Chapter 3: Testing Boundaries

Lucy spent the following morning at school trying to focus on her classes, but Ethan lingered in her thoughts like an uninvited guest. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the memory of his smirk or the way his presence made her feel simultaneously irritated and flustered.

At lunch, Ellie was relentless in her curiosity.

“Let me guess,” Ellie said, sitting down with her tray. “Bad boy Ethan is still occupying way too much of your brain space.”

Lucy glared at her. “Can we talk about something else?”

Ellie grinned. “Nope. I live for this drama. So, what’s he done now?”

Lucy sighed, picking at her food. “Nothing. He’s just... everywhere.”

“Everywhere? Or in your head?”

Lucy groaned, dropping her fork. “You’re impossible.”

Ellie leaned closer. “Listen, Luce. Maybe you need to stand up to him. Show him he can’t mess with you.”

“I don’t think that’s going to work,” Lucy muttered.

“Why not?”

“Because,” Lucy said, lowering her voice, “he thrives on getting a reaction. The more I push back, the more he enjoys it.”

Ellie smirked. “Then stop pushing back. Play it cool. Ignore him. Nothing throws a guy off more than indifference.”

Lucy nodded, considering the advice. Maybe Ellie was right. If she stopped letting Ethan get under her skin, he’d lose interest.

---

Back at Home

When Lucy returned home that afternoon, the house was eerily quiet. She dropped her bag by the door and headed to the kitchen, but she stopped short when she saw Ethan leaning against the fridge, eating an apple.

“Hey, bookworm,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement.

Lucy took a deep breath, determined not to let him rattle her. “Hi, Ethan.”

His eyebrows lifted, clearly surprised by her calm tone. “That’s it? No snarky comment? No death glare?”

She shrugged, grabbing a bottle of water from the counter. “Nope.”

Ethan narrowed his eyes, watching her carefully. “What’s going on? Did someone put you up to this?”

“Nope,” she repeated, turning to leave the kitchen.

“Wait,” he said, stepping in front of her. “You’re acting weird. What’s your deal?”

Lucy looked up at him, meeting his gaze head-on. “I don’t have a deal, Ethan. Maybe I’ve just decided you’re not worth the effort.”

For a moment, he said nothing, his blue eyes searching hers. Then, to her surprise, he grinned.

“Alright, Carter,” he said, stepping aside. “Let’s see how long you can keep that up.”

Lucy walked past him, her heart pounding. She had no idea how long she could keep it up, but she was determined to try.

---

An Unexpected Encounter

Later that evening, Lucy was in her room, finishing an essay, when she heard a knock at her door. Before she could answer, the door opened, and Ethan strolled in.

“Ever heard of privacy?” she asked, glaring at him.

“Relax,” he said, leaning against her desk. “I’m just here to talk.”

Lucy crossed her arms. “About what?”

“You,” he said simply.

Her stomach flipped, but she kept her expression neutral. “What about me?”

Ethan smirked, tilting his head. “You’re different today. Not in a bad way, just... different.”

“Maybe I’m tired of playing your games,” she said, meeting his gaze.

“Games?” he repeated, chuckling. “You think I’m playing games with you?”

“Aren’t you?”

Ethan leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “What if I’m not?”

Lucy’s breath hitched, and she quickly looked away. “You should leave. My dad wouldn’t like you being in here.”

“Your dad’s not here,” he pointed out, but he straightened and stepped back. “Alright, I’ll go. For now.”

As he left, Lucy closed the door and leaned against it, her heart racing. She didn’t know what Ethan’s intentions were, but she couldn’t deny that he was getting harder to ignore.

---

Rising Tension

The next few days passed in a blur of awkward encounters and stolen glances. Ethan seemed to find new ways to invade Lucy’s space, his teasing more relentless than ever.

But Lucy started to notice something else, too—something she hadn’t expected. Beneath his cocky exterior, Ethan had moments of surprising depth. She caught glimpses of it in the way he spoke to her father about their research, his passion for the subject clear.

It was confusing, frustrating, and... intriguing.

One evening, as Lucy sat in the living room reading, Ethan came in and flopped onto the couch beside her.

“Don’t you have your own space?” she asked, not looking up.

“Your couch is more comfortable,” he replied, stretching out lazily.

Lucy sighed, trying to focus on her book. But his presence was distracting, his proximity making her heart race.

“You’re impossible,” she muttered.

Ethan grinned. “And you’re adorable when you’re annoyed.”

“Stop saying things like that,” she snapped, closing her book.

“Why? Does it bother you?”

“Yes,” she admitted, standing up.

Ethan’s grin softened, and for a moment, he looked almost serious. “Then maybe I should stop.”

Lucy hesitated, unsure how to respond. Finally, she shook her head and left the room, her emotions swirling.