Etahn

I was in my first semester, still excited—and nervous—about being “the new kid.” But what really made me want to come every day wasn’t the classes… it was him. Ethan. He was in his fifth semester. Tall, with a serene gaze and an easy smile, the kind of guy who attracted attention without trying. His voice was deep, but kind. Sometimes he'd walk past our living room, and without realizing it, my gaze would follow him until he disappeared into the hallway. My friend Sam was the first to notice. —“Daniel, calm down… you look at him as if he were a work of art.” —“Shut up, it’s not that bad…” —I muttered, feeling the color rise to my face. But she, far from dropping the subject, smiled maliciously. —“Look, we could take pictures of him. That way, when you miss him.”

And even though it sounded bad… we did it. Sneak shots from the back of the classroom, in the hallways, or when Ethan was laughing with his friends on the playground. He never noticed... or so we thought.

That afternoon, after school, Sam and I were heading to the cafeteria. The air was fresh and the sky was tinged with pink. —“What if you talk to him today?” —Sam said, gently pushing me. —“Are you crazy? He doesn’t even know I exist!” —“Well, make him see you, fool.”

I didn't think anything of it, but when I turned the corner in the hallway... I crashed. I literally ran into someone.

My books fell to the floor and my heart stopped when I looked up:

Ethan.

His backpack hung from one shoulder, his disheveled hair glistening in the reflection of the sun. —“Are you okay?” —he asked me, with a mixture of surprise and a barely visible smile. —“Y-yeah, sorry, I didn’t see you coming…” —I stammered, bending down to pick up my things. He bent down too, his fingers brushing mine as he reached for my notebook.

gay, BL