The next morning, I couldn't stop thinking about what Ethan said.
We're a team now.
It sounded simple.
But coming from him, it meant something different.
For three years, Ethan Blake had only been one thing to me—my rival.
Now he was my partner in the competition.
And somehow… my fake boyfriend.
The situation felt stranger the more I thought about it.
Morning at School
When I arrived at school, the hallway was already busy.
Students were talking loudly, lockers slamming open and shut.
Normal morning chaos.
I walked toward my classroom, but before I could reach the door, someone called my name.
"Lena."
I turned.
Ethan was walking toward me.
He looked calm as always, his bag slung over one shoulder.
"You're early," he said.
"I usually am."
We started walking toward class together.
A few students noticed us immediately.
Some whispered.
Others just watched.
At this point, I was used to it.
But something else caught my attention.
Across the hallway, Clara was leaning against a locker.
Watching us.
Her eyes followed Ethan.
Then shifted to me.
She didn't say anything.
She just observed.
Like she was studying something.
"Don't look," Ethan said quietly.
I blinked.
"You noticed?"
"Yes."
His tone was calm.
But there was something slightly sharper underneath.
"She's competitive," he added.
"So am I," I replied.
That made him glance at me briefly.
"I know."
Competition Practice
After classes ended, the competition team gathered in the classroom again.
Our teacher handed out a new set of problems.
"These are harder than the national qualifiers," she explained. "If you can solve these together, you'll be ready."
Ethan and I sat beside each other as usual.
Across the room, Clara sat with the backup team.
But every once in a while, I could feel her looking in our direction.
We started working through the problems.
The first few were manageable.
Then we reached one that was… ridiculous.
I stared at the page.
"This question makes no sense."
Ethan leaned closer.
"Let me see."
Our shoulders touched slightly as he read the problem.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he tapped the page.
"You're looking at it the wrong way."
"How?"
"It's not a math problem," he said. "It's a logic trap."
I looked again.
And suddenly…
It clicked.
"Oh."
He smiled faintly.
"There it is."
"You should explain things like that sooner."
"And miss the moment when you figure it out?"
I rolled my eyes.
But I couldn't hide a small smile.
Someone Interrupts
Just as we finished solving the problem, a chair scraped across the floor.
Clara stood up and walked toward us.
She stopped beside our table.
"I heard you solved the challenge already."
Ethan looked up calmly.
"Yes."
She glanced at our notebook.
"Mind if I see?"
Before I could answer, Ethan slid the notebook slightly toward her.
Clara studied the solution carefully.
For a moment, she didn't say anything.
Then she looked at me.
"You're improving."
The compliment sounded genuine.
But something in her tone felt… challenging.
"I've always been good," I replied.
She smiled slightly.
"I can see that."
Then she turned to Ethan.
"Looks like you two really do work well together."
Her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer.
Then she walked back to her seat.
After Practice
When the session ended, Ethan and I left the classroom together.
The sky outside had turned orange with sunset again.
"Do you trust her?" I asked suddenly.
Ethan glanced at me.
"Clara?"
"Yes."
He thought for a moment.
"She's ambitious."
"That's not the same as trustworthy."
"No," he agreed.
We walked in silence for a few seconds.
Then he added quietly,
"But she won't beat us."
I looked at him.
"Confident, aren't you?"
He shook his head slightly.
"Not confident."
Then he met my eyes.
"Certain."
For some reason, hearing him say that made my chest feel lighter.
Because for the first time since this competition started…
I realized something.
Ethan wasn't just trying to win.
He was making sure we won.
And whether this relationship was fake or not…
We were standing on the same side now.
Even if someone like Clara was watching from the sidelines.
Waiting for a chance to step in.