Chapter 5: The Morning After

Chapter 5: The Morning After

Lucy woke up to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the curtains, her neck aching slightly. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she realized she wasn’t in her room. The events of the storm came rushing back, and her stomach sank as she became acutely aware of the weight pressing against her shoulder.

She turned her head cautiously, her breath catching when she saw Ethan’s face inches from hers. He was still asleep, his features relaxed and softer than she’d ever seen them. His usual cocky smirk was absent, replaced by something almost peaceful.

Her heart raced as she remembered falling asleep on the couch—and apparently on him. How had this happened? And why hadn’t he moved?

Slowly, she tried to ease away, but the motion stirred Ethan. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked at her, groggy at first, then gradually more alert.

“Morning, bookworm,” he said, his voice rough from sleep.

Lucy bolted upright, the blanket falling to her lap. “This—this isn’t what it looks like!”

Ethan stretched lazily, his smirk returning. “Relax. I didn’t exactly plan for you to use me as a pillow, but I didn’t mind.”

Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she stood abruptly, clutching the blanket to her chest. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

He shrugged. “You looked comfortable. And honestly, it was kind of nice. You’re less scary when you’re not glaring at me.”

“I don’t glare at you!” she protested, but her voice was shaky, betraying her embarrassment.

Ethan grinned, standing and ruffling his already messy hair. “Sure you don’t.”

Before she could respond, the sound of the front door opening broke the moment. Lucy’s father called out from the hallway.

“Lucy? Ethan? Everything okay?”

Her stomach dropped. “Oh no,” she whispered.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her panic. “Relax, Carter. We didn’t do anything wrong.”

Lucy shot him a glare—this time a genuine one—and hurried to the kitchen to greet her father.

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An Awkward Breakfast

Breakfast was a tense affair. Lucy kept her eyes glued to her plate, refusing to look at Ethan. Meanwhile, he seemed entirely unbothered, chatting casually with her father about their research.

“Thank you for holding down the fort last night,” her father said to Ethan. “I hope Lucy wasn’t too much trouble.”

Ethan smirked, his eyes flicking briefly to Lucy. “Not at all. We managed.”

Lucy’s fork clattered against her plate, and she quickly excused herself, retreating to her room.

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Confusion and Conflict

Once she was safely behind closed doors, Lucy sank onto her bed, burying her face in her hands. She couldn’t stop replaying the events of the night before—the storm, the candles, Ethan’s teasing comments, and the way he’d let her fall asleep on him.

Why did he have to be so... complicated?

She hated how he got under her skin, how he made her feel things she didn’t want to feel. It wasn’t just irritation anymore. There was something else, something she didn’t want to name.

A knock at her door startled her.

“Go away, Ethan,” she called, her voice muffled by her hands.

But, of course, he didn’t listen.

The door opened, and he leaned against the frame, his usual smirk firmly in place. “You know, running away doesn’t solve anything.”

“What do you want?” she snapped, sitting up and glaring at him.

“Just checking on you,” he said, stepping inside. “You seemed a little... flustered.”

“I’m not flustered,” she said, crossing her arms.

He chuckled, closing the door behind him. “Sure you’re not.”

Lucy glared at him. “You can’t just walk into my room whenever you feel like it.”

“Why not? You did sleep on me last night. I’d say we’re past formalities.”

Her cheeks burned, and she stood abruptly. “You’re impossible.”

Ethan stepped closer, his expression shifting from playful to serious. “And you’re kind of fun to mess with.”

“Is that all this is to you? A game?” she demanded, her voice rising.

For a moment, he didn’t answer. His blue eyes searched hers, and she thought she saw something flicker in his gaze—something almost vulnerable.

“Maybe it started that way,” he admitted. “But now... I’m not so sure.”

Lucy’s breath caught. She didn’t know how to respond, and the intensity of his gaze made her heart pound.

“You can’t keep doing this,” she said finally, her voice trembling. “You can’t keep... confusing me.”

Ethan’s smirk returned, but it was softer this time. “You’re the one making it complicated, Carter. I’m just being honest.”

With that, he turned and left, leaving her standing there, her emotions swirling in a confusing, chaotic mess.

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A Turning Point

As the day went on, Lucy couldn’t shake the conversation from her mind. Ethan’s words replayed over and over, leaving her more conflicted than ever.

By the time evening came, she found herself standing outside his room, her hand hovering over the door. She wasn’t sure what she was doing—what she wanted—but she knew she couldn’t avoid him forever.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked.

Ethan opened the door, his expression unreadable. “Lucy?”

“We need to talk,” she said firmly, stepping inside before she could lose her nerve.

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