She had copied one of the figures incorrectly.

"Oh."

Ethan's lips twitched.

"Don't say anything."

"I wasn't going to."

"You were thinking something."

"I'm always thinking something."

"That doesn't make it better."

He looked amused.

And then, unexpectedly, he smiled.

It wasn't a wide smile.

Barely more than a small curve at the corner of his mouth.

But it changed his entire face.

Amara stared.

He stopped smiling.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You were looking at me."

"I was not."

"You were."

"I was thinking."

"About what?"

Amara looked away.

"Your handwriting."

He looked down at his notebook.

"My handwriting?"

"It's annoyingly neat."

There was a pause.

Then Ethan smiled again.

This time, Amara had to stop herself from smiling too.

Professor Williams closed his book.

The lecture was ending.

Amara gathered her things.

She expected Ethan to leave immediately.

Instead, Professor Williams cleared his throat.

"Before everyone disappears, there is one more thing."

The class groaned.

Nia leaned back.

"I knew it."

Professor Williams ignored them.

"The semester project."

Amara immediately became attentive.

This project had been mentioned during the first week of classes. Everyone knew it would contribute significantly to their final grade.

"It will account for thirty percent of your final result."

The room grew quieter.

"You will work in pairs."

Nia turned toward Amara with a satisfied smile.

"Perfect."

Amara nodded.

They had worked together before.

They understood each other's strengths.

Nia was excellent at speaking and presenting.

Amara preferred research and organization.

It would be easy.

Professor Williams looked at the class.

"However, I will be choosing the pairs."

Nia's smile disappeared.

Amara closed her eyes.

"No," Nia whispered.

Professor Williams began reading names.

"Daniel and Sarah."

A few students moved toward each other.

"Marcus and Chloe."

A tall, blond-haired young man in the row ahead turned around and smiled at the girl beside him.

"Guess we're partners."

Chloe smiled back.

Amara looked down at her notebook.

She silently hoped Nia's name would be called soon.

"Nia Carter and Liam Brooks."

Nia turned toward her.

"Sorry."

Amara smiled.

"It's fine."

Then Professor Williams continued.

"Amara Bennett."

She looked up.

Her heart sank slightly.

"Ethan Cole."

For one second, the room seemed unusually quiet.

Nia slowly turned toward Amara.

Amara slowly turned toward Ethan.

He was already looking at her.

There was no surprise on his face.

No annoyance either.

He simply gave her a small nod.

As if being paired with her was perfectly acceptable.

Amara wasn't sure why that irritated her.

Maybe because she had wanted a reaction.

Maybe because she didn't know what to think about working with someone she had spoken to for less than ten minutes.

"Your project topic will be assigned based on your first meeting," Professor Williams continued. "I expect each pair to submit an outline within two weeks."

The lecture ended.

Students immediately began talking.

Amara packed her things.

Nia leaned closer.

"This is interesting."

"No."

"Come on."

"We have a project."

"Exactly."

"That is not interesting."

"You're sitting beside the richest, smartest, most mysterious guy in our department."

Amara picked up her bag.

"And?"

"And you're going to spend time together."

"For school."

"Sure."

Amara stood.

"Don't start."

"I haven't even started."

"You have the face you make when you're about to start."

"What face?"

"That one."

Nia laughed.

Amara moved toward the aisle.

She intended to leave before Ethan could say anything.

Unfortunately, someone called her name.

"Amara."

She stopped.

Nia's eyebrows lifted.

Amara turned.

Ethan stood a few feet away.

Up close, he seemed taller than she had realized.

He held his notebook beneath one arm.

"Yes?"

"We should discuss the project."

"Right."

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

Amara waited.

Ethan waited too.

Finally, she folded her arms.

"Do you always make conversations this awkward?"

His eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Do I?"

"Yes."

"I thought we were discussing the project."

"We are."

"Then I don't understand why the conversation is awkward."

