Chapter 5: The Truth Beneath
As the days wore on, Ethan found himself seeing Ryan through a new lens. The way Ryan’s smile seemed to illuminate the room, the effortless confidence that drew people in, and the sense of excitement he brought to even the most mundane of moments — it was all becoming impossible to ignore.
One afternoon, after school, as they sat beneath the sprawling branches of an ancient tree, Ryan looked at Ethan with a quiet seriousness.
"Ethan," he said gently, "I think I like you. Not just as a friend, but... more."
Ethan’s heart raced. He had suspected as much, but hearing it aloud made it undeniably real. "I think... I like you too," he whispered, unsure of how to handle the weight of his own feelings.
The silence that followed was thick, but not in a way that felt suffocating. There was a shared understanding between them now — they didn’t need to say anything more, at least not yet.
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