~Aria's POV
Ethan didn't smile. He didn't flinch. His gaze flicked down to my ankle, and I realized he was already taking stock of the injury. Without another word, he crouched down in front of me, careful, precise, his movements so deliberate they were almost unsettling in their confidence.
"You got hurt," he said quietly, as though simply stating a fact. It wasn't a question, it wasn't accusatory, it was just an observation, calm and flat, and somehow that made my chest tighten even more.
I tried to sit up straighter, annoyed by the attention, and muttered, "That's not your concern," though my voice sounded smaller than I intended. The throbbing in my ankle made me wince, and I felt heat rush to my cheeks, half from pain, half from the way he was looking at me.
