Are We Dating

ETHAN'S POV;

When Adrian and I stepped into our classroom, I realized that the attention he'd received outside the school was only the beginning.

"Adrian!"

"You're finally back!"

"Tell us about Canada!"

"Did you really go to Toronto?"

"Why didn't you post more pictures?"

Within seconds, several girls surrounded his desk.

I stood beside him for a moment before quietly making my way to my seat.

I wasn't surprised.

This was Adrian.

He had always been popular, but somehow, after spending a month away from school, his return had turned him into some kind of celebrity.

Girls kept finding reasons to talk to him throughout the morning.

One wanted to know what he had bought in Canada.

Another asked him whether he had met anyone interesting.

Someone else complimented his hair.

Adrian took everything casually, laughing and answering their questions without acting like he was particularly impressed by the attention.

That was one thing about him.

He never acted like he was better than anyone else.

Even when half the class seemed interested in him, he remained the same Adrian I'd known since we were six.

I watched him from my seat as he joked with the girls around his desk.

I told myself I wasn't jealous.

I was simply observing.

At least, that was what I wanted to believe.

By the time our morning classes ended, Adrian had probably been approached by more people than I'd spoken to all week.

When the bell for break finally rang, everyone immediately began moving around.

I packed my books into my bag and waited for Adrian.

We always went to the cafeteria together.

It was another one of those routines that had become so normal that neither of us questioned it.

I was still waiting for him to finish putting his things away when a familiar voice came from behind me.

"Adrian."

I turned.

Alexis stood there.

She was the principal's daughter and one of the most popular girls in school.

She was also the captain of the girls' cheer squad and had a reputation for being almost impossible to ignore.

Beautiful.

Confident.

Popular.

Almost every boy in school had either liked her at some point or wanted to date her.

But Alexis had never seemed particularly interested in them.

Because, according to everyone, she had her eyes on Adrian.

"Can you come with me for break?" she asked.

I glanced toward Adrian.

"I'll go with you after—"

Before I could finish, Alexis walked past me toward him.

"Adrian."

He looked up. "Alexis."

She folded her arms.

"You didn't even get me anything from your vacation."

Adrian's eyebrows lifted. "Oh."

He paused.

"I'm sorry. It honestly slipped my mind."

Alexis stared at him. "You forgot me?"

"I didn't forget you."

"You just forgot to get me anything."

"Okay, maybe."

She shook her head dramatically. "You owe me."

Adrian laughed. "I'll make it up to you."

Although Adrian and Alexis had always been friends, there was an obvious difference between how Adrian treated her and how she treated him.

To Adrian, Alexis was a friend.

To Alexis, Adrian was clearly something more.

Everyone knew it.

Even Adrian probably knew it.

But he never seemed interested in encouraging her.

Whenever Alexis asked him out, Adrian somehow always had an excuse.

And somehow, most of those excuses involved me.

“Ethan and I already have plans.”

“Ethan needs me.”

“We're supposed to study together.”

“I promised Ethan we'd go somewhere.”

Sometimes I wondered if Adrian even realized how often he used me as an excuse.

Alexis suddenly reached into her bag and pulled out a small gift bag.

"Fine. Since you forgot mine, here's yours."

Adrian looked surprised. "For me?"

"Obviously."

He hesitated before taking it.

Then he looked inside.

A smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Thanks."

I couldn't see what was inside from where I stood, so Adrian turned toward me and lifted it slightly.

"Look."

I stepped closer.

Inside was a bar of chocolate.

I recognized it immediately.

His favorite chocolate.

I stared at it for a second.

Alexis had somehow remembered. And suddenly, I regretted not buying Adrian something when I'd had the chance.

I'd spent the entire morning thinking about how happy I was to see him again, yet I hadn't thought to bring him anything.

I smiled anyway. "Nice."

Adrian looked at the chocolate again.

"She actually remembered this."

Of course she did.

Alexis had always paid attention to him.

I was about to say something when Alexis suddenly looked toward me.

"Oh."

She smiled politely.

"Hi, Ethan."

I knew immediately that she hadn't just noticed me.

She had noticed me the entire time.

"Hi."

I gave her a polite smile and waved.

She waved back, but there was something distant about the expression on her face.

I wasn't surprised.

I was almost certain Alexis didn't particularly like me.

Not because I'd ever done anything to her, but because of Adrian.

Whenever she asked Adrian to go somewhere with her, he always somehow ended up bringing me along.

If she asked him to eat lunch with her, he'd say the three of us could go.

If she invited him somewhere after school, he'd mention that I was supposed to be with him.

If she wanted to talk to him alone, he'd somehow find a reason why I needed to come too.

I had never asked him to do any of it.

He just did.

And I couldn't deny that I liked it.

Maybe too much.

My thoughts were interrupted when Alexis stepped closer to Adrian and placed a hand on his back.

I immediately noticed.

Adrian looked at her.

"You said you were going to make it up to me, right?"

Adrian nodded. "Yeah."

She smiled.

"Then come with me to the cafeteria. We can eat together."

Adrian glanced toward me. "We can go.”

I smiled. "Yeah."

I reached for my bag.

But before Adrian could take another step, Alexis caught his hand.

"I meant the two of us."

Adrian looked down at her hand before looking back at her.

"Oh."

"We haven't spent any time together since you came back."

Adrian hesitated.

"We can all eat together."

Alexis shook her head.

"I just want to eat with you today."

She paused.

"And I have something I want to tell you privately."

Adrian's expression changed slightly. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Alexis frowned. "Why?"

"Because..." He glanced at me. "I don't eat without Ethan."

My heart stopped.

I looked at him.

He said it so naturally as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Alexis stared at him for several seconds, then her expression hardened.

"Why do you always do that?"

Adrian frowned. "Do what?"

"Everything has to involve Ethan."

I shifted uncomfortably.

Alexis turned toward me t

hen she looked back at Adrian.

"Why are you treating Ethan like a baby?"

Adrian's expression became serious.

"Alexis—"

But she didn't let him finish.

She turned fully toward me, her eyes narrowing. Then she asked the question that made my entire body go still.

"Are you two dating?"