Ava Lancaster. The daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the city. Everyone admired her, envied her, wanted to be her friend. But to Ethan, she was just Ava—the girl who used to steal his lunch when they were kids, the girl who cried when he scraped his knee, the girl he once promised to always protect.
But that promise no longer mattered.
Sitting at the back of the classroom, Ethan kept his head down, pretending not to notice the way Ava glanced at him from across the room. They hadn't spoken in years—not since middle school when he started pulling away, convinced that someone like him had no place beside someone like her.
"Ethan."
His pen stilled at the sound of her voice. It was soft, hesitant, almost as if she was afraid he would ignore her.
He should ignore her.
Instead, he sighed and turned to face her. "What?"
Ava smiled—a hopeful, bright smile that made his chest ache. "I was wondering… could you help me study?"
He frowned. "Why?"
"Because you're the smartest in class," she said easily. "And… I want to be like you."
His heart clenched. She didn't get it. She never did. He wasn't someone she should admire—he was just a guy trying to survive. And yet, no matter how much he wanted to push her away, he couldn't deny her.
"…Fine," he muttered. "But don't expect me to go easy on you."
Ava beamed, as if he had just given her the greatest gift in the world.
Ethan turned away before she could see the conflicted look in his eyes.
He shouldn't do this. He shouldn't let her back in.
But deep down, he knew it was already too late.