Charlotte shook her head, her voice firm. "No, Claire. I'm not hiding from him. I just...I don't want to get sick, okay?"
Claire looked skeptical, but Charlotte stood her ground. "I mean it, Claire. It has nothing to do with him."
Claire and Hazel exchanged nervous glances, but said nothing.
Charlotte excused herself, turning around to look for Andrew. But he was nowhere to be seen in the hallway.
She shrugged, feeling a pang of disappointment.
"I'll see you guys in class," she said, walking towards her classroom.
As she walked, she couldn't help but wonder where Andrew had gone. She had thought he was right behind her, but now he seemed to have vanished into thin air.
She pushed open the classroom door, scanning the room for Andrew's familiar face. But he wasn't there either.
Charlotte took her seat, feeling a little confused and worried. Where had Andrew gone? And why had he left without saying anything to her?
Meanwhile Avery rushed down the hallway, two cups of coffee in hand. "Ethan! I got your favorite coffee!" she called out, spotting her brother leaning against his locker.
But before she could reach him, disaster struck. Julian's leg stuck out from behind a row of lockers, and Avery didn't see it in time. She tripped, and the hot coffee went flying out of her hands.
Ethan, seeing his sister fall threw away his memory and rushed to catch her. But it was too late. The coffee spilled all over him, scalding his skin.
"Avery! Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Ethan exclaimed, wincing in pain as the hot liquid soaked through his shirt.
He checked her body to be sure she was injury free, neglecting his own pain.
Avery scrambled to her feet, horrified.
"Ethan, I'm so sorry! I didn't see Julian's leg..."
Ethan waved her off, gritting his teeth. "It's okay, sis. I'm fine. Just...just get me a new shirt I will go clean up in the bathroom."
Avery helped her brother to the bathroom, feeling terrible about the accident. Julian, who had been watching the scene unfold, rushed over to help.
"Tan, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to trip her," Julian said, looking mortified.
Ethan just shook his head, still wincing in pain. "It's not your fault, Julian. Accidents happen , but be careful next time around Avery."
Avery was still feeling guilty. "Ethan, I'm so sorry again. Let me help you clean up."
Ethan couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I guess this is one way to get a caffeine fix."
"Sister go get the shirt" Ethan reminded Avery nudging her towards the door.
"Yeah sure , I will be right back", Avery replied sniffing away her tears and she left Ethan in the bathroom.
Charlotte sat forward in her seat, She turned to Melly, who was sitting next to her. "Melly, did you see Andrew? I thought he was right behind me, but now he's gone."
Melly looked up from her notes, a concerned expression on her face. "Actually, yeah. I saw him heading towards the bathroom a few minutes ago."
Charlotte stood up, feeling a sense of urgency. "I'll be right back," she said to Melly, already heading out of the classroom.
She made her way to the boy's restroom, her mind racing with possibilities. What if Andrew was sick? What if he was upset about something?
She pushed open the door to the bathroom, calling out softly. "Andrew? Are you in here?"
There was no answer, but Charlotte could hear the sound of running water coming from one of the stalls.
She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should go in. But her concern for Andrew won out. She took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Charlotte pushed open the bathroom door and stepped inside But instead of Andrew , she saw Ethan standing by the sink, his shirt and singlet off, his skin around his chest a deep red.
Charlotte's eyes widened in surprise, and she felt a flush rise to her cheeks. She hadn't expected to see Ethan half-naked, and she certainly hadn't expected to see him injured.
Ethan, sensing someone behind him, turned away from the mirror, his eyes locking onto Charlotte's masked face.
For a moment, they just stared at each other, Charlotte frozen in surprise, Ethan exuding his cold aura.
Charlotte felt a surge of embarrassment, but she tried to play it cool. " I'm so.. sorry , I didn't mean to walk in on you ," she stuttered lowering her eyes.
Ethan's expression was that of aloofness, "Well, this is awkward, an average civilized person should knock before entering a bathroom" he said, tossing the wipe into the trash can , and just then Avery & Claire knocked and rushed in.
Charlotte felt her face grow even hotter with embarrassment as Avery & Claire knocked before they entered.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I was looking for Andrew," she explained, still not meeting Ethan's gaze.
Claire paused, surprised to see Charlotte in the bathroom with Ethan.
"What happened , why are you apologizing.." she asked switching her gaze at the two repeatedly
Ethan snorted switching the topic, "Avery did you bring the shirt." Ethan asked
"Yeah ..here it is ",
Avery's hands trembled slightly as she grasped the luxurious-looking package, adorned with the Springdale Academy logo. With a gentle yet firm motion, she tore through the expensive cover, revealing the crisp, well-tailored shirt beneath.
The shirt was a masterpiece of tailoring, with intricate stitching and a subtle sheen to the fabric. Ethan's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight, his expression softening ever so slightly.
Avery handed Ethan the shirt, and he began to put it on, his movements fluid and effortless. Charlotte couldn't help but sneak a glance, her eyes fixed on the way his muscles rippled beneath his skin.
Claire's eyes narrowed, her gaze switching between Charlotte and Ethan. "What's going on , did Ethan say something to you " she asked, her voice low and suspicious.
"Nothing, Claire. I was just...looking for Andrew I'm fine"
"Oooh.. okay", Claire immediately switched her full attention to Ethan.
"Ethan..! Avery mentioned something about the coffee accident , hope you didn't sustain burns" she asked scanning his half buttoned chest .
Charlotte felt a surge of relief that the attention was no longer on her. She took a step back, trying to make a quiet exit.
Ethan finished buttoning his shirt and turned to face the group, his expression still aloof.