Amara stared at him.

He was serious.

At least, she thought he was.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

"Not usually."

"Why?"

He considered the question.

"I don't always have something worth saying."

Amara was unexpectedly quiet.

That wasn't the answer she had expected.

She had assumed Ethan was silent because he thought he was better than everyone else.

"Library?" he asked.

She blinked.

"What?"

"For the project."

"Oh. Yes."

"Tomorrow?"

Amara nodded.

"What time?"

"Four?"

She thought about her schedule.

"I can do four."

"Okay."

He took a small piece of paper from his notebook and wrote something on it.

Then he handed it to her.

Amara looked down.

University Library — 4:00 p.m.

She looked up.

"You wrote it down?"

"So you wouldn't forget."

Amara narrowed her eyes.

"Do I look forgetful?"

"I don't know you well enough to answer that."

She stared at him.

Then, to her annoyance, she laughed.

A quiet smile appeared on his face.

"There," he said.

"What?"

"You smiled."

Amara immediately stopped.

"I smile all the time."

"No, you don't."

Her eyes widened.

"You've known me for twenty minutes."

"Twenty-seven."

"You counted?"

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

He looked at her.

"I notice things."

Something about the way he said it made her forget her next sentence.

For a brief moment, neither of them moved.

Then Ethan looked away first.

"Tomorrow. Four."

Amara recovered.

"Right."

He nodded.

And then he walked away.

Amara stood in the middle of the aisle, still holding the small piece of paper.

Nia appeared beside her seconds later.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing."

"Amara."

"Project. Library. Four o'clock."

Nia grabbed her arm.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Alone?"

"It's a project meeting."

"That's not what I asked."

Amara pulled her arm free.

"Goodbye, Nia."

"You're avoiding the question!"

Amara walked toward the door.

Outside, the afternoon sun had brightened the courtyard.

Students gathered near the fountain.

Amara immediately spotted Ethan again.

He was standing with Marcus—the blond-haired student from their class—and Chloe.

Marcus said something that made Ethan shake his head.

Chloe laughed.

She placed a hand lightly on Ethan's arm.

Amara looked away.

She had no reason to stare.

Absolutely no reason.

"That's Chloe Anderson," Nia said beside her.

"I know. Professor Williams paired her with Marcus."

"I mean, Chloe and Ethan."

Amara turned.

"What about them?"

Nia's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I heard they knew each other before university."

"So?"

"So, people say they were close."

"People say a lot of things."

Nia smiled.

"Why are you suddenly interested?"

"I'm not."

"You asked."

"Because you were talking."

"Sure."

Amara gave her a look.

Nia laughed.

They began walking across the courtyard.

Amara tried to forget the conversation.

Tried to forget Ethan.

Tried to forget the strange way he had said, I notice things.

It was ridiculous.

She didn't know him.

She wasn't interested in him.

She certainly wasn't going to allow a project partnership to become some kind of distraction.

By the time she reached the campus gate, she had convinced herself of that.

Almost.

"Amara!"

She turned.

Ethan stood several feet away.

She frowned.

"Yes?"

He held something up.

Her notebook.

Her eyes widened.

She checked her bag.

She had forgotten it.

"Oh."

Ethan walked toward her and handed it over.

"You left this."

"Thank you."

He nodded.

For a second, they stood there awkwardly.

Then Amara held the notebook against her chest.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

She turned and walked toward the bus stop.

After a few steps, she looked back.

Ethan was still standing there.

Their eyes met.

He lifted one hand in a small wave.

Amara hesitated.

Then she waved back.

She turned around again.

And this time, she couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face.

It was only a project.

Only a meeting.

Only one afternoon in the library.

That was all.

At least, that's what Amara believed.

She had no way of knowing that four o'clock the next day would become the beginning of a friendship she never expected.

Or that the quiet boy beside the window would slowly become the distraction she had promised herself she would never allow.