The next morning, I woke up with the weight of the anonymous messages still pressing against my chest like a boulder I couldn't shake. I hadn't told Ethan. Not yet. Part of me wanted to pretend it never happened. Maybe it was just a random prank. Or maybe I was being paranoid.
But deep down, I knew better.
I spent extra time getting ready, hoping some eyeliner and lip gloss would hide how wrecked I felt inside. It didn't. My reflection in the mirror looked as hollow as I felt, eyes ringed with exhaustion, lips pressed into a forced line.
The hallway buzzed with its usual chaos, lockers slamming, laughter echoing, someone shouting about a pop quiz. But everything felt… off. Like a current was running beneath the surface, waiting to explode. And I was the only one who could feel it.
I spotted Ethan at his locker, his broad back turned as he dug around inside. As if he sensed me watching, he looked over his shoulder. His expression instantly shifted from casual to concerned the moment he saw me. He shut the locker and walked over, a little bounce in his step.
"Morning," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Hey." I tried to sound normal, but it came out thin and brittle.
He frowned. "You okay? You seem… off."
I forced a smile. "Just didn't sleep much. Homework."
He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press either. "I was thinking we should do something this weekend. Something not fake."
I blinked. "Like a real date?"
"Yeah," he said, smiling. "Just us. No pretending, no pressure. Just… real."
My heart fluttered and stumbled all at once. "Okay."
We walked to class together, but my mind was miles away.
The texts played on repeat in my head:
You think you've got him? Think again.
He's not who you think he is.
What did they mean? Was Ethan hiding something? Or was someone trying to come between us?
By lunchtime, I couldn't take it anymore. I ducked into the empty journalism room where I sometimes worked after school and locked the door behind me. My hands shook as I pulled out my phone.
There were no new texts, no missed calls. Just silence.
I scrolled back to the messages from the unknown number. My thumb hovered over the screen. Against every better judgment I had, I replied.
Me: Who is this?
No response. I waited, pacing the room, the silence louder than any scream.
Me: What do you mean he's not who I think he is?
Still nothing.
Frustrated, I tossed my phone onto a desk and sat down hard, burying my face in my hands. What was I doing? I was spiraling, chasing shadows. But it felt real. Like something big was looming just out of sight, and I was the only one who didn't know what it was.
The door rattled behind me, making me jump. I turned as Ethan's voice called out, muffled through the wood. "Scarlet? You in there?"
Panic surged. I stood quickly and unlocked the door.
He stepped inside, eyes scanning the room before settling on me. "You weren't at lunch. I got worried."
"I just needed a minute," I said, trying to sound casual.
He closed the door behind him and stepped closer. "You sure you're okay?"
I hesitated, then finally shook my head. "No. Not really."
He didn't say anything. Just stood there, waiting. His silence was gentler than any words.
"I got these texts," I finally said. "From an unknown number."
His jaw tensed. "What did they say?"
I pulled out my phone and handed it to him. He read them, his brows knitting tighter with each word.
"When did you get these?"
"Yesterday. I didn't want to freak you out."
"Scarlet…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not mad. I just think this isn't okay. Someone's messing with you."
"Or with us."
He began pacing, his movements stiff with tension. "I'll figure out who sent them. Maybe I can trace the number or get one of my tech friends to help."
I bit my lip. "What if they're right?"
He stopped. "What?"
"What if… you're not who I think you are?"
His face crumpled slightly. "You really believe that?"
"I don't know," I whispered. "That's the problem. We barely know each other. This whole thing started as a lie. And now… now it feels so real I can't breathe, and that terrifies me."
He walked back to me, crouching so we were eye-level. "Scarlet. I don't know who sent those texts, but I do know how I feel about you. And I haven't been pretending. Not for a long time."
A lump rose in my throat. "Then tell me the truth, Ethan. Is there anything you're hiding?"
He hesitated, just for a second. But it was enough.
"What is it?" I pressed, my voice barely a whisper.
He looked away. "It's not something I wanted to bring into this. Not yet. But maybe I should've told you."
My heart thudded in my chest.
"There's… someone," he said carefully. "From before."
I froze. "A girl?"
He nodded. "Her name's Alexis. We dated last year. It ended badly. She didn't take it well."
My mouth went dry. "Do you think she sent the texts?"
"I don't know. Maybe. She's… intense. And she never liked letting go."
I stared at him, emotions swirling like a storm. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want her to get in your head. I thought it was over."
It wasn't.
I could feel the edges of our fragile bubble beginning to tear.
Ethan reached for my hand. "I'm telling you now because you asked. Because you matter."
His touch was grounding, warm, and steady. I wanted to trust him. I wanted to believe every word.
But trust was fragile. And I'd only just begun learning how to hold it.
Just as I opened my mouth to respond, my phone buzzed again.
We both stared at it.
One new message.
I picked it up, pulse pounding.
You should've stayed in your lane, Scarlet. You don't know what you've gotten into.
My blood turned to ice.
Ethan grabbed the phone, reading over my shoulder. "Okay, this is no longer a joke."
"We need to go to someone," I whispered. "The school. The police."
He shook his head. "No. Not yet. Not until I figure out who this is. I won't let them hurt you."
A part of me wanted to lean into his protection. Another part of the part that had been overlooked and underestimated my whole life flared with something else.
Strength.
For the first time in a long time, I wasn't just scared. I was angry.
Whoever this was thought I would break. That I'd walk away from Ethan. That I'd back down.
They were wrong.
I looked Ethan straight in the eyes. "Then let's find out who they are together."
He smiled, just a little. "Together."
And just like that, something shifted.
We weren't just pretending anymore.
We were a team.