The school hallways were bustling as usual, the familiar noise of laughter, lockers slamming, and hurried footsteps filling the air. Gianna walked down the crowded corridor, feeling the weight of the previous night's conversation with Ethan lingering in her mind. She hadn't wanted things to feel strained, but she could still sense the tension between them, like a thin line pulled taut, ready to snap at any moment.
As she reached her locker, she was pulled from her thoughts by a familiar voice.
"Hey, stranger," Adrian said, leaning casually against the locker next to hers, a small smile on his face.
She smiled back, feeling a rush of relief wash over her. "Hey. Didn't see you around much yesterday."
"Yeah, I had to catch up on a few things," he replied, his gaze briefly flickering to the floor before meeting hers again. "Everything alright?"
Gianna nodded, trying to sound casual. "Yeah, just… you know, life stuff." She didn't want to get into the details of her dinner with Ethan, but something about the way Adrian looked at her made it hard to hide her thoughts.
"Well, I'm here if you need to unload any of that 'life stuff,'" he said, giving her a gentle nudge with his elbow.
Before she could respond, Ethan appeared, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the sight of Gianna and Adrian together. "G, hey," he said, slipping his arm around her shoulders in a way that felt a little too possessive.
Gianna forced a smile. "Hey, Ethan. What's up?"
"Just wanted to see if we're still on for lunch?" he asked, glancing briefly at Adrian, who seemed unfazed, his expression calm but unreadable.
"Oh, yeah," she said quickly, glancing at Adrian apologetically. "Sorry, I totally forgot. Rain check?"
Adrian's expression didn't change, but there was a slight pause before he responded. "No worries. I'll catch you later, Gianna," he said, nodding politely at Ethan before walking off.
Ethan's grip on her shoulder relaxed slightly, though he still seemed tense. "So, he's just hanging around you now?"
Gianna bristled at his tone. "Adrian's my friend, Ethan. You know that."
"Yeah, but it seems like he's around a lot lately," Ethan replied, his voice barely hiding his frustration.
She sighed, pulling away slightly. "Can we not do this right now? I told you, Adrian is just a friend. You don't have to worry."
Ethan looked away, jaw clenched, before finally nodding. "Fine. I'm sorry. I just… I care about you, okay?"
"I know," she said, her voice softening. "Let's just… get through today, alright?"
They walked to class in silence, but the awkward tension between them lingered, casting a shadow over their morning.
During her lunch break, Gianna slipped away to find Mia, hoping for a distraction. She spotted her friend sitting outside under one of the large oak trees on campus, flipping through her notebook and munching on an apple.
"Hey, need some company?" Gianna asked, sitting down beside her.
"Always," Mia replied with a grin. She took one look at Gianna's face and raised an eyebrow. "Rough day already?"
"You could say that," Gianna sighed, leaning back against the tree. She filled Mia in on Ethan's recent behavior, her friend listening intently.
Mia clicked her tongue in sympathy. "Sounds like someone's feeling the heat. I mean, I don't blame him, but he needs to relax. You're not property."
"Exactly!" Gianna exclaimed, feeling a surge of relief. "I don't know what to do, though. Ethan used to be so… different. Now it's like he's trying to hold on tighter the more I pull away."
"Well, he probably senses that you've found someone else who actually pays attention," Mia said with a shrug. "Adrian's pretty great, and you have every right to be friends with him."
Gianna chewed her lip thoughtfully. "I just don't want to hurt anyone."
Mia rolled her eyes, putting an arm around her. "You're too nice, G. It's not your job to keep everyone happy. You're allowed to have friends, new or old, without explaining it to anyone."
Gianna smiled, grateful for Mia's no-nonsense support. "Thanks, Mia. You're right."
"Of course I'm right," Mia said, flipping her hair dramatically. "Now, let's talk about something fun. Have you heard about that new cute guy in art class?"
They spent the rest of lunch laughing and joking, and by the time Gianna headed to her next class, she felt lighter, a bit of the stress melting away.
Later, as she was packing up her things at her locker, she spotted Adrian again. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a casual but curious expression on his face.
"Hey," she greeted him, smiling.
"Hey," he replied, his voice calm. "How'd the rest of the day go?"
"Better," she admitted. "Mia helped put things in perspective. She always does."
"She's a good friend," Adrian said, nodding approvingly. "But if you ever need another opinion, I'm here."
They shared a comfortable silence before he spoke again, his tone softer. "I don't want to cause any problems between you and Ethan. If me being around is making things tense…"
"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "You're not the problem, Adrian. It's just… complicated, I guess. But it'll sort itself out. Eventually."
He gave her a small smile, his gaze warm. "Good. I wouldn't want you to feel like you had to choose."
She returned his smile, feeling a surge of gratitude. "Thanks, Adrian. I appreciate that."
As they said goodbye and went their separate ways, Gianna couldn't help but feel that her life had taken a sudden, unexpected turn. And for the first time, she wasn't entirely sure which direction she wanted it to go.