CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter four: Whispers of change:

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over Aria's room. She stood in front of her mirror, adjusting the hem of her blouse and making sure her hair was in place. Today was the beginning of their senior year, and she wanted to look good.

Just as she grabbed her bag, her mother's voice echoed from downstairs.

"Aria! Breakfast is ready! And Ethan is here!"

Aria rolled her eyes with a smile. "Coming! Just a minute!" she shouted back.

Ethan's voice followed almost immediately, laced with playful exasperation. "You always do this! One of these days, I swear, we'll be late because of you."

Aria smirked. "And yet, we never are," she muttered to herself before heading down the stairs.

The moment Ethan looked up and saw her descending, his breath hitched.

For a second, it was as if time slowed down. The chatter from the dining table faded into the background, and all he could see was her—her auburn hair cascading over her shoulders, her amber eyes gleaming under the soft morning light. His heart pounded in his chest, an unfamiliar sensation creeping up his spine.

Snap out of it, Ethan.

He blinked quickly, forcing himself to breathe normally as she reached the bottom step.

Aria side-hugged her mom and pressed a kiss to her dad's cheek before turning to Ethan with a mischievous grin. "For that little comment earlier…" She reached out to ruffle his hair.

Ethan was faster. He dodged her hand with a smirk, catching her wrist before she could mess up his perfectly styled blonde hair. "Nice try, shorty."

Aria pouted before jabbing him playfully in the stomach. "That's for dodging."

He chuckled, shaking his head as they both took their seats at the dining table.

As they dug into breakfast, the conversation was light, the room filled with the warmth of familiarity.

"You two must be excited for your final year," Eve said, sipping her coffee.

Aria grinned. "Oh, absolutely! This year, I'll finally get a date for prom. Maybe even a boyfriend."

Ethan's grip on his fork tightened, but he quickly masked it by taking a sip of his juice.

Michael raised an eyebrow. "A date I can allow, but a boyfriend? We'll see about that."

"Come on, Dad," Aria groaned. "I'm literally a senior now! Everyone already laughs at me for never having a boyfriend. And remember, you did say I could have one in senior year."

Eve chuckled, nudging her husband. "Yes, dear, you did say that." Then she turned to Ethan. "What about you, dear? Anyone special?"

Ethan felt heat rise to his cheeks, but before he could respond, Aria beat him to it.

"Oh, please. He already has thousands of girls throwing themselves at him. Literally, every girl in school except me swoons over him. He just has to pick one. Besides, he has his big football game to worry about."

Michael beamed, turning his attention to Ethan. "That's right! Homecoming is coming up. You must be excited for your final big game!"

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, Coach has us training overtime, but we're hoping for a win."

Michael scoffed. "Hoping? Nonsense! Of course, you'll win! And please, Ethan, keep an eye on this little munchkin and make sure she stays away from boys."

Aria groaned. "As if he can."

Laughing, she grabbed her bag and stood up. "We're going to be late."

Before Ethan could react, she reached down and grabbed his ear, tugging him out of his chair.

"Hey! I'm not done eating!" he protested, laughing. "Let go of my ear, you little gremlin!"

Her parents laughed as Ethan grabbed his bag with his free hand. "Aww, aww, aww! Aria, I swear—"

Still laughing, they both waved goodbye to her parents as they walked out to the car, ready to take on their final year.

As they left the house, Aria finally released Ethan's ear, and he rubbed it dramatically, wincing as he turned to her with a playful smirk. "I thought you were dragging me all the way back to school at this rate," he teased, eyes narrowing mischievously.

Aria just smirked, holding out the keys to her car. "Here, take it," she said, tossing them at him. "My driver. Now let's go to school."

Ethan caught the keys mid-air with a grin. "No way I'm driving you, not after you just finished dragging my ear." He shook his head dramatically. "Look for a driver that'll take you. I don't know when you'll learn how to drive. I'm done taking you to school, seriously."

Aria scoffed, leaning against the door of the car. "You're just mad because you know I have perfect driving skills, and you're jealous that you won't be able to make fun of me anymore."

"Oh, please," Ethan replied, rolling his eyes, "If you think I'm gonna be your chauffeur forever, you're mistaken."

After a few more teasing words and playful arguments, Aria finally climbed into the passenger seat, her smile never fading. Ethan shook his head and climbed in behind the wheel, putting the car in gear.

As they drove through their neighborhood, the cool autumn breeze crept in through the open windows. Aria looked out the window, watching the trees lining the streets slowly change color. The green leaves were transforming into shades of red, orange, and gold, and the air felt crisp as the first signs of fall settled in.

"Eth," Aria said, turning to him with a smile. "Fall is here."

Ethan glanced at her for a moment, then back at the road, a soft smile playing on his lips. He had never really noticed how much fall felt like a fresh start, but the way the trees were transforming seemed to mirror the changes happening between them.

As Ethan parked the car in the school parking lot, the usual hustle and bustle of students getting ready for the day filled the air. Aria glanced at him, raising an eyebrow as they both stepped out of the car.

But before she could even close the door, a group of girls had already started gathering around Ethan, their eyes sparkling with admiration. They giggled, whispered, and tried to get his attention, leaning in with wide grins. It was no surprise to Aria—Ethan had always been the center of attention with his charm, athleticism, and good looks.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Ugh, here we go again," she muttered under her breath.

Without hesitation, she reached up and playfully hit him on the head. "See you later, dumbass," she said with a smile, her voice teasing as she turned on her heels to head inside the school.

Ethan laughed, rubbing the spot where she'd tapped his head, but his smile was genuine as he watched her walk away. He knew she was the only one who could get away with calling him that and still make him smile.

Aria made her way to the school building, walking past the other students in the hallway with confidence. It was a typical school morning, but she couldn't help but feel the excitement of starting her final year.

She entered the classroom and greeted her friends. As she sat down, she looked around the room for a familiar face. There was Lily, a close friend of hers, chatting with a few others by the window. Aria smiled and waved as she took her seat beside her.

"Hey, Ari," Lily said, giving her a quick hug as she sat down next to her. "Can you believe it's our senior year?"

Aria grinned. "I know, right? It feels like we were freshmen just yesterday."

Lily nodded. "I know, and I'm excited for all the things we'll get to do this year. Prom, graduation, and—" She lowered her voice, "—maybe even some romance."

Aria raised an eyebrow. "You're already thinking about romance?"

Lily smirked. "Well, yeah. It's senior year, after all. Everyone's looking for their senior year crush."

Aria couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's excitement. As the bell rang, signaling the start of class, Aria settled into her seat, feeling the familiar sense of anticipation that always came with the beginning of a new school year. She couldn't help but wonder what this year had in store for her, especially with everything that had been changing lately between her and Ethan.