The lodge was unusually quiet that evening.
Most of the students had gone to bed hours ago, leaving only Lena and Ethan behind in his room. Their late-night movie ritual had become normal now, almost comforting, though every time they were alone, the air between them buzzed with unspoken tension.
"Are you ready for the next one?" Ethan asked, setting up the laptop on the bed.
Lena nodded, curling up beside him. "Yeah… but only if we promise to keep it PG this time," she teased, though her heart was already racing.
Ethan laughed softly, the sound warm and low. "No promises."
The movie started, shadows flickering across the walls. Lena's head found its usual place on his chest, and Ethan draped an arm around her shoulders. Each jump scare made her squeak and flinch, and each time, Ethan would pull her closer, whispering a soft joke or brushing her hair back.
It was innocent. It was electric.
And it was dangerous.
Hours passed. Their hands brushed more often than needed. Kisses lingered longer than before. Lena could feel the tension rising—every heartbeat syncing with his. Every breath felt shared.
"You're going to get us caught one of these days," Lena whispered, though part of her didn't want him to stop.
"I don't care," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her again.
Their lips met, soft at first, then hungered for more. Ethan's hands moved tentatively, brushing along her arms and shoulders. Lena responded, letting herself melt into him—but she pulled back firmly when he tried to go further.
"Not yet," she whispered, and he obeyed, resting his forehead against hers.
The movie finally ended, and Lena tried to get up, suddenly remembering the time.
"I should go back to my room," she said, standing.
But when she reached for the door handle, it wouldn't budge.
She tried again. Locked.
"Uh… Ethan?" she called nervously.
He frowned. "What's wrong?"
"The door… it's stuck."
A knot of panic twisted in her stomach. She banged lightly on the door. Nothing.
Ethan quickly stood, moving to her side. "Okay… stay calm. Let me check."
After a few minutes of jiggling, twisting, and finally calling for help from the neighboring room, the door finally gave way.
Lena exhaled, heart pounding. "That… was scary."
Ethan smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I guess it forced us to spend even more time together," he said, teasing.
Her cheeks burned. "Yeah… forced time."
But the incident didn't stop there. Rumors spread faster than she could imagine. Some girls in the lodge saw them leaving his room late that night and whispered to others. Lena felt the weight of every gaze, every judgmental comment.
And Maya… eventually, she would hear about it.
Ethan noticed Lena growing quieter, more reserved. He wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault. That he liked her, maybe more than he should. But he stayed silent, knowing that saying too much could complicate everything.
That night, as Lena lay in her own bed, she realized something terrifying:
Her feelings for Ethan weren't going away.
And neither was the danger of being caught.