After walking home together, Ethan and Aria said goodbye at the gate with shy smiles and a quiet wave. It was their first day as an official couple — everything felt new, exciting, and unreal at the same time.
When Aria reached home, she got freshened up and joined her parents for dinner. Her mother noticed the faint blush on her face and asked, "You seem happy today, sweetheart." Aria just smiled and shook her head, her heart fluttering at the memory of Ethan's hug earlier.
After dinner, she went to her room, changed into her nightclothes, and lay on her bed. She picked up her phone and unlocked it — but there was no message.
She sighed softly, thinking, Maybe he's busy… or maybe he fell asleep.
Just when she was about to put her phone aside, the screen lit up.
It was a message from Ethan.
> Ethan: "Hey, what are you doing?"
Her lips curled into a smile.
> Aria: "Nothing, just scrolling through my phone. You?"
Ethan: "Thinking about someone."
Aria: "Oh really? Who?"
Ethan: "Guess."
She laughed quietly, typing,
> Aria: "Hmm… your math homework?"
Ethan: "Nope. My girlfriend."
Her cheeks turned pink as she buried her face in the pillow. They continued chatting about random things — school, their classmates, and their plans for the weekend — until it was time to sleep.
Before ending the chat, a new message popped up.
> Ethan: "Good night, girlfriend ❤️"
Her heart skipped a beat. She smiled shyly and typed back,
> Aria: "Good night, boyfriend 💕"
For a moment, she stared at the message, her heart fluttering like never before, before finally falling asleep with a wide smile on her face.
---
The Next Morning
At school, the first person they encountered was Mia. She stood near the lockers with that same mischievous smirk she always had. Her eyes flicked from Ethan to Aria, then back to Ethan, and she rolled her eyes dramatically.
Aria ignored her, but Mia wasn't done yet.
During lunch break, Mia "accidentally" bumped into Ethan, spilling her drink slightly.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," she said in a tone that was anything but apologetic. Then she reached for Ethan's collar, pretending to help clean the stain.
Before she could touch him, Aria grabbed Ethan's hand and pulled him back toward her. Mia stumbled and fell to the floor, her expression changing from fake sweetness to pure embarrassment.
Aria looked down at her calmly.
> "You should take care while walking, Mia," she said coolly. "Otherwise, next time you might fall harder."
The whole cafeteria went silent for a moment. Mia's face turned red. She extended her hand toward Ethan, "Aren't you going to help me up?"
Ethan crossed his arms.
> "No. You should take care next time."
He turned and walked away with Aria, leaving Mia sitting on the floor, burning with humiliation.
---
A Night of Tears and Comfort
That evening, when Aria reached home, she found the house unusually quiet. She called out for her parents, but no one answered. Concerned, she dialed her mother's number. It was her father who picked up.
> "Dad? Where are you? Why isn't Mom answering?"
His voice came through, calm but tired.
> "Aria, don't worry, your mother is fine now. She had a little food poisoning, so we're at the hospital for observation. We'll stay here tonight."
Aria's heart sank.
> "Can I come there?" she asked immediately.
> "No, sweetheart," her father replied gently. "It's late. Stay home, or if you feel scared, go to Ethan's house for tonight. His mom knows."
Aria hung up with tears welling in her eyes. She sat down on the couch, hugging her knees, trying not to cry. But soon the tears fell quietly, one after another.
Moments later, she heard the front door creak open.
Her vision was blurry from tears — she could barely see the figure standing there before everything faded to black.
---
The Moment of Warmth
When she opened her eyes again, she was lying on a soft bed, a warm hand gently holding hers. She turned her head and saw Ethan sitting beside her, worry written all over his face.
> "You're awake," he said softly, relief washing over his tone. "How are you feeling now?"
She blinked, confused. "What happened?"
He smiled faintly. "Your dad called my mom, told her about your mom's condition. She asked me to bring you to our house for tonight. When I came to get you… you fainted at the door. So I carried you here."
Aria's cheeks turned pink. "You carried me?"
He nodded with a shy smirk. "Well, someone had to."
She smiled weakly. "Thank you, Ethan."
He handed her a glass of water. "Drink this. You'll feel better."
After she finished, he asked, "Do you want something to eat?"
She shook her head. "No… can we go to the terrace? I want to see the stars."
Ethan nodded and led her upstairs. The night sky was full of glittering stars, stretching endlessly above them. Aria stood quietly, gazing upward as if trying to draw strength from their light.
Ethan watched her — the way her hair swayed gently in the breeze, the faint smile on her lips, the sadness in her eyes slowly fading. He noticed her shiver slightly, so without a word, he took off his hoodie and draped it over her shoulders.
> "You'll catch a cold," he murmured.
She looked up at him, her eyes soft. "Thank you."
> "Let's go inside," he said gently. "It's getting colder."
She nodded, and together they walked back to his room — the stars still watching them silently through the window, as if blessing the beginning of something beautiful.