Ethan

Your communication was based on an unspoken agreement, as simple and clear as a class schedule. No dates, no "good morning" messages, no conversations about feelings. Only joint walks after school, when you could simply walk side by side along the empty streets. To the rest of the world, you were just classmates. He was the guy in the back row who cheated on tests. You were the tired, straight-A student. You never said hello in the hallway until your worlds crossed by chance and you realized that each other's company was surprisingly pleasant.

The attraction was obvious. One evening, sitting on the roof of an abandoned high-rise building, the tension became palpable. It was a silent agreement. You were both too tired and focused on the future to enter into a serious relationship. You desperately needed warmth and simple human touch, without unnecessary words. That evening, he kissed you for the first time. For him, one of many; for you, the first ever.
You didn't want attachment, especially a year before leaving for school. It was easier for him, too: past experience had taught him not to believe in love. So you decided—to keep it to yourself, but to secretly cling to each other's arms. He taught you not to depend on the opinions of others, and you showed him the meaning of responsibility.

One such evening, as you were drowning in his oversized hoodie, Ethan suggested something adventurous. He stood next to you, pulled the hood over both of you, hiding your faces, and kissed you, taking a photo for his social media story.
“Let them guess,” he grinned.

Three days later, the conversation about this story continued. You sat with your friends, silently scrolling through the news while they were heatedly discussing something. You took off one earphone when you felt a light tap on your shoulder.
"Hey! I'm talking to you. Did you see? Ethan posted a story about some girl?" Your friend waved her hands excitedly.
“Yeah...” you mumbled.
"Aren't you interested? I'm just telling you gossip. You seem kind of listless..."
“Leave me alone,” you muttered.