Chapter 3: Building Bridges
Aria took a deep breath, feeling the tension between them. She wanted to make Ethan feel comfortable, to let him know he wasn't alone in whatever he was going through.
"You know," she started, offering him a small smile, "my parents went through a lot before they had me."
Ethan tilted his head slightly, listening.
"My dad, Michael, and my mom, Eve… they tried for years to have a child. Ten years, actually. They wanted a family so badly, but nothing worked. My mom was devastated. She thought it would never happen." Aria paused, her fingers tracing the edge of her sleeve. "Then, one day, she found out she was pregnant with me. It was like a miracle for them."
Ethan's blue eyes softened. "That must've made them really happy."
Aria nodded. "It did. But after I was born, she couldn't have any more kids. There were complications, and the doctors said it was too risky. So, I'm their only child."
She let out a small chuckle, but there was something vulnerable in her expression. "They put everything into me, Ethan. All their love, all their expectations. I know they just want the best for me, but sometimes… I'm scared I'll disappoint them."
Ethan was quiet for a moment, then shook his head. "Aria, that's not possible."
She looked up at him.
"I mean it," he continued. "You're one of the smartest people I know. You're kind, hardworking… If anything, you're the kind of daughter any parent would be proud of."
Aria felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words.
Before she could say anything, Ethan leaned back and let out a breath. "Since we're sharing… I guess I should tell you about my family too."
Aria gave him an encouraging nod.
"My parents are from Chicago. My dad had a good job there, and things were okay for a while. But then he lost his job, and around the same time, my mom… she lost a pregnancy." His voice was quiet, almost hesitant. "She took it really hard. I think that was when things started to fall apart between them."
Aria's heart ached for him. She knew how much Ethan loved his mother.
"My dad tried to keep things together, but it was never the same. Eventually, they decided to move here, thinking a fresh start might help." He let out a dry laugh. "It didn't. My dad never really got back on his feet, and my mom… she's doing better now, but for a long time, she was just lost in her grief."
Aria reached over and placed her hand on his. "I'm sorry, Ethan."
He gave her a small smile. "It's okay. Things are what they are."
There was a brief silence between them, a shared understanding passing through unspoken words.
Then Ethan smirked. "You know, for two people who were supposed to be rivals, we have a lot in common."
Aria laughed. "Yeah, I guess we do."
She held out her hand. "So… best friends?"
Ethan looked at her hand for a moment before taking it in his. "Best friends."
And just like that, everything changed.
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From that moment on, Aria and Ethan became inseparable.
Their rivalry had melted away, replaced by a bond stronger than either of them had expected. It started with simple things—walking home together, studying late at night, watching movies at Aria's house. But over time, Ethan became more than just her best friend.
When his parents finally divorced, his father moved back to Chicago, leaving Ethan with his mother. Though she was recovering from her depression, she worked long hours to support them, often leaving Ethan alone at home.
Aria's family didn't even hesitate.
Michael and Eve welcomed him into their home like he was their own. He had his own spot at the dinner table, a spare key to their house, and even a drawer in Aria's room where he kept some of his things. It became a running joke between them—how Ethan practically lived there.
"You might as well change your last name to Carter," Aria had teased once, stuffing a forkful of pancakes into her mouth.
Ethan had smirked. "Only if I get my own room."
By the time high school rolled around, they were more than best friends. They were family.
But something was shifting between them.
Now seniors at eighteen, preparing for college, everything felt different.
Ethan had grown taller, standing at an impressive six feet with a lean but muscular build. He had the kind of body that turned heads, the sharp angles of his jawline and his striking blue eyes making him the center of attention. His golden-blond hair was always a little messy, and his confident smirk had half the girls in school swooning.
And then there was Aria. She had changed too. Gone was the skinny, awkward girl from middle school. She had grown into her curves, her long auburn hair falling in soft waves down her back. Her amber eyes, once overlooked, now held a certain depth that made people take a second glance.
People talked.
They saw them together—laughing in the hallways, studying in the library, whispering secrets no one else could hear. And they assumed.
But Aria and Ethan never entertained the rumors.
Because as far as they were concerned, they were just best friends.
Even when girls in school would slip Aria love notes for Ethan, asking her to pass them along. Even when Ethan would read them aloud dramatically, making her burst into laughter.
Even when Aria's stomach twisted in a way she didn't understand every time another girl got too close to him.
It didn't mean anything.
Right?
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That's only a question that the unknown can answer....