The soft light of morning crept through the curtains, brushing against Aria's face.
She groaned quietly and buried her head deeper into the pillow, her body aching from the night before.
When she finally opened her eyes, her surroundings made her blink twice.
This wasn't her room.
The scent was different — faintly of soap, coffee, and something warm she couldn't name.
She sat up slowly, the blanket slipping off her shoulders. Then she saw it — the shirt she was wearing. His shirt.
Her heartbeat jumped.
Memories rushed back — the rain, his jacket, the way he'd carried her, his quiet voice in the dark.
She turned her head and froze when she saw him.
Ethan was asleep on the couch, one arm thrown over his eyes, the other hanging loosely by his side. His hair was messy, his shirt half-buttoned, and even in sleep, he looked calm… too calm.
Aria's cheeks flushed. She ran her fingers through her hair and whispered, "Oh my God… what did I do?"
She looked at the clock on the wall — 10:03 a.m.
Her eyes widened. "I missed school?" she gasped under her breath, panic flashing in her eyes.
She jumped out of bed, forgetting she was still wearing his shirt, and nearly tripped over the blanket. The noise made Ethan stir.
He turned his head lazily, his voice still heavy with sleep.
"Good morning… troublemaker."
Aria froze. "I—I'm not trouble," she stammered, brushing her hair off her face. "And I wasn't going to stay this long."
Ethan sat up slowly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You slept like a baby in my bed. I wasn't exactly expecting you to leave early."
Her face turned crimson. "I didn't mean to fall asleep here. You should've woken me up!"
He chuckled softly. "I tried… but you said something about not wanting me to go. Remember?"
She stared at him, speechless. "I said that?"
He leaned back on the couch, teasing, "Loud and clear."
For a moment, the air between them grew warm — awkward, but sweet.
Then Aria crossed her arms and turned away, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.
"Whatever," she mumbled. "Just give me my shoes so I can go."
Ethan smiled faintly, watching her fuss around his small room in his oversized shirt.
"You look better in that shirt than I do," he said quietly.
She froze at the doorway, refusing to look at him.
"Stop saying things like that," she whispered.
But even as she said it, she couldn't help the tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
The soft light of morning crept through the curtains, brushing against Aria's face.
She groaned quietly and buried her head deeper into the pillow, her body aching from the night before.
When she finally opened her eyes, her surroundings made her blink twice.
This wasn't her room.
The scent was different — faintly of soap, coffee, and something warm she couldn't name.
She sat up slowly, the blanket slipping off her shoulders. Then she saw it — the shirt she was wearing. His shirt.
Her heartbeat jumped.
Memories rushed back — the rain, his jacket, the way he'd carried her, his quiet voice in the dark.
She turned her head and froze when she saw him.
Ethan was asleep on the couch, one arm thrown over his eyes, the other hanging loosely by his side. His hair was messy, his shirt half-buttoned, and even in sleep, he looked calm… too calm.
Aria's cheeks flushed. She ran her fingers through her hair and whispered, "Oh my God… what did I do?"
She looked at the clock on the wall — 10:03 a.m.
Her eyes widened. "I missed school?" she gasped under her breath, panic flashing in her eyes.
She jumped out of bed, forgetting she was still wearing his shirt, and nearly tripped over the blanket. The noise made Ethan stir.
He turned his head lazily, his voice still heavy with sleep.
"Good morning… troublemaker."
Aria froze. "I—I'm not trouble," she stammered, brushing her hair off her face. "And I wasn't going to stay this long."
Ethan sat up slowly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You slept like a baby in my bed. I wasn't exactly expecting you to leave early."
Her face turned crimson. "I didn't mean to fall asleep here. You should've woken me up!"
He chuckled softly. "I tried… but you said something about not wanting me to go. Remember?"
She stared at him, speechless. "I said that?"
He leaned back on the couch, teasing, "Loud and clear."
For a moment, the air between them grew warm — awkward, but sweet.
Then Aria crossed her arms and turned away, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.
"Whatever," she mumbled. "Just give me my shoes so I can go."
Ethan smiled faintly, watching her fuss around his small room in his oversized shirt.
"You look better in that shirt than I do," he said quietly.
She froze at the doorway, refusing to look at him.
"Stop saying things like that," she whispered.
But even as she said it, she couldn't help the tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips.