Chapter 9 In the shadow of secrets

Chapter 9: In the Shadow of Secrets

The next morning, Ava woke with memories of last night replaying over and over again in her mind. She lay in bed, her fingers touching her lips, recalling how Ethan looked at her, the gentleness in his touch. It was surreal - a dream she had been afraid to hope for. But as the sun rose higher, so did her anxieties. What had passed between them was not something they could simply walk away from; it was a shift-a new, secret bond that would make things so much more complicated.

Ava steeled herself and got up, then went downstairs. She saw her mom preparing breakfast and humming to herself; a surge of guilt enveloped Ava. Her mother turned around, smiling warmly.

"Morning, sweetheart. Sleep well?" she asked, handing Ava a mug of coffee.

Ava forced a smile, hoping her face didn't betray anything. "Yeah, I... did."

Just then, Ethan entered the kitchen. Their eyes met briefly, and she felt her heart skip a beat. He gave her a quick unreadable glance before greeting her mother in his steady voice, as if last night had never happened.

The day slipped away in weird limbo; both Ava and Ethan being very cautious not to stay with each other, where each other's company was the only one. Ava felt the tension, the way they moved around each other-the stolen glances, the moments of almost too-long eye contact. It was like walking a tightrope, balancing between wanting to be near him and the fear of being found out.

As evening fell, she got a text from Ethan.

Meet me in the garden. We need to talk.

Ava's pulse quickened. She slipped outside, finding Ethan standing by the oak tree, hands in his pockets, looking up at the stars. When he saw her, he smiled, but there was a seriousness in his eyes.

"We can't just act like it never happened," he said softly. He stepped in close, and she felt the heat emanating off of him against the cooler night air.

Ava nodded, her heart beating wildly. "I know. I just... I don't know how to act around you. It's like I want to be close, but I'm scared of what it could do to us, to... everyone."

He reached out and took her hand in his, his fingers intertwining with hers. "We'll figure it out. But I don't want to keep lying to myself. Do you?"

Ava shook her head, the weight of his gaze, the sincerity in his voice. "No... I don't."

Just then, a soft rustling sound behind them made Ava's heart stop-the unmistakable sound of her mother's voice cutting through silence.

"Ava? Ethan?

They stepped apart quickly, Ava's heart racing as her mother stepped into view. Her expression was curious, her eyes darting between them.

"What are you two doing out here?" she asked, folding her arms. There was a subtle concern in her tone, a look that sent Ava's heart plummeting.

"We... were just talking," Ava said in all haste, wishing her voice didn't sound as wobbly as the way she was feeling inside. She forced a casual smile in the hope that her mother wouldn't be able to pick up on the sudden air of tension hanging between them.

Her mom looked at her for a second, like she knew something had just passed between them. Then with a soft sigh, she nodded, giving them a brief smile. "Alright. Just don't stay out too late."

As Ava's mom walked back inside, the breath Ava had been holding was released. She turned to Ethan in a heartbeat that still raced.

"That was too close," she whispered with barely a voice above a breath.

Ethan nodded, his hand slipping from hers reluctantly. "I know. But we'll have to be more careful." He gave her a reassuring smile, but his eyes held the same spark, the same promise that left her heart pounding.

They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their secret settling over them. It was a risky game they played, but Ava knew that, whatever happened, she couldn't let go now.

Under the stars, Ava and Ethan stood tall, the weight of their secret heavy yet exhilarating. She could hear the soft rustling of leaves, the faraway chirping of crickets, and the quiet hum of the night air. But just as she was starting to feel comfortable again, the sound of footsteps approaching made her heart speed up all over again.

"Ethan! There you are!" a voice boomed then, cutting into the silence. Ava turned to see a girl she knew from school-Mia, one of Ethan's more boisterous and flamboyant classmates-approaching, with a big, excited grin plastered on her face.

The expression on Ethan's face changed; the warmth in his eyes was suddenly replaced with a guarded look. "Mia, hey! What are you doing here?"

I was just driving by and saw your car. I thought I'd stop by!" she said, her eyes darting back and forth between Ava and Ethan. Ava felt an uncomfortable knot form in her stomach as she noticed the way Mia's eyes remained on Ethan, a playful glint in her eyes that was more than friendliness.

Uh, we were just." Ava began, the words catching in her throat as Mia took one step closer to her, gliding past her with an ease of confidence.

"Oh, don't mind me! I just wanted to see what you two have been up to," she chirped dryly, though her eyes were whetted. "You know, Ethan, we really should get together more often. It feels like a very long time since we had any fun with the three of us present!

Ava's heart sank as she caught the underlying implication. Casual, Mia was issuing a challenge-she was here to stake her claim. Ethan looked at Ava, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes as if he didn't know how to respond.

Yeah, sure. Sounds good," Ethan said, firm but unenthusiastic, his voice not really giving away his feelings. He appeared torn between the past that he shared with Mia and the budding connection that he had formed with Ava.

"Great! How about a movie night tomorrow?" Mia exclaimed with sparkling eyes. "We could watch that new thriller that everyone is talking about. You both in?

Ava's stomach twisted. She felt a surge of possessiveness, an instinct to protect the fragile connection she'd forged with Ethan. But how could she say no without raising suspicion?

Sounds fun, Ava said, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked to Ethan, hoping to find some solidarity in his expression. He was staring back at her, his eyes locking onto hers as he nodded once, his own smile faltering for a moment as the weight of what was happening began to sink in.

"Okay, let's do it," Ethan said, his voice even, but a storm brewing underneath the words.

Delighted, Mia clapped her hands together. "Awesome! I'll bring the popcorn!" she exclaimed and then repositioned her attention to Ethan. "Can't wait to catch up with you."

As Mia continued to talk about the movie and other plans, I felt like an outsider in my own story. Ava looked at Ethan; his gaze danced between her and Mia. Her uncertainty surged.

It wasn't until then that Mia excused herself, and the wave of relief that washed over Ava was promptly replaced by an anxiety even deeper. Ethan stepped closer to her, his face serious.

"I am so sorry about that," he said, his voice very low. "I hadn't expected her to just show up like this."

Ava let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair. "It's okay. I just... I don't want to fight for your attention, Ethan."

He moved closer, his hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "You don't have to compete because what we have is different. It's special."

Ava raised her eyes to his face in search of an assurance that what he said was true, but Mia's ghost was there, inescapable.

"Just be careful, okay?" she asked softly, their secret weighing once again heavy on her chest. "I don't want to lose you to someone else.

Ethan's eyes hardened with resolution. "You won't. I promise."

Ava felt a flicker of hope amidst the uncertainty as they held a lingering look. He had said it wouldn't be easy, and the world outside the tiny bubble they called their own was way more complicated than she thought it was going to be.