A COLLISION OF HEARTS

I sat frozen, my heart hammering in my chest as everyone stared at me, waiting for a decision. The room felt unbearably small, suffocating with unspoken words and mounting pressure. Ethan's grip on my hand was firm, a silent plea, while Olivia's smirk was nothing short of triumphant. Lena and Liam exchanged looks, sensing the storm brewing beneath the surface.

Daniel was in town. And he wanted to see me.

"Hazel?" Ethan's voice was low, almost dangerous. His thumb grazed the back of my hand, and I felt the heat of his touch seeping into my skin. "You don't have to go."

Lena exhaled sharply. "Actually, I think she does."

Ethan's head snapped toward her, his jaw tightening. "Excuse me?"

Liam sighed. "Look, Ethan. She's been running from this for a long time. If she doesn't face it now, it'll haunt her later."

Ethan's eyes darkened, and I felt his entire body tense beside me. "So what? She's supposed to go meet this guy just because he's back in town? Just because her family wants her to?" His voice dripped with venom. "That's bullshit."

I swallowed hard. "Ethan..."

His gaze snapped to mine, the intensity in his eyes nearly knocking the breath out of me. He looked torn between anger and something deeper-fear, maybe? The thought sent a chill down my spine.

Olivia leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "What's the matter, Ethan? Afraid Hazel might realize she has options?"

"Olivia, shut up."

Her smirk widened, but she stayed silent.

Lena crossed her arms. "Hazel, it's your decision. But running away from this won't make it go away."

Ethan's grip on my hand tightened for a fraction of a second before he abruptly let go and stepped back. The loss of his warmth was immediate. "Fine," he muttered. "Do whatever you want."

Something cracked inside me. I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, Ethan turned on his heel and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Silence followed.

Lena let out a low whistle. "Well, that went well."

Olivia laughed under her breath. "God, I love watching men break."

I shot her a glare before standing up, my legs feeling unsteady. My mind was spinning. Daniel. Ethan. My family. My future. Everything felt like it was spiraling out of control.

Liam stood as well, his expression softer than the others'. "You okay?"

I nodded, though I wasn't sure if it was a lie. "I just... need to think."

Lena gave me a pointed look. "Well, you better think fast, because I already told Daniel you'd meet him tonight."

My head snapped up. "What?"

Lena shrugged. "You weren't going to say no."

I stared at her, mouth opening and closing. Olivia looked amused, Liam just looked tired. And Ethan... Ethan was gone.

I exhaled shakily. "Where am I meeting him?"

Lena smiled. "Some fancy rooftop bar. Dress nice."

I barely registered the details as I nodded and turned toward the door. My chest ached, my head was spinning, and as much as I wanted to chase after Ethan, I knew I had to do this.

But deep down, I also knew-tonight would change everything.