Ethan Carter
918 Words
Three days.
That was all it took for Evelyn Hart to become the hottest topic at Crestwood Elite High School.
No one knew where she came from.
No one knew who her family really was.
And somehow...
That made everyone even more curious.
Vanessa King dropped a thick folder onto the café table.
Bianca nearly spilled her drink.
"So?"
"What did you find?"
Vanessa sighed.
"...Nothing."
Bianca blinked.
"Nothing?"
"I had someone investigate her."
"Every record."
"Every address."
"Every school."
She leaned back in her chair, clearly annoyed.
"Everything checks out."
Sophia frowned.
"So she's clean?"
Vanessa slowly shook her head.
"That's exactly what's strange."
She tapped the folder with one finger.
"People always leave traces."
"But Evelyn Hart..."
"...it's like someone carefully polished every part of her past."
Bianca laughed.
"Maybe she's just boring."
Vanessa looked out the café window toward the school courtyard where Evelyn was helping Chloe carry a box of books.
"No."
"My instincts are rarely wrong."
"She's hiding something."
Meanwhile...
"I told you those boxes were heavier than they looked."
Chloe rubbed her sore arms.
Evelyn laughed.
"You only carried one."
"And it was the heaviest one."
"Sure."
"I'm serious!"
The two girls burst into laughter.
"Miss Hart?"
A familiar voice interrupted them.
Evelyn turned around.
Standing near the entrance was a young man wearing a charcoal-gray suit.
No mask.
Dark hair neatly combed.
Sharp features.
Calm brown eyes.
He smiled politely.
"Good afternoon."
Evelyn frowned slightly.
"I know you from somewhere..."
The young man chuckled.
"I don't think we've met."
"Really?"
She studied him for another second before shaking her head.
"...Sorry."
"I must be mistaken."
"It happens."
He handed her a small envelope.
"Your guardian requested that I deliver this."
"My guardian?"
He simply nodded.
"Enjoy your day, Miss Hart."
As he walked away, Evelyn couldn't shake the strange feeling that she'd seen those eyes before.
She just couldn't remember where.
Across the street...
Inside a black luxury sedan...
Logan glanced at Tyler with a grin.
"She didn't recognize you."
Tyler looked out the window.
"The mask did its job."
"You know..."
"...she notices details."
"But people rarely remember a pair of eyes."
Logan smiled.
"So what's next?"
Tyler's expression became unreadable.
"We wait."
"The board is set."
"Now everyone starts making their moves."
One week later...
The classroom door opened.
Mrs. Bennett smiled.
"Class..."
"We have another transfer student."
The room erupted into whispers.
"No way."
"Another one?"
The door swung open completely.
A familiar voice echoed through the room.
"Miss me?"
Evelyn's eyes widened.
"Ivy?"
Ivy threw her arms open dramatically.
"Surprise!"
Before anyone could react, Evelyn ran over and hugged her tightly.
"What are you doing here?"
Ivy laughed.
"You thought I'd let you suffer in this school alone?"
"No chance."
Mrs. Bennett cleared her throat.
"As touching as this reunion is..."
"...Miss Morgan, please introduce yourself."
Ivy smiled brightly.
"My name is Ivy Morgan."
"I like food."
"I hate mornings."
"And if anyone bullies my best friend..."
She paused, looking around the room.
"...we're going to have a very awkward conversation."
The classroom burst into laughter.
Even Mrs. Bennett had to hide a smile.
Evelyn shook her head.
"You really had to say that?"
"I absolutely did."
Lunch break.
The cafeteria buzzed with conversation.
Students suddenly began looking toward the entrance.
The noise faded.
Forks stopped halfway to mouths.
Even Vanessa stood up.
Chloe leaned toward Evelyn.
"...He's here."
"Who?"
Chloe stared as though Evelyn had asked who the president was.
"You seriously don't know?"
Evelyn shook her head.
Chloe smiled nervously.
"Then you're about to."
A tall young man walked into the cafeteria.
He wasn't trying to get anyone's attention.
He simply had it.
His dark hair fell effortlessly across his forehead, catching the afternoon light. His sharp features looked almost unreal, balanced by calm gray eyes that carried neither arrogance nor warmth—only quiet confidence.
His school blazer sat neatly over broad shoulders, and with every step, the room seemed to make space for him without anyone asking.
Some girls forgot the conversations they were having.
Others quietly fixed their hair.
A few simply watched him pass, unable to look away.
Chloe whispered,
"That's Ethan Carter."
"The heir to the Carter Group."
"And the grandson of one of the most influential families in the city."
Ethan walked past dozens of students offering greetings.
He acknowledged them with a small nod but never stopped.
He wasn't cold.
He simply carried the kind of distance that made people wonder what he was thinking.
As he reached the serving counter, someone accidentally bumped into Evelyn.
She stumbled backward.
Her tray tilted.
Before it hit the floor...
A steady hand caught it.
For a brief second...
Evelyn looked up.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
The cafeteria, loud only moments before, seemed to disappear.
Ethan handed the tray back.
"You should be more careful."
His voice was calm.
Not mocking.
Not warm.
Just... sincere.
Evelyn blinked.
"...Thanks."
He gave a slight nod and continued walking as if nothing unusual had happened.
Behind them, whispers spread across the cafeteria.
"Did Ethan just help the new girl?"
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
Her fingers tightened around her juice box.
"No..."
she murmured.
"This is not how things were supposed to start."
Outside the cafeteria windows, a black car rolled slowly past the campus.
A silver dragon emblem gleamed briefly on its side before disappearing into the afternoon traffic.
Someone else had begun watching Crestwood.
And they weren't interested in school gossip.
- Writer
