Before We Knew Us

Chapter Four— Four Weeks

She adjusted the strap of her bag and headed toward the library, her medical textbooks pressed against her chest.

She had spent most of the walk wondering what working with Ethan would actually be like.

He seemed quiet.

Too quiet, sometimes.

And there was still something about him that she couldn't quite figure out.

She pushed the thought aside.

They were there to work.

Nothing more.

When she entered the library, she spotted him almost immediately.

Ethan had already claimed a table near the windows. His laptop was open in front of him, and a notebook lay beside it.

He looked up when he heard her approaching.

“You're late.”

Liana glanced at the clock on the wall.

“I'm three minutes late.”

Ethan leaned back in his chair.

“Still late.”

She dropped her books onto the table and gave him an unimpressed look.

“You're going to be annoying throughout this entire project, aren't you?”

A faint smile appeared on his face.

“I'm starting to think you enjoy complaining about me.”

“I don't.”

“You've complained about me twice today.”

“That's because you've given me reasons.”

Ethan shook his head, amused.

“Sit down, Doctor.”

Liana narrowed her eyes.

“I'm not a doctor yet.”

“Future Doctor, then.”

She pulled out the chair opposite him.

“Better.”

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Ethan turned his laptop toward her.

“So, we need to choose our topic.”

Liana opened her notebook.

“I was thinking about artificial intelligence.”

Ethan paused.

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

She looked at him.

“That was surprisingly convenient.”

“Don't sound so disappointed.”

“I just didn't expect us to agree this quickly.”

“Give it time.”

Liana smiled despite herself.

“Fine. Artificial intelligence.”

They began going through the possible directions.

The professor had given them a broad subject, but they needed something specific enough to research properly.

After several minutes of discussion, they settled on a topic.

The Ethical Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society.

Liana typed the title into her document.

“It's still pretty broad.”

“It is,” Ethan agreed. “We can divide it into different areas.”

“Healthcare.”

“Employment.”

“Education.”

“Business.”

“Privacy.”

Ethan added another word.

“Responsibility.”

Liana looked up.

“Responsibility?”

He nodded.

“If an AI system makes a harmful decision, who takes responsibility for it?”

Liana thought about the question.

“The company that created it.”

“What if the person using it ignored the system's limitations?”

“Then the person using it is responsible.”

Ethan tilted his head.

“What if the system itself was poorly designed?”

“Then the company.”

“And what if both contributed to the problem?”

Liana stopped typing.

“That makes it complicated.”

“Exactly.”

She stared at the screen for a moment.

Then she slowly nodded.

“That could actually be one of our main arguments.”

Ethan smiled.

“That's what I was thinking.”

They began dividing the research.

Liana took healthcare and its ethical implications, while Ethan focused on business, employment, and the wider economic effects of artificial intelligence.

They agreed to research privacy and responsibility together.

For the next hour, the library became almost silent around them.

Liana searched through academic articles, occasionally stopping to read a paragraph twice before adding something to her notes.

Ethan did the same.

Every once in a while, one of them would find something interesting and turn the laptop around.

“This could work,” Liana said, pointing to an article.

Ethan leaned forward to read it.

“Maybe. But look at the source.”

She frowned.

“What about it?”

“It's from a company that's developing AI software.”

Liana looked back at the article.

“So?”

“So they have an interest in making AI look beneficial.”

She sat back.

“You're saying we shouldn't use it?”

“Not necessarily. We can use it, but we shouldn't rely on it as an unbiased source.”

Liana considered his point.

“You're right.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

“That sounded painful.”

She gave him a warning look.

“Don't push it.”

He chuckled and returned to his laptop.

They continued.

Their work was surprisingly easy.

Not because they agreed on everything.

They didn't.

Liana preferred to examine things from the human and ethical side.

Ethan was more interested in systems, consequences, and practical outcomes.

But instead of making their differences a problem, they seemed to strengthen the project.

Whenever one of them questioned something, the other had to think more carefully.

Several hours passed.

Neither of them noticed at first.

It wasn't until Liana reached for her coffee that Ethan finally looked away from his screen.

He stared at the cup in her hand.

“You've been drinking that since we got here.”

Liana took another sip.

“I know.”

“How many have you had today?”

She paused.

“Three.”

Ethan stared at her.

“Three?”

“Maybe four.”

His eyebrows rose.

“That's worse.”

Liana placed the cup beside her laptop.

“I'm tired.”

“That's not what I meant.”

She looked at him.

“Then what did you mean?”

“You've been drinking caffeine all day.”

“I have a lot to do.”

“So do I.”

“Then we should keep working.”

Ethan looked at her for a moment.

She was determined.

Too determined.

He glanced at the clock.

It was already getting late.

“Liana, we've been here for hours.”

“And?”

“The project isn't due tomorrow.”

“I know.”

“We have four weeks.”

She frowned.

“That doesn't mean we should waste time.”

“We're not wasting time.”

“We're not finished.”

Ethan closed his laptop.

Liana immediately looked up.

“What are you doing?”

“Ending this for today.”

Her expression hardened.

“We're not finished.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you closing your laptop?”

“Because you're tired.”

“I can continue.”

“So can I.”

“Then let's continue.”

Ethan sighed softly.

He wasn't angry.

If anything, he sounded patient.

“Liana, we're going to have other classes. We have other responsibilities. We don't need to finish everything in one night.”

She looked down at her notes.

There was still so much left to research.

“I just don't like leaving things unfinished.”

Her voice had softened.

Ethan noticed.

He didn't push the argument.

Instead, he began gathering the papers scattered across the table.

“We'll continue next time.”

Liana watched him organize their notes.

