Chapter 3

Ethan paused for a moment.

He turned his head to look at me, his brow furrowing ever so slightly. Was he annoyed that I'd interrupted him?

He didn't argue with Ivy. He even looked me over, following Ivy's lead.

His look was like he was checking me out and clearly not impressed, as if I was some product he wouldn't buy.

Then, without a word, he let Ivy drag him off, half pushing, half pulling.

I killed the vibes. Embarrassing to be seen with. It turned out this was what he really thought of me.

Eighteen years together, and it all meant less than having a "bro" he could show off to make himself look good.

My heart, which started freezing the day I heard him say I was good at pretending, finally sank to the bottom of an icy sea.

There wasn't even the faintest ripple left in my heart.

Time slipped into the most nerve-wracking month before the exams.

The air was thick with tension and the sharp scent of fresh test papers.

Everyone was working themselves to the bone, wishing there were forty-eight hours in a day.

During the break between evening study sessions, the classroom was so quiet you could only hear pens scratching across paper and pages being turned.

I was carrying a stack of freshly printed mock exam papers, still warm from the printer, heading back to the classroom.

They felt heavy, like a stone pressing down on my heart.

The hallway was dimly lit, and there weren't many people around.

Just as I rounded the corner, I heard that familiar, grating voice. It was Ivy and Ethan.

Without thinking, I stopped in my tracks and pressed myself into the shadows along the wall.

"Hey, Ethan, forget about studying tonight, it's lame," Ivy called out, bossy as always. "Come pull an all-nighter at the internet café with me! We're running a five-stack, and you're the last one we need!"

My heart sank hard. An all-nighter at an internet cafe before the college entrance exam? Had he lost his mind?

Ethan hesitated. "The exams are right around the corner... and my mom's watching me like a hawk..."

Ivy snorted. "Please! With the way you're doing in class, last-minute cramming won't save you. Another night won't change a thing."

Her words cut deep, like a slap in the face.

Ethan used to be an upper-middle student. If he put in a little effort, getting into a first-tier college would've been no problem. But these past few months, Ivy kept dragging him out to skip class, shoot hoops, and game all night. He was barely hanging on, teetering right at the passing line.

Ivy's voice got louder, with that cruel, show-off edge. "Besides, what's there to be afraid of? It's not like your little girl next door, Liana..."

She paused on purpose, waiting to see how Ethan would react.

She continued, "Her reputation's already trashed, she's old news. Everyone's heard the stories. No matter how wild you play or how much you ignore her, she'll still cling to you like a stray dog, isn't that right?"

Those words hit me like someone jammed a burning iron rod straight through my ears and into my brain.

In an instant, all the blood rushed to my head, but my arms and legs went numb and cold.

I could even hear my own teeth chattering.

My fingers clutched the stack of papers so hard they turned white, my knuckles creaking from the strain.

I bit down hard on my lower lip, tasting that rusty tang of blood.

I held my breath, sneaking a glance from the shadows along the wall.

I saw Ethan standing with his back to me, facing Ivy.

Ivy raised her eyebrows at him, wearing that confident, in-control smile like she owned the place. She was waiting for his answer.

Ethan stayed silent. The dim hallway lights cast a faint, blurry halo over his hair.

I couldn't see his face. I could only see his back, tense and rigid.

Time seemed to stretch out forever in that moment. Every second felt like an eternity.

How would he answer? Would he scold Ivy sharply, like he had defended me countless times before? Would he realize how humiliating those words were?

Would he remember… the eighteen years between us?

My heart was pounding, torn between utter despair and a foolish, fragile hope.

Then I saw Ethan's shoulders loosen up, just a bit.

It was like he let out a soft sigh, as if he was finally letting go of something heavy. Or maybe I was just imagining it.

Ethan lifted his gaze to Ivy. After a moment, he nodded.

It was just a small nod, barely noticeable. But it hit me like a sledgehammer, shattering the last of my hopes.

"Let's go," he said.

His voice was low, sounding like he'd stopped caring, just a "whatever" kind of vibe. But underneath, there was a hint of relief, like he'd finally let go of something heavy.

Ivy's face broke into a triumphant grin as she smacked him hard on the back.

She said, "Now that's what I call a real bro! That's more like it! Let's go!"

She slung her arm around his shoulders. They left the classroom, heading for the stairs, the internet café, and straight into a wild world completely different from mine.

Their footsteps echoed through the empty hallway. Drifting further and further away. Until there was nothing left but silence.

I stood there, stiff and numb, pressed into the shadows, unable to move.

The stack of papers in my arms felt so heavy, it was like I could barely keep hold of them.