SILVER POV
I ran. And ran. I didn't know what else to do. Until finally, at the edge of the city I found a spot of my own.
Practically falling back onto the bench, I sat focused on nothing in particular. It happens when I'm overwhelmed. The glittering fountain began to blur in front of me as I tried to process what I was feeling.
I blinked and watched the pond refocus, eyes still burning from the tears earlier.
Did Ethan truly care about me? I never gave it much thought, but it was becoming more and more obvious. He was so…sincere. Everyone up until now has left me at some point, or never cared for me in the first place. Like my Dad.
Was it really right to call him that? He never considered me a son.
...
Don't get attached. Don't get attached. Don't get attached.
Ethan.
His name was all the peace I could find in the war between my reasoning and my emotions.
Don't leave.
Next time, let's battle as friends, my mind replayed for me to hear over and over in a tortuous rhythm. He meant it, and I knew it.
Reconsidering.
What was our relationship?
Indecisiveness.
There was nothing I truly hated about him.
Jealousy.
No.
Admiration?
Confusion.
I wasn't alone.
The thought was foreign to me.
I became aware this was true in more ways than one as I heard my name being called somewhere nearby.
"Silver!"
It was a voice tinged with worry, fading into relief. It was Ethan. I didn't know how long I'd been sitting there, but I got the feeling it must have been a while he had been looking for me.
Was that the first time he was searching for me, not the other way around?
"Silver." He panted, dark hair sticking to his forehead with sweat. Neither of us could say anything for a while.
"You don't have to keep standing there, you know. There's room on this bench for two." I finally spoke in a small voice, and he sat a distance away from me.
You don't have to be afraid, I'm not mad at you, I'm not upset, please don't widen this gap between us, I communicated silently, inching closer to him and curling up on the bench, resting my head on his shoulder.
I didn't know what I was doing. I wasn't denying my feelings from myself around him. They were drawn out in the open, but I was comfortable with that somehow, and I can't remember if I've ever felt that way.
"I'm sorry I dragged you into that situation. Lyra and Kris aren't always like that, I promise." He said, unable to look at me, fixing his tired gaze on the moonlit sky instead.
I wasn't concerned with the behavior of Lyra or Kris. I barely knew them. They were important to me to some extent, but only because they were important to Ethan.
"What Kris said…" He paused, looking down to the grass below us bending in the breeze. "I don't want it to ruin our friendship. You are so important to me." He finished, and there was no easy answer.
Instead, I sat up, facing him, and brought my hand to his face, placing a finger on his lips. It's ok. I wasn't going to lie to myself anymore about how much I cared about him. I let my hand cup the side of his face.
It happened before I could reason with myself why, and I didn't understand how much we both wanted it until my lips were on his. He accepted and returned the kiss, pulling me closer and holding tightly onto my jacket. It was gentle yet meaningful, and by the time I withdrew from the embrace, I had no doubt in my mind anymore.
I loved Ethan.
[ omg did that happen too fast _ idk im always open to opinions! thank you again for reading this chapter and ill have a new one up soon ]
