Chapter 100

Despite often being annoyed by Ethan's knack for turning things around, these interactions somehow added an inexplicable connection between the two. Life at Jefferson High School was intense, and in the blink of an eye, the semester was coming to an end. In the cafeteria, Jason was finishing his last portion of braised pork ribs that he managed to grab. His peripheral vision caught sight of Stella not far away, approaching with her tray, accompanied by Layla. "Your class sure knows how to avoid troublemakers. Last time, you turned down Tobias decisively," Jason remarked. Ethan casually raised his gaze upon hearing this, chuckling softly. "He should focus on more important things." "You're right," Jason nodded, then shifted to another topic. "I wonder what Aaron is thinking. Next semester, he's transferring to the class next door. It's annoying to see him everyday." Aaron's transfer from the international class to Class 1 next semester wasn't a secret; quite a few people knew about it. With that said, Ethan's initially composed expression faltered slightