The next day at work, things were... complicated.
Jason hadn't been at the office, but Ethan was.
He seemed to be everywhere I went.
The break room. The elevator. The hallway.
And every time our eyes met, it felt like electricity in the air. A subtle, dangerous tension that I couldn't ignore, no matter how hard I tried.
I was doing my best to keep my distance. After all, I had a boyfriend—one I was still trying to fix things with. But Ethan didn't seem to be making it easy.
He didn't speak much, but there was always that look in his eyes. Like he knew exactly what I was thinking—and he didn't care.
At lunch, I sat by myself, trying to get some work done, but I couldn't focus. I could feel his gaze on me from across the room. The room seemed smaller, air thicker, as if his presence was suffocating me.
Then, to my surprise, Ethan walked over. "You look like you need some fresh air."
I looked up, surprised. "What do you mean?"
"You're tense." He paused, glancing down at my hands, which were tightly gripping my phone. "You should relax. It's just lunch."
I didn't know how to respond. Should I tell him to mind his own business? Should I act like nothing was happening between us?
Instead, I simply nodded. "Maybe you're right."
Without another word, he turned and walked away.
But as he did, I noticed something strange in his demeanor. For the first time, he didn't seem so cold. He seemed... concerned.