It was an elective, and my boyfriend had, yet again, only saved a seat for his childhood best friend. This time, I didn't fight her. I didn't make a scene. I clutched my textbook and walked over to sit next to the campus brainiac, Ethan Knight. While my boyfriend and his "bestie" were getting all handsy, I tugged on Ethan's sleeve. "Your girlfriend is flirting with my boyfriend. Aren't you jealous?" Ethan's gaze was cool: "I don't have a girlfriend." I bit my lip and leaned closer: "Well, do you want one?" "What's the upside?" He stopped writing and looked at me. My cheeks flushed: "You de-stress, I fix my hormones. Win-win." 01 The moment I walked into the lecture hall, I spotted my boyfriend, Liam Ford. And right next to him, laughing and draped over his shoulder, was his childhood friend, Jenna Wells. They saw me, too. Liam instinctively moved to push Jenna away. But Jenna, smug as ever, just arched an eyebrow at me: "Oops, sorry! Liam only saved the one extra seat. First come, first served." The classroom went silent. Everyone was watching. This wasn't the first time Liam had only saved a seat for Jenna. The first time, I was devastated. I cried and ran out. The second time, Jenna provoked me again. I fought her, had a screaming match, and snatched my seat back. Because of Jenna, Liam and I had nothing but fights. All that stress had totally messed up my hormones. This time, seeing them pull the same tired stunt, I just felt utterly bored. I didn't fight Jenna. I didn't yell at Liam. I didn't even look at either of them. I just hugged my textbook and walked straight to the only empty seat in the back row. "Excuse me, is this spot taken?" 02 Ethan Knight, who was writing notes with his headphones on, looked up. His gaze seemed to pause on my face for a second before shifting. Then, he stood up and gestured for me to slide in. I quietly thanked him and settled into the inner seat. Up front. There was a loud thud as a textbook was slammed onto a desk. I looked up. I met Jenna's glare. Her eyes held a clear, burning resentment. I suddenly remembered a rumor I’d heard when I first arrived at school. Jenna supposedly had a childhood engagement—a "betrothal"—to Ethan Knight. I couldn't help but look at the guy next to me. He had put his headphones back on and was bent over, focused on a problem set. I could only see his cool, remote profile, radiating an air of untouchable distance. My phone buzzed. It was Liam. [Lost a bet last night, that’s why I saved the seat for Jenna today.] [Don't be mad, babe. Taking you out for a steak dinner tonight.] Reading his words, I just felt ridiculous. There was always an excuse. It was never that he stood me up, it was because Jenna was sick and he had to take her to the clinic. It was never that they were flirting, it was because they grew up naked together and were "pure bros." If there was really anything going on, would he even be dating me? Liam was my first boyfriend. I had taken the relationship seriously. That's why I was always so easily swayed by his mood swings. But now, I just felt empty. I didn't reply. I just closed the chat. During the break. Jenna and Liam started wrestling. "Oh, you're gonna use the strong arm against your dad, huh, Liam?" Jenna lunged, chasing Liam around. They looked more like they were heavily flirting. Jenna went for his neck, playfully choking him. Liam looked completely into it. "Okay, enough, act like a lady for once," he chuckled. "My dad here isn't one of those dramatic girls," Jenna said meaningfully, glancing over at me. "I won't cry a few 'cat tears' for attention." "And I don't use a squeaky voice, it's sickening." I looked down and curled the corners of my mouth. Under the desk, my hand lightly tugged the sleeve of Ethan Knight's shirt. "Ethan." He turned his head to look at me. I pressed my lips together and pointed to his headphones. Ethan didn't speak, but he lifted his hand and removed the headphone from my side. I lowered my voice and, just as Jenna had described, gave it a slight squeak. "Your girlfriend is flirting with my boyfriend. Aren't you jealous?" 03 Ethan's eyes were utterly clear: "I don't have a girlfriend." "But I heard she has a betrothal—a childhood engagement—with you." "Utter nonsense." Ethan's voice suddenly grew cold. I couldn't help but look at him again, my gaze tracing his sharp, defined jawline. Then slowly moving down to the hand holding the pen. The sunlight streamed through the window, bathing him in light. His long fingers were like polished jade. I bit my lip, leaned in close, and whispered. "Well, do you want one?" "Want what?" Ethan suddenly turned his head to face me. I didn't have time to pull away. I was hit with a faint but clean, cooling scent of peppermint. My breath hitched: "A girlfriend." Ethan put his pen down decisively: "What's the upside?" My cheeks flushed, and I lowered my long eyelashes. There was a red, angry pimple on my chin. It was throbbing and itching. My roommate said it was stress and a hormonal imbalance. Up front, Liam and Jenna were still being handsy. Jenna was sitting on the desk, teasingly kicking Liam. Every now and then, she would look over at me and laugh—loudly. Her laughter sounded carefree, but it was grating on my nerves. When Jenna first met me, she was instantly hostile. Liam introduced us. She stood next to him, arm hooked over his shoulder like any of his "bros." She looked me up and down. Then she punched Liam's arm: "You're dating one of those delicate 'little white flowers,' huh, Dad?" "If you ever ditch your friends for her, I'll be the first to call you out." Liam had laughed happily. He probably enjoyed that dynamic all along. I took a deep breath. As Jenna looked over again, laughing on purpose, I tugged Ethan's sleeve under the desk. "You de-stress, I fix my hormones. Win-win." I’d heard whispers that Ethan’s current research project was incredibly difficult. He’d been pulling all-nighters in the lab. Ethan didn't speak. His beautiful hand picked up the pen and twirled it. After a long moment, he looked back at me and curved his lips. "Sounds promising, but..." I unconsciously held my breath. The sunlight vanished behind a cloud. Ethan's voice was suddenly cold: "I'm not interested in other people's girlfriends." 04 Class resumed. Jenna was seated properly now. The professor walked in. The noisy classroom quieted down. I leaned in and whispered so only Ethan could hear: "I've already decided to break up with him." Ethan kept his eyes straight ahead at the whiteboard. "Then break up first." I didn't dare speak to him again. He was famously the top scholar on campus. When he got serious, he had an air of cold, untouchable seriousness. For the rest of the half-hour lecture. I kept my eyes obediently on the board and the professor. But only I knew my mind was already a million miles away. Just before class ended. Liam suddenly sent another text: [Something came up. Let’s meet tomorrow.] I quickly replied: [No need to meet again. We’re done. Break up.] [Stop being dramatic, Riley. I promise I’ll make it up to you this weekend.] [How many times do I have to say it? Jenna and I are just friends.] [Fine, I guarantee I won't let her crash our date this weekend.] I didn't reply again. As soon as class ended, Jenna grabbed Liam and rushed out. As she left, she glanced back at the back row. This time, she wasn't looking at me—she was looking at Ethan. But Ethan was organizing his books with his headphones on, not looking up. Jenna looked slightly disappointed and quickly pulled Liam away. "Ethan, let's exchange numbers." I called out to him as he stood up, summoning my courage. Ethan didn't scan my QR code. "Break up first." He was so tall. Looking down at me, I always felt like there was no hiding from him. As if nothing could escape his notice. I didn't dare look him in the eye. I pulled up the chat with Liam and showed him. I whispered: "See, it’s done." Ethan looked at it. Then, right in front of him, I deleted and blocked Liam. "Do you believe me now?" Ethan's impossibly handsome face still showed no emotion. But he pulled out his phone, brought up his QR code: "Add me."
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "386940", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel