CHAPTER 11: Rocky Start
The day was already off to a rocky start, and I wasn’t about to let it get any worse by dealing with Ethan again. After dodging him this morning, I thought I would get some breathing room at school. But school wasn’t exactly known for its calming vibes, was it?
I trudged into the building, weaving through the crowd of students who all seemed way more awake than me. Someone was blaring music from their phone, a couple was arguing near the lockers, and a group of juniors were huddled together, laughing way too loudly for 8 a.m. It was chaos, as usual.
First period was math, which I hated with a passion. Numbers and I had never been on good terms, and Mr. Higgins wasn’t exactly helping. His monotone voice was practically a lullaby, and I had to fight to keep my eyes open as he droned on about quadratic equations.
Tess wasn’t in this class, which meant I didn’t even have her to distract me. Instead, I doodled in the margins of my notebook, trying to make it look like I was taking notes whenever Mr. Higgins glanced my way.
The rest of the morning wasn’t much better. English was tolerable only because we were reading Of Mice and Men, and I actually kind of liked Steinbeck. History was a blur of dates and wars that I couldn’t care less about, and science involved a pop quiz that I definitely failed.
By the time lunch rolled around, I was exhausted. I grabbed a tray of whatever questionable meal the cafeteria was serving and made my way to our usual table, where Tess was already waiting. She was scrolling through her phone, her tray untouched.
“Rough morning?” she asked as I plopped down across from her.
“You have no idea,” I muttered, stabbing a fork into what I hoped was mashed potatoes. “Math was a nightmare, and Mr. Higgins hates me. I’m pretty sure he’s planning my academic demise.”
Tess snorted. “Maybe he’s just jealous of your sparkling personality.”
“Yeah, that’s gotta be it,” I said dryly.
We spent the next few minutes catching up on the latest school gossip—who was dating who, which teachers were on the verge of quitting, and how someone apparently flooded the boys’ bathroom on the second floor. It was the kind of mindless chatter I needed to distract myself, and for a little while, it worked.
Until everything got weird again.
The cafeteria had been its usual noisy self, with the hum of conversations and the occasional clatter of trays filling the air. But suddenly, the energy shifted. People started whispering, and heads turned toward the doors.
I followed their gazes, my stomach sinking when I saw him.
Ethan.
He strolled in like he owned the place, his usual cool, unbothered vibe making everyone take notice. His hair was slightly messy, like he had just run his fingers through it, and his sharp jawline caught the light in a way that made half the girls in the room swoon.
If only they knew how much of a fucking psycho he was.
Just when I was about to return my attention back to my lunch his eyes found mine.
Of course they did.
It was like he had some kind of radar, always knowing exactly where I was. For a second, I froze, my fork hovering mid-air as his gaze locked on me.
Tess nudged me, snapping me out of it. “Uh, hello? Earth to Layla?”
I shook my head, forcing myself to look away. “What?”
“You okay? You spaced out there for a second.”
“I’m fine,” I lied, focusing on my tray. “Just… tired.”
Tess didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press the issue. Instead, she launched into a story about some drama in her art class, and I did my best to listen.
But I could still feel Ethan’s eyes on me.
The rest of the day went by in a blur. I tried to focus on my classes, but my mind kept wandering back to him. Why was he always staring? Did he think this was funny? Was this some kind of weird game to him?
By the time the final bell rang, I was ready to bolt. I stuffed my books into my bag and headed for the bus stop, praying I wouldn’t run into him again. The idea of accidentally bumping into Ethan—or worse, having him actually approach me—was enough to send me into full-on panic mode.
Tess had texted earlier saying she had some club thing after school, so it was just me making the solo trek to the bus stop. The air was warm, the late afternoon sun casting a golden glow over the sidewalks as I hurried along, keeping my head down.
I thought I was in the clear until I turned the corner.
There he was.
Leaning casually against the bus stop sign, Ethan looked like he had stepped straight out of some dark, brooding romance novel. His hands were shoved into his jacket pockets, his posture relaxed, but his eyes were anything but. They locked onto me the second I came into view, just like they had earlier.
You’ve got to be kidding me, I thought. What the actual hell is up with this dude!
I froze mid-step, my brain scrambling for an escape plan. I could turn around and walk back the way I came, but that would make it obvious I was avoiding him. And knowing him—or at least what little I had managed to piece together—he would probably just follow me anyway.
The fucking psycho.
So I kept walking, my steps brisk and purposeful.
When I reached the stop, I didn’t even glance in his direction. I stood a few feet away, pulling out my phone and pretending to scroll through my messages.
The bus arrived a few minutes later, and I climbed on without looking back.