"Nothing, Claire. Just a minor accident with coffee."
Claire shook her head in disapproval ," Ethan wait I will check fo myself", she muttered and made to unbutton his shirt.
Ethan waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine, Claire. Accidents happens.
The door knob made a sharp crinkle noise as Charlotte turned it to sneak out .
Thankfully it opened without any other noise and Charlotte made to leave, but Ethan's voice stopped her.
"Charlotte?"
Charlotte hesitated but She eventually turned back to him, "Yeah?"
Ethan's expression was still cold, but there was a hint of curiosity in his voice. "What's with the mask?" He raised an eyebrow. "You're not hiding from me, are you?"
Charlotte felt a surge of surprise. How did he know? But she pushed the thought aside and shook her head.
"No, Ethan. I'm not hiding from you."
Ethan's eyes locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. "I thought as much , because there are no such thing like hiding from Ethan Landon.
Ethan finished adjusting his shirt and turned to face Avery, his expression switching from aloof to warmth.
"If you'll excuse me sister, I need to fetch my memo." Avery nodded and held his hand and the walked out.
As Ethan walked out of the bathroom, Charlotte felt a sense of relief wash over her. She was glad to be rid of the awkward tension that had filled the room.
Charlotte and Claire followed Ethan after a few minutes but, Claire caught her arm.
"Charlotte, what's going on with you and Ethan?" she asked, her voice low and curious.
Charlotte sighed, trying to reassure Claire. "Honestly, Claire, there's nothing going on. I'm just a little embarrassed about walking in on him, that's all."
Claire studied Charlotte's face, her expression softening. "Okay, fine. But I have to say, Ethan can be a bit much sometimes. I'm sorry if he was rude to you."
Charlotte shook her head, trying to brush it off. "It's okay, Claire. , but I won't promise not to strike him"
Claire just smiled knowingly. "Charlotte, please put up with him. Ethan's not really as cold as he looks. He's just...complicated."
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite herself. "Complicated?"
Claire nodded. "Yes. He's got a lot going on beneath the surface. But he's a good person, deep down. I promise, we have been friends for a long time"
Charlotte smiled, feeling a sense of reassurance. "Okay, Claire. I'll try to keep that in mind."
Throughout the day, Charlotte couldn't help but notice that Andrew was being withdrawn. He was quieter than usual, and seemed distant, even when she tried to talk to him.
"Hey, Andrew, what's wrong?" Charlotte asked, concern etched on her face. "You seem really dull today."
Andrew shrugged, his eyes avoiding hers. "It's nothing, Buttercups. I'm just tired, that's all."
But Charlotte wasn't convinced. She knew Andrew well enough to recognize when something was bothering him. She tried to press him for more information, but he just shook his head and changed the subject.
Meanwhile, Ethan was keeping a close eye on Charlotte from across the room. He was waiting for the slightest chance to see her face, He had been doing it all day, ever since their encounter in the bathroom.
As Charlotte interacted with Andrew, Ethan's eyes narrowed, his gaze intense. He was trying to read between the lines, to figure out what was going on between Charlotte and Andrew.
But Charlotte was oblivious to Ethan's gaze, too caught up in trying to understand what was wrong with Andrew. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.
As the day wore on, Ethan's glances became more frequent, his eyes locking onto Charlotte's face whenever she looked up. He was waiting for something, anything, that would give him a clue about what her face looks like.
But Charlotte remained unaware, her focus solely on Andrew and trying to figure out what was wrong with him. Little did she know, Ethan was watching her every move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike up a conversation.
As soon as the science class ended, Ethan walked up to Charlotte, his long strides eating up the distance between them.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her to a corner, trapping her between himself and the wall.
"What are you doing?" Charlotte asked, trying to wriggle free from his grasp.
"Meet me after school," Ethan said, his words straight and to the point. "Our lesson section in preparation for the National Science Project will commence today."
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, trying to pull her hand away. "Pardon, I am supposed to work with the Springdale science wizard, not you."
Ethan's eyes glinted with amusement. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but the Springdale science wizard is none other than me, Ethan Landon."
Charlotte's eyes widened in surprise, and she felt a flutter in her chest. She hadn't expected this twist.
Their eyes were locked in a close stare as Charlotte tried to read if he was pulling her legs .
Andrew , Claire & Avery were already gone midway into their classroom when Andrew realized that Charlotte wasn't with them.
"Avery did Buttercups go somewhere ? ,"Andrew asked Avery looking around the hallway.
"No I guess , she might still be in the lab", Claire replied straining her eyes towards the science laboratory.
"Arrrgggh !!, I go and check , you guys should run along we will join you shortly at the cafeteria" Andrew said and started walking back to the laboratory.
Andrew walked in on Ethan and Charlotte in the compromising position, they were locked in each other's gaze .He paused on his tracks watching the conversation unfold between them.
"But...but why didn't you tell me earlier?"Charlotte stammered.
Ethan shrugged, his grip on her hand still firm. "I didn't see the need to. But now that you know, meet me after school and we'll get started."
With that, he released her hand Andrew seeing that Ethan is about to leave, he immediately slide in-between the cupboard and wall and Ethan walked away.
Charlotte grabbed her notebook and checked her wrist, still trying to process the unexpected turn of events. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Andrew's approach.
Andrew slid out of his hiding place and cleared his throat, jolting Charlotte back to reality.
"Buttercups, shall we?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle.
Charlotte nodded in affirmation, She tucked her notebook under her arm and followed Andrew out of the laboratory.
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Note :: like and comment
Andrew has seen and heard enough what do you guys think he will draw the conclusion at .