"Hey"
I blinked, coming back from my thoughts.
"You're overthinking again," He said, looking at me intensely now.
"I'm Not"I shrugged.
"You are,"he said quietly.
His voice wasn't teasing this time.
It was… certain.
Like he already knew.
"I just asked a question," I said.
"And I answered," he replied.
"That doesn't mean I understood."
He leaned slightly closer.
"You don't have to understand everything, Ivy."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I stared at him like what is he talking about? Should I just shut up and stay quiet?
"I'm just saying, stop overthinking stuff,"he said, leaning back.
I stared at him
"You like routines,"he continued, ignoring me.
"Same seat. Same timing. Same bus."
I froze.
"And when something changes…"he added, "you don't like it."
"You notice too much."
"I only notice You" He said, leaning closer now.
"I don't know if I like that."
Before he could answer,
"Ethan?"
Her voice.
I felt it before I even turned.
"I've been calling you,"she said, slightly annoyed.
He didn't look at her.
"I heard you."
"Then why didn't you answer?"
"I'm talking."
She laughed softly.
"To her?"
I felt my jaw tighten.
Ethan finally looked at her.
"Yes."
Silence.
She crossed her arms slightly.
"You're acting weird lately."
"I'm not."
"You are,"she said, glancing at me again.
"You weren't like this before."
Something about that stayed.
Before.
Was he involved with her?
I looked at Ethan.
He didn't respond.
"Whatever," she muttered, walking away.
I watched her go.
Then—
"Before?"I asked quietly.
He didn't look at me.
"Don't worry about it."
"I wasn't worried."
"Then don't ask."
That… wasn't like him.
I frowned.
"You're the one who said I overthink," I said.
"And now you don't want me to think at all?"
"You think too much," he said
" You should think about only one thing," he said, leaning even closer now.
"And what's that?" I asked curiously.
"me" he chuckled.
My breath caught.
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
Silence.
I looked away first.
Because suddenly—
Everything felt too close.
Too intense.
Too much.
Class ended.
I packed my bag quickly.
"Ivy."
I stood up.
"I have to go."
"You always leave first," he said.
"I have a bus to catch."
"You don't have to rush."
"I do."
He stood up too.
"Wait."
I paused.
Just slightly.
"Stand near the second gate today," he said.
I frowned.
"Why?"
"It's less crowded."
"I'm fine where I stand."
He stepped closer.
"I said stand there."
My chest tightened again.
There it was.
That tone.
I didn't reply.
I just walked away.
But even as I reached the bus stop—
I found myself looking at the second gate.
And for a second—
I almost went there.
That scared me more than anything else.
~Next day~
I don't like sharing about my life.
I don't have anyone to share my problems with, but after a very long time, I felt like I could talk to somebody about it.
I felt like he would listen,
He would understand me,
The way he understood things, I never said.
So maybe, I wanted him to understand me more-
"Hey, pretty"
"Hey, Ethan," I said, smiling at him and sitting closer today.
He smiled back.
"Looks like someone's in a good mood," He said, teasing me.
"I actually am today," I said, chuckling.
"Soooooo, anything special happened today?" he asked curiously.
"No"
"Ohh, who did you dream about? Was it me?" He smirked.
I looked straight in his eyes, leaning a bit closer now- "What if it was?"
He coughed and turned his head.
"I'm just joking," I laughed.
"I like this side of you," he smiled, looking at me.
"Thank you, thank you."
There was a pause.
Then—
"How many people are there in your family?" he asked casually.
I blinked.
That was new.
"Why?"
He shrugged.
"Just asking."
I hesitated.
Then—
"Four."
"Parents?"
I nodded.
"And my younger brother."
He hummed.
Not much of a reaction.
But I continued anyway.
"My mom's always busy," I said quietly.
"And my dad… doesn't talk much."
I waited for any reaction.
None, when I looked towards him,
He was busy texting someone-
I felt a ping of disappointment in him.
I tried again.
"My brother's loud, though," I added.
"Like… really loud."
He smiled a little.
"That must be annoying."
I let out a small breath.
"Sometimes."
Silence.
It stretched longer than I expected.
And just like that, his attention drifted again.
Something in my chest dropped slightly.
I stopped talking.
"You were saying something?" he asked after a few seconds.
I shook my head.
"It's nothing."
"Tell me,"he said.
But he still wasn't really looking at me.
"It's fine."
"Okay," he said easily.
Too easily.
That hurt more than it should have.