Chapter 4

As we gathered at the base of the hill, the sky darkened without warning.

Ethan and I naturally drifted toward the back of the group.

The steps grew slick with moisture, and he stayed just half a step behind me, close enough to catch me if I slipped.

That instinctive, protective gesture made my heart flutter. It was just like the Ethan from my past life, always watching over me without even thinking.

Ethan glanced over as we climbed, suddenly asking, "Hey, do you believe in fate?"

I froze, nearly losing my footing on the slick steps.

He caught me by the waist in a flash, his hand warm even through my thin shirt. For a second, it felt like electricity shot through me.

"Careful," he said, his voice soft.

"Thanks," I managed, steadying myself, feeling my pulse race. "What made you ask that out of nowhere?"

Ethan pulled his hand back, his gaze drifting into the distance. "Lately, I've been having this strange dream... like I become someone else, doing things that are... terrifying."

My throat tightened. "Like what?"

"I can't remember clearly," he said, shaking his head. "All I know is my hands are stained with blood, and someone keeps crying... When I wake up, I just feel really awful inside."

A low rumble of thunder rolled across the sky, and fat raindrops started pelting down.

"It's raining. Let's go."

We picked up the pace, but the rain suddenly came pouring down like the sky was dumping buckets on us.

The trail quickly turned into a muddy mess, and sheets of rain blurred everything ahead.

"There's a shelter up there," Ethan shouted, pointing toward a small covered trail shelter near the bend in the path.

By the time we stumbled under the roof, we were soaked through. Ethan pulled a neatly folded towel from his backpack and handed it to me.

"Go ahead. Dry yourself off first," he said.

"What about you?" I asked.

"I'm fine," he replied, shaking his head like a wet dog.

I took the towel. It carried a light, soapy scent with no trace of cologne or perfume. It was nothing like the Ethan I remembered from my past life, the one who was always wrapped in the smell of luxury fragrances.

Suddenly, lightning lit up the sky, and thunder crashed so loud it made me flinch.

"Scared of thunder?" Ethan asked.

"A little," I replied with a shaky smile. "Thunder used to scare me when I was little."

He stepped toward the outer edge of the shelter and used his body to shield me from most of the wind and rain.

That tiny gesture made my eyes burn with emotion. Ethan was always like this. Even in my last life, he'd protect me without making a big deal out of it.

The storm only grew heavier, showing no sign of stopping. We ended up sitting side by side on the wooden bench inside the trail shelter, listening to the rain hammer against the roof.

I noticed his backpack was open, filled with a few thick textbooks and a copy of Clinical Nephrology. It was obvious he was studying up to take care of his mom.

"Is your mom... really sick?" I asked softly.

Ethan's face fell. "She's in the late stages of kidney failure. She has to go for dialysis three times a week. The doctors say... if things get worse, she might need a kidney transplant."

"Is it expensive?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said with a bitter smile. "My dad works on construction sites, but he's always getting stiffed on his pay. And the money I make from my part-time job... It's just a drop in the bucket."

I noticed his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Right now, Ethan was nothing like the ruthless mob boss from my past life, who used to throw money around at nightclubs like it was nothing.

"The school offers financial aid and scholarships..." I said.

"I've tried everything I could," he cut me off. "But it's still not enough. I'm thinking about... quitting school."

"What?" I whipped my head around to look at him. "You're only a freshman."

"But if I work full-time, at least I can make sure my mom's treatment keeps going," Ethan said, his voice so calm it was like he was talking about someone else's problems. "School... I can figure that out later."

With the rain pouring down, it felt like fate was shifting right in front of me.

Was this where everything changed? If Ethan really dropped out, just to scrape together money for his mom, he would end up getting pulled into the shadows, doing things he never thought he would...

"No. You can't." I grabbed his wrist. "You can't drop out of school."

Ethan froze, clearly startled by how strongly I reacted.

"Sorry, I got a little too worked up," I said, letting go and taking a deep breath. "I just mean, there are other options. For example... I can help you with your classes, and we can aim for the top scholarship. That should be enough to cover your tuition and living expenses. As for the medical bills..."

I bit my lip, thinking about the money my dad had put on my living expenses card.

"I can lend you some for emergencies, at least for now."

Ethan shot to his feet and backed away two steps. "No."

"Why?" I asked.

"We've only known each other a few days, and you're already trying to lend me money?" His eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What are you after, Sophia?"

I was at a loss for words.

Honestly, anyone would think this was sketchy.

"I just... want to help," I said.

"Nobody helps for no reason," Ethan said, his voice suddenly cold. "Did you hear something about me? Some kind of rumor?"