Chapter 4: Uncharted Waters
It was during one of their late-night study sessions, when the room was dimly lit by the soft glow of a desk lamp, that something between them subtly changed. They were sitting side by side, textbooks scattered in disarray, when Ryan, with an unexpected intensity, looked at Ethan.
"Have you ever wondered what it would be like if we were more than just friends?" Ryan's voice was unusually soft.
Ethan froze, his heart quickening. He hadn't anticipated such a question, nor had he ever considered that this relationship could transcend the boundaries of friendship.
"I... I don’t know what you mean," Ethan stammered.
Ryan’s smirk was playful but tinged with an undeniable seriousness. "Come on. Don't pretend you haven’t thought about it."
And in that moment, Ethan couldn't deny it. There was a certain something between them, something unspoken but palpable. Yet, the silence that followed was far from uncomfortable. Ryan broke it with a laugh, brushing off his previous words as if they had never been uttered.
"Forget I said anything," he said with a wink.
But Ethan couldn’t forget. He couldn’t stop thinking about the possibilities that Ryan’s words had opened up.
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