YOU CAN'T OUTRUN THE PAST

Chapter 14: You Can't Outrun the Past

(Riley & Ethan – More Forced Proximity, More Denial, More Problems)

Riley – Present

Riley Carter was losing her mind.

That was the only explanation for why she had spent the last two days replaying every second of her stupid fundraiser disaster with Ethan.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw it.

The way he almost smiled when she laughed.

The way he shut down the second he realized what was happening.

The way she had looked at him and thought, for just a second, maybe we aren't as far gone as I thought.

It was messing with her.

And the worst part?

She had no one to talk to about it.

She couldn't bring it up to Jason. Obviously. He wouldn't understand.

She couldn't tell Chloe. Because Chloe would say something like "Forget about him, Rye. He's a ghost. Move on."

But she couldn't forget about him.

Not when every time she turned a corner, she half-expected to see him standing there, hoodie up, hands in his pockets, looking at her like she was nothing.

Like she had never been anything at all.

Of course, the universe wasn't done punishing her.

Because the next time she saw Ethan?

They were, once again, stuck in a room together.

This time, it was the art supply closet.

Mr. Alder had asked for volunteers to help move supplies from the old art room to the new one.

Riley hadn't been paying attention. She had been too busy thinking about—well. Him.

And by the time she realized what was happening?

She was already standing shoulder to shoulder with Ethan, surrounded by paint cans and canvases.

Just her, him, and a lot of unfinished business.

Ethan exhaled through his nose. Not happy.

"Seriously?"

Riley mirrored his energy. "Trust me, I'm not thrilled either."

Neither of them moved.

They both just… stood there.

Like two people who didn't know how to be in the same space anymore.

Then, finally, Ethan grabbed a box of charcoal pencils and walked past her, refusing to acknowledge her existence.

Riley gritted her teeth. Fine. He wanted to play that game?

Two could play.

Ethan – Present

Ethan was so, so tired.

Tired of accidentally ending up in the same places as Riley.

Tired of the way she looked at him like she wanted to fix things.

Tired of how much he still noticed about her even when he swore he wasn't paying attention.

Like the way she still chewed on the end of her pen when she was thinking.

Like the way she still tapped her fingers against the table in weird little patterns when she was nervous.

Like the way she still said his name like it meant something.

Except it didn't.

Not anymore.

Ethan shoved another stack of papers into a box, willing himself to focus.

Because the last thing he needed?

Was to let himself think that maybe she still cared.

That maybe she wanted to undo the past.

That maybe she had regrets too.

Because Ethan Hayes didn't believe in maybes anymore.

It happened fast.

Riley had been reaching for a paintbrush set on the top shelf.

Ethan had seen it coming before she did.

The moment the box tilted forward, he reacted on instinct.

Stepped forward. Grabbed her waist and pulled her back before the entire shelf collapsed on top of her.

Riley squeaked—literally squeaked—as she stumbled into him, her back colliding with his chest.

For a second, neither of them moved.

Ethan's hands were still on her waist.

Riley was too close.

Too familiar.

Too much like everything he had spent the last two years trying to forget.

Her breath hitched.

His pulse slammed against his ribs.

And for a moment—just a single, fragile moment—they weren't strangers anymore.

They were Ethan & Riley.

The kids who used to sneak out to sit on his roof at midnight.

The best friends who had once been everything to each other.

And then—

Ethan let go.

Like she had burned him.

Like she was nothing.

Again.

Riley took a step back, her expression unreadable.

And Ethan?

He turned around, grabbed another box, and walked away.

Because if he didn't?

He was going to say something he couldn't take back.

Riley stood there, still feeling the ghost of his touch.

Still trying to understand what just happened.

Because for half a second, she could have sworn he wasn't gone.

That the Ethan she knew was still somewhere in there.

But then, just like that, he disappeared again.

And Riley?

Riley realized she had no idea how to bring him back.