“And if we forget something?”

“We won't.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I'm going to save everything.”

She looked at him suspiciously.

“You're very confident.”

“Usually.”

She almost smiled.

Then Ethan glanced at her coffee again.

“And you're still not drinking that.”

Liana followed his gaze.

She lifted the cup.

“Why?”

“Because you've had enough.”

“I'll be fine.”

“You're tired.”

“I said I'm fine.”

This time, Ethan didn't argue.

He simply stood.

“Fine.”

Liana looked up at him.

“Fine?”

“Yes.”

He picked up his bag.

“Then let's get something to eat.”

She blinked.

“What?”

“Food.”

“I heard you.”

“Good.”

“Why?”

Ethan looked genuinely confused.

“Because you're hungry.”

“I didn't say I'm hungry.”

“You've been drinking coffee instead of eating.”

“That doesn't mean I'm hungry.”

“It means you're probably starving.”

Liana folded her arms.

“And why should I follow you?”

Ethan stared at her for a second before a small smile tugged at his lips.

“You don't have to.”

“Exactly.”

“But I'm hungry too.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“So?”

“So we can go together.”

Liana hesitated.

There was something cautious in her expression.

Ethan noticed immediately.

“It's just food,” he said, his voice gentler now. “You don't have to worry about anything.”

She looked away.

She wasn't used to accepting things from people.

Especially people she barely knew.

After a moment, she picked up her bag.

“Fine.”

Ethan smiled.

“Good.”

“But I'm paying for myself.”

“I didn't ask you to let me pay.”

“Just making sure.”

“I noticed.”

She gave him a small smile.

“Let's go.”

The restaurant across the street was still open when they arrived.

It wasn't fancy.

Just a small, quiet place with warm lights, simple tables, and a handful of students scattered around the room.

They ordered their food and sat across from each other.

For the first few minutes, they talked about the project.

Then, slowly, the conversation changed.

“So,” Ethan said, resting his arms on the table, “why Medicine?”

Liana looked at him.

“You already know I want to be a doctor.”

“I know.”

“But you want to know why?”

He nodded.

She thought about it.

“I've wanted it for as long as I can remember.”

There was a softness in her voice now that hadn't been there during their argument in the library.

“My parents used to encourage me a lot.”

She paused.

For a brief moment, something sad crossed her face.

Then she pushed it away.

“They always believed I could do it.”

Ethan noticed the change in her expression but didn't ask about it.

Instead, he simply nodded.

“That must mean a lot to you.”

“It does.”

She looked down at the table.

“It's one of the things I want to finish for myself.”

Ethan was quiet for a moment.

Then he asked, “What about you?”

“Business?”

“Yes.”

He leaned back.

“I've always been interested in how businesses work. Money, decisions, competition, how one decision can affect hundreds or thousands of people.”

Liana smiled.

“You sound like you already have your whole life planned.”

“Not exactly.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

She studied him.

“You don't seem like someone who doesn't know what he's doing.”

Ethan gave a quiet laugh.

“You'd be surprised.”

Their food arrived before she could respond.

The conversation became lighter after that.

They talked about Ravencrest, difficult professors, their workloads, and how quickly university life seemed to move.

Liana told him about working part-time at the bakery.

Ethan didn't ask why she needed the job.

He simply listened.

She appreciated that.

At one point, Ethan said something that made her laugh.

A genuine laugh.

He smiled.

“You actually laugh.”

Liana stopped.

“Of course I laugh.”

“You don't do it often.”

“You've known me for three days.”

“Exactly.”

She shook her head.

“You're impossible.”

“And yet you came to eat with me.”

“Because I was hungry.”

Ethan nodded seriously.

“Of course.”

She laughed again.

“You're annoying.”

“I've heard that before.”

They finished eating and eventually stepped outside.

The night air had grown cooler.

Liana adjusted the strap of her bag.

“We should probably meet again before the week ends.”

“Definitely.”

“Maybe Thursday?”

“Thursday works.”

“Library?”

“Library.”

She nodded.

“Goodnight, Ethan.”

“Goodnight, Liana.”

She walked away.

After a few steps, she glanced back.

Ethan was already heading in the opposite direction.

She turned forward again.

For someone she barely knew, he was surprisingly easy to work with.

And surprisingly easy to talk to.

That thought made her uncomfortable.

She pushed it away.

They were project partners.

That was all.

Ethan reached his dorm room several minutes later.

He dropped his bag beside the desk and pulled out his phone.

There were three missed calls.

All from home.

His expression changed.

The relaxed look he had worn at the restaurant disappeared.

He called back.

The phone rang twice before someone answered.

“Finally.”

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck.

“I was at the library.”

“You've been there for hours.”

“I have a project.”

There was a pause.

Then the voice on the other end became more serious.

“You know why I'm calling.”

Ethan looked toward the window.

“I told you I'm fine.”

“This isn't something you can keep avoiding.”

“I know.”

“You need to come back.”

“No.”

His answer was immediate.

His voice had hardened.

“I'm not coming back yet.”

Silence.

Ethan closed his eyes.

“I need this.”

He didn't explain what this meant.

Maybe it was the freedom.

Maybe it was the anonymity.

Maybe it was simply being Ethan Cole for a little longer.

“Just give me some time,” he said quietly.

After the call ended, Ethan placed the phone on the desk.

For a moment, he stood completely still.

Then his phone lit up again.

A message appeared.

You can't hide forever.

Ethan stared at it.

His jaw tightened.

He locked the screen.

For now, he was Ethan Cole.

And he intended to keep it that way.

But four weeks at Ravencrest suddenly felt like a much shorter amount of time.