ETHAN'S POV
My hands wouldn't stop shaking as Ethan stood in my living room. All I could think about was Dean Harrington's cold eyes as he'd laid those photos on his desk. The threat had been crystal clear—stay away from Ethan or lose everything I'd worked for.
"Tori, please tell me what's wrong," Ethan said, taking another step toward me.
I backed away, wiping at my stupid tears. "Nothing. I just need you to leave."
"Not until you tell me why you're crying." His blue eyes were filled with concern. "Did I do something wrong?"
"It's not you," I said before I could stop myself.
"Then what is it?"
I couldn't tell him. How could I explain that his father had threatened my entire future? That the scholarship I depended on could vanish with one word from the dean?
"It doesn't matter," I insisted. "You need to go."
Instead of leaving, Ethan moved closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "I like you, Tori. Don’t you get it? I’m in love with you." he said softly.
My mouth dropped open in shock. "What?"
"Yeah, I do." A small smile played at his lips. "And I know you feel the same way."
I forced a laugh, trying to sound dismissive. "I don't like you and I don't intend to. If this is about what happened the other night, then you're mistaken. You're just like any other stranger. When I woke up, I didn't even know it was you, I thought it was just a random stranger I met on the way..." I kept rambling, desperate to push him away.
Ethan kept walking toward me and I kept backing up until I hit the wall.
"Do you like me or not?" he asked directly.
"I don't," I lied. "Don't be silly, Ethan, and stop invading my privacy. You can't just burst into my house like this."
“I don’t believe you, Tori." His voice softened. "Tell me why you’re lying."
I shook my head and pointed to the door. "Just leave. Please."
"Not until you tell me what the problem is."
Something snapped inside me. Fine. He wanted to know? I'd show him.
I stalked into my bedroom and grabbed my phone, pulling up the photo I'd managed to snap of the evidence his father had shown me—me leaving Ethan's apartment that morning.
I thrust the phone at him. "Your father called me to his office today."
Ethan's eyes widened as he looked at the photo. "My dad? Why would he—"
"I am an orphan, Ethan," I said, my voice breaking. "I worked five jobs just to care for myself before I eventually secured this scholarship. You might not know what it means to work my ass off when I have no one to go to for help."
The tears were flowing freely now. "So please, I can't lose this scholarship. If truly you like me as you've just claimed, let's go our separate ways. Let's become strangers henceforth. It will mean a lot to me."
He stared at the photo, then at me, realization dawning on his face. "It's my dad, right? He threatened to make you lose your scholarship?"
I didn't answer, just grabbed my phone back from his hands.
"What else did he say to you?" Ethan demanded, his voice hard now. "Tori, what exactly did he threaten you with?"
"It doesn't matter," I said, suddenly exhausted. "Please, just go."
"It matters to me," he insisted. "Did he show you more photos? Of us at the hospital? On the field?"
The accuracy of his guess made me flinch.
"He did, didn't he?" Ethan ran a hand through his hair, anger radiating from him. "That son of a—"
"Ethan, stop," I cut him off. " Before I could stop him, he turned and rushed out, slamming the door behind him.
The sudden silence was deafening. I slid down the wall to the floor, burying my head between my knees as hot tears spilled down my cheeks.