All Chapters of BETWEEN THE THREE OF US : Chapter 21 - Chapter 28

Tuesday began normally.At least, it was supposed to.Eliana arrived on campus early, carrying a notebook in one hand and her phone in the other. She had barely reached the courtyard when she spotted Nate.He was leaning against a tree, talking to a girl Eliana didn't recognize.The girl was pretty.Very pretty.She laughed at something Nate said and touched his arm.Eliana slowed down.She wasn't sure why.She wasn't jealous.She couldn't be.After all, Nate was allowed to talk to whoever he wanted.Still, something uncomfortable settled in her stomach.“Morning.”She nearly jumped.Ilyas was beside her.“Morning.”He followed her gaze.“Nate?”“Yeah.”Ilyas watched them for a moment.“Who's she?”“I don't know.”There was something in his voice.Eliana looked at him.“You sound bothered.”“I'm not.”“You are.”“I was just asking.”She smiled.“Sure.”Before either of them could say anything else, Nate noticed them.He smiled and waved.“Hey!”The girl turned to look.Nate walked ove

By Thursday, Eliana had reached a dangerous conclusion.The competition was working.Not because she had chosen either of them.She hadn't.If anything, she was more confused than ever.But Nate and Ilyas had both become so determined to show her why she should choose them that she was beginning to see sides of them she hadn't noticed before.Nate was spontaneous.He could turn an ordinary afternoon into an adventure without even trying.Ilyas was thoughtful.He remembered the smallest details and somehow always knew when something was bothering her.And both of them made her feel safe.That was the problem.She didn't want to lose either of them.Her phone buzzed while she was walking across campus.Nate:Dinner tonight?Before she could reply, another message appeared.Ilyas:Are you free after class?Eliana stopped walking.“You've got to be kidding me.”Amara, who was walking beside her, looked over.“What?”Eliana showed her the messages.Amara stared at the screen.Then she burs

Nate had always thought he understood himself.He liked girls.That wasn't something he'd ever questioned.He'd had crushes before. He'd flirted before. He'd fallen for someone before.So when he started falling for Eliana, it hadn't confused him.She was beautiful.Funny.Stubborn.Kind.She made him feel things he'd never really known how to explain.Liking her made perfect sense.What didn't make sense was Ilyas.Nate sat on his bed that night, staring at the ceiling.He'd been trying to sleep for almost an hour.It wasn't working.Because every time he closed his eyes, he saw the same thing.Ilyas smiling.Ilyas laughing.Ilyas standing across from him in the lobby earlier that evening.That stupid handshake.The way their eyes had met afterward.Nate sat up.“Why am I thinking about him?”He rubbed his face.It was probably nothing.Maybe he was just tired.Maybe the competition had gotten into his head.Maybe he was jealous because Ilyas was his competition.That explanation mad

Friday afternoon was supposed to be simple.Eliana had suggested that the three of them study together at the library before the weekend. Nate agreed immediately. Ilyas agreed a few minutes later.Neither boy mentioned the coffee.Neither mentioned the strange looks they had exchanged the previous day.Neither mentioned the fact that they had both gone home thinking about each other.They simply agreed to meet.But when Nate arrived at the library, he found Ilyas already there.“You're early.”Ilyas looked up from his book.“So are you.”Nate pulled out a chair.“I didn't want to be late.”“Neither did I.”Nate smiled.There was something different about being alone with Ilyas now.Before, it had been easy.They were friends.Two guys who happened to become neighbors.Now every small interaction seemed to carry another meaning.Nate sat down.“What are you studying?”“History.”“That's boring.”“You're studying economics.”“Exactly. Mine is useful.”Ilyas laughed.Nate smiled.He love