I had this whole picture in my head. Ethan and I, casually strolling into a few apartments, making decisions like a couple of adults—free from the prying eyes of my overbearing brothers.
Just the two of us, doing our thing. It was going to be perfect.
At least, that's what I thought.
We stepped into the first building, and I felt a little flutter of excitement. "Okay, so, this is it," I said, trying to sound casual but completely unable to hide the excitement in my voice. "No distractions, no interruptions. Just us picking out a place to live, like grown-ups."
Ethan flashed me a playful smile. "Sounds good to me. Just us."
But the moment we entered the building's lobby, I heard it. The unmistakable sound of loud footsteps—purposeful, deliberate, and definitely not from a stranger.
