Chapter 16

Chapter 16 (Ethan's POV): Stirring the Still Waters**

When his mother first told him they were visiting the Smiths for dinner, Ethan barely looked up from his phone.

"I need you to behave, Ethan. Judith Smith is an old friend, and her husband is a well-respected architect. They have two children—grown, I believe. The girls are still in high school, like you."

He shrugged from the couch. "Can't wait."

His mother shot him a look. "You could at least pretend to be interested."

He didn't bother replying.

It wasn't that he hated social dinners—he was just used to them. Too used to the wine-sipping conversations, the forced smiles, and the underlying competition between adults trying to show off their kids like trophies.

Besides, he'd already planned to hang out with his friends that night. Dinner with strangers? Pass.

But then she added, "Their daughter's name is Bella. Bella Smith. She goes to your school, I think."

He froze mid-scroll.

Bella?

He didn't react outwardly—didn't even blink—but inside, something shifted.

Of all the families in the city… it had to be hers.

For a second, he considered faking a headache.

But curiosity won.

---

Now, standing outside Bella's house hours later, Ethan shoved his hands into his pockets as he followed behind his mother and sister. His jaw was tight, and his mind was still processing everything.

He hadn't expected her to look that way.

Or to smile at his little sister like that.

Or to speak so gently and confidently, as if she weren't the least bit rattled by his presence.

Bella wasn't like the other girls at school—she never tried to flirt, never looked twice in his direction. She lived in her own world with her close-knit circle and quiet presence, and Ethan had kept his distance, partly because of the bet and partly because she made him feel like he didn't know how to act.

And Ethan Carter always knew how to act.

But not around her.

Not anymore.

---

In the car on the way home, Lila wouldn't stop talking.

"She's so nice! And she smells like vanilla. And she helped me draw a bunny on the napkin, and she didn't even laugh when it looked weird."

Ethan listened silently, his eyes on the road.

His sister barely liked anyone, but she had clung to Bella like she was the warmest light in the room. Ethan couldn't lie—he felt the same pull.

Bella wasn't loud or flashy or even particularly talkative.

But something about her made the chaos in his head go quiet.

Then came the voice in the back of his mind.

The bet.

The stupid, immature, shallow bet he'd agreed to like a fool.

"Make the quiet girl fall for you," they'd said. "Let's see how fast she breaks."

But Bella didn't break.

She smiled at his sister. She thanked his mother. She spoke with kindness, even after Rachel's scene at school.

She was nothing like what he expected.

And now… he didn't care about the bet.

He only cared about the way she looked at him tonight—cautious, unsure, and a little intrigued. Like she wanted to figure him out but wasn't sure whether she should bother.

He didn't blame her.

He wasn't sure she should bother either.

But for once, Ethan found himself wanting to change that.

He wanted her to know he wasn't just the smooth-talking flirt in the hallways or the guy everyone assumed he was. He wanted her to see that underneath it all, he was something more.

Something… real.

"Bella's cool," Lila mumbled sleepily from the back seat.

Ethan's hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel.

Yeah. She was.

And for the first time in a long while, Ethan wanted to earn someone's trust—not just charm his way in.

He wanted her to see him.

Really see him.

And maybe, just maybe… smile for him again.

Bella wandered the school corridor later that afternoon, her books clutched to her chest and her steps slow and thoughtful. The echoes of her friends' voices still rang in her ears.

"He draws them in, then drops them."

"Don't fall for it, Bella."

"He's strategic. Calculated."

They weren't wrong.

She knew the stories — the girls who once giggled in excitement now walked with their heads bowed, their hearts left in the wake of Ethan Carter's smile. And yet…

He hadn't looked at her the way he looked at the others.

Not last night.

Not even today.

Their eyes had met briefly in the hallway after second period — a pause in the crowd, as if time had given them a moment to acknowledge each other. Ethan had merely tilted his head in greeting, a faint, unreadable smile on his lips. No teasing. No charm. Just… presence.

And for some reason, it left her flustered.

Bella slipped into the library, seeking her usual quiet corner. Books didn't ask questions. Pages didn't stare. Here, she could hide — at least from the confusion spinning inside her.

As she reached for a novel, a soft voice caught her attention.

"You're Bella, right?"

Bella turned and smiled. "Lila?"

Lila stood there, clutching a pink pencil case, her eyes wide and gleaming. "Hi! I came to see my big brother. I saw you and thought I'd say hi too!"

Bella knelt slightly to Lila's level. "It's good to see you. What are you doing in the library?"

"I'm coloring while I wait for Ethan. He told me to stay here and behave." She leaned in, whispering, "He says this place keeps me out of trouble."

Bella laughed softly. "Sounds like something a responsible big brother would say."

Lila beamed. "He's the best. But he doesn't smile much. Except last night. He smiled a lot."

Bella blinked. "He did?"

"Mhm." Lila opened her pencil case and pulled out a sketch. "I drew this after dinner. That's me, that's you, and that's Ethan."

Bella's breath caught in her throat. The stick figures were adorable, and yes — one clearly had Ethan's messy hair.

"He smiled a lot when he talked about you in the car," Lila added innocently.

Bella's eyes widened. "He… what?"

But before Lila could answer, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Lila," Ethan's voice came from the aisle, casual yet warm. "I told you to wait for me near the desk."

Lila grinned. "I found Bella!"

Ethan glanced between the two, his gaze settling softly on Bella. "I see that."

Bella stood up quickly, adjusting her sleeves. "I was just keeping her company."

"I figured," Ethan said, hands tucked into his pockets. "She doesn't approach strangers."

Bella nodded awkwardly. "Well… I should probably—"

"Bella," Ethan said, stopping her gently. "About last night…"

She looked up at him, wary. "Yeah?"

"I meant it," he said simply. "Everything I said. I wasn't pretending."

Bella didn't answer. She couldn't.

Because deep down, she wanted to believe him.

But belief was dangerous. And she wasn't sure her heart could survive being wrong.