Unspoken Words
335 Words
Ava had promised herself she wouldn’t think about Ethan outside of school.
But that was easier said than done.
He texted her about their chemistry project, sure — but their conversations never stayed on topic for long.
One minute they were talking about lab results, the next he was making her laugh with ridiculous jokes or teasing her about her “perfect handwriting.”
And every night, she told herself it was nothing. Just friendship. Just school stuff.
But her heart wasn’t buying it.
Friday came with a storm — heavy rain that drenched Ridgewood’s courtyard and turned the afternoon gray. Ava stayed behind in the lab, finishing their project notes before the weekend.
She didn’t hear Ethan come in until he spoke.
“You’re still here?”
She jumped a little. “You scared me!”
He smiled, holding up two cups of hot chocolate from the vending machine. “Peace offering. Again.”
Ava took one, trying not to blush. “Thanks.”
For a while, they worked in silence — the sound of rain tapping against the windows. Then Ethan leaned back, watching her.
“You ever wonder why we hated each other so much?” he asked quietly.
Ava froze, pen hovering over her notebook. “Because you’re impossible?”
He laughed softly. “Yeah. Maybe. But it’s weird… I can’t even remember why it started.”
She looked up, meeting his eyes — dark, steady, and softer than she’d ever seen them.
“Maybe we just needed time to know each other,” she said.
For a second, neither of them spoke. The air between them felt charged — not with anger this time, but something deeper.
Ethan’s gaze dropped to her lips, and for one terrifying moment, Ava thought he might actually kiss her.
But then the door opened, and the moment shattered.
“Moreno! Blake! Lab’s closing!” Mr. Carter called.
They stepped back quickly, hearts racing, pretending nothing had happened.
But both of them knew something had.
- Writer
