Chapter 6: A Growing Divide

Saturday comes, and I'm still replaying that scene in my head Ethan walking off with that guy, like it was nothing.

It's not like I'm trying to keep tabs on him or anything, but it's weird.

We've always told each other everything, and now it feels like there's a side to Ethan I don't know.

I try to shake off the uneasy feeling as I go through the motions of my day.

Soccer practice in the morning, followed by a quick trip to the gym.

Jack calls me in the afternoon, asking if I want to hang out, but I'm not really feeling it.

It's one of those days where everything feels off, like there's something hanging over me that I can't quite put my finger on.

Instead, I end up scrolling through my phone aimlessly until I see Ethan's Instagram story pop up.

It's a photo of him at a café, sitting across from that guy again.

They're both smiling, Ethan's leaning in, and the guy looks just as smug as he did at school.

I can't help the knot that tightens in my stomach.

Why does it bother me so much?

Before I can think too much about it, my phone buzzes with a message from Jack.

Jack: Yo, you good, man? You've been kinda quiet lately.

I hesitate for a second before replying.

Me: Yeah, just got a lot on my mind.

Jack: Is this about Ethan?

It catches me off guard. I didn't realize it was that obvious.

Me: What do you mean?

Jack: I don't know, man. You've been weird since that bonfire. And you kept looking at him like something was up.

I stare at the screen for a moment, my thumb hovering over the keyboard.

I don't even know how to explain what I'm feeling.

It's not just about Ethan acting off it's about how I'm reacting to it. And why I can't stop thinking about it.

Me: It's nothing. He's just been distant, that's all.

Jack doesn't reply right away, but when he does, his message is short.

Jack: Just talk to him. If something's bugging you, ignoring it isn't gonna help.

He's right, and I know it.

But talking to Ethan lately hasn't been easy. Every time I try to bring up what's going on, he just shrugs it off or changes the subject.

It's frustrating.

Later that evening, I decide to text Ethan, even though I'm not sure what to say.

My fingers hover over the screen as I type and delete the message at least five times before I finally settle on something simple.

Me: Hey, you doing anything tonight?

I stare at the message, waiting for a reply that takes longer than it should.

When my phone finally buzzes, his response is short.

Ethan: Not really. What's up?

I take a breath before typing.

Me: Wanna hang out? We haven't chilled in a while.

There's a long pause before he responds again.

Ethan: Sure, come over.

When I get to Ethan's place, he opens the door with that same casual smile, but there's something off about it.

It doesn't reach his eyes like it used to.

His room is the same as always messy but comfortable, with the faint smell of laundry detergent and old cologne.

We sit down, and for a few minutes, it's like old times. We talk about random stuff school, soccer, how Jack's been crushing on some girl in math class.

But the elephant in the room is still there, and it's making the air feel heavy between us.

"So," I say, trying to ease into it, "I saw you were hanging out with someone new."

Ethan glances at me, his expression unreadable.

"Yeah, I've been meeting up with him lately. He's from a college program I'm thinking about joining."

There's nothing wrong with what he's saying, but something still feels off.

I don't know if it's his tone or the way he avoids eye contact, but it doesn't sit right with me.

"That's cool," I say, trying to keep my voice neutral. "You two seem pretty close."

Ethan gives a noncommittal shrug.

"He's chill. We get along."

I nod, not knowing what else to say.

There's a part of me that wants to ask more, dig deeper into why he's been so distant

but I don't want to push too hard. It feels like he's slipping away, and I don't know how to stop it without making things worse.

"You've been… different lately," I finally say, my voice quieter than I intended.

Ethan tenses up, and for a second, I think he's going to brush it off like he always does.

But then he sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I know," he mutters. "It's just… a lot of stuff's been on my mind."

"Like what?"

He looks at me, and for the first time in a while, there's something vulnerable in his eyes.

But just as quickly as it appears, it's gone, and he shakes his head.

"I don't know. Just life, I guess."

It's a vague answer, but I can tell there's more to it than he's letting on.

I want to push, to get him to open up, but I don't know how. It feels like no matter what I say, he's going to keep shutting me out.

We end up playing video games for a while after that, and it feels normal again, at least on the surface.

But underneath, I can't shake the feeling that something's changed between us something that I don't know how to fix.

That night, as I lie in bed, I replay the conversation over and over in my head.

Ethan's words, his expressions, the way he avoided talking about what was really going on it all sticks with me.

And that guy… whoever he is, he's becoming a bigger part of Ethan's life, whether I like it or not.

The worst part is, I don't know why it's bothering me so much.

Maybe it's because I feel like I'm losing my best friend.

Or maybe it's because, deep down, I'm starting to realize that what I feel for Ethan might be more than just friendship.

But I can't let myself go there. I can't even think about it. Not now.

Not when everything's already so complicated.