Babyyy_Juice

"EVERYTHING I NEVER SAID"is a slow-burn, emotional romance about love, loss, and second chances. Ethan Hayes and Riley Carter were inseparable—neighbors, childhood best friends, practically family. But when Ethan confessed his love in their first year of high school, Riley didn’t feel the same. They drifted apart, and months later, Ethan’s father died. Riley never showed up, and Ethan never forgave her. Two years later, Riley regrets everything, but Ethan has built walls too high to break. As old wounds resurface and fate forces them together, can they mend what was broken—or are some distances impossible to cross?

EVERYTHING I NEVER SAID

Chapter 9: The Problem with Forced Proximity

The library smelled like old books and anxiety.

Riley tapped her fingers against the table, staring at her unopened notebook while the clock on the wall mocked her.

They had been sitting here for twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes of Ethan refusing to look at her, speak to her, acknowledge her existence in any way beyond breathing the same air.

Except for the fact that it wasn't.

She needed to fix this. Somehow.

She needed to get him to talk to her.

And then, as if summoned by fate itself, the worst possible person arrived.

Riley groaned, dropping her forehead onto the table.

Noah Kingston. Resident agent of chaos.The human embodiment of a caffeine overdose. The one person who could find drama anywhereand make it worse just for fun.

Ethan sighed. "What do you want, Kingston?"

Noah grinned, dropping into the seat beside him. "Just here for the show, my guy." He leaned forward, stage-whispering, "Did you guys, like, break up or something?"

Riley lifted her head. "We were never dating."

Noah gasped dramatically. "Oh my god, was it unrequited?"

Ethan looked like he was seriously considering homicide.

Riley rubbed her temples. "Noah, go away."

Noah ignored her completely, turning to Ethan. "Dude. This has serious enemies-to-lovers energy."

Ethan's jaw clenched. "We're not enemies."

"Could've fooled me," Noah said cheerfully. He leaned back, arms behind his head. "So, what's the deal? Tense study session? Unresolved sexual tension? Both?"

Ethan shut his book. "I'm leaving."

Noah grabbed his wrist. Actually grabbed his wrist.

Riley was stunned. No one touched Ethan anymore.

Ethan blinked. "What the hell are you doing?"

Noah gave him a very serious look. "Listen, my broody little introvert—if you leave now, she wins."

Noah shrugged. "No idea. But I assume there's some sort of emotional game happening here, and I need you both to suffer through it for my own entertainment."

Ethan exhaled slowly. "I hate you."

Noah beamed. "See? You do talk! That's progress!"

Instead, she turned to Ethan. "Look. Can we just… get through this project?"

Ethan looked at her for a long moment.

Then, finally, he sat back down.

Noah gave a victorious fist pump. "Nice. Carry on. I'll just be here, judging silently."

Ethan sighed. "I doubt you're capable of silence."

Riley smirked. For the first time in two years, Ethan smirked back.

Which was probably going to be a problem.

THE PROBLEM WITH FORCED PROXIMITY