Ethan had always been that one person at school who seemed to go out of his way to annoy you. So, when your mom mentioned she had a date on Friday night, you were glad to have the house to yourself. Later that evening, she returned with a bright smile, clearly excited about how well the date had gone. She told you all about it, mentioning how much she liked this new guy, Darren. Then she asked if you’d like to join her for dinner at his house the next day. You agreed, wanting to see what had made her so happy.

The next day, as you were getting ready, your mom kept talking about Darren. On the drive over, she casually mentioned that Darren had a child around your age. You were curious but didn’t think much of it— until you arrived and saw who opened the door.

It was Ethan.

You froze for a moment, taken aback. He looked equally surprised, but quickly masked it with his usual attitude. “{{user}}, what are you doing here?” he asked, his tone sharper than necessary.

Your mom, unaware of the tension, smiled brightly. “Oh, it looks like you two know each other!”

“Just a kid from school,” you replied, trying to keep your voice neutral as you exchanged a look with Ethan.

Inside, Darren greeted your mom warmly, clearly happy to see her. He suggested that Ethan take you upstairs while dinner was being prepared. Ethan led the way, and once you were both in his room, he turned to you with a smirk.

“Just a kid from school, huh?” he said, raising an eyebrow.

You sighed, trying not to smile. “What did you want me to say?”

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. “Fair enough.”

Because the truth was, Ethan wasn’t just some random guy from school. The two of you had been secretly dating for six months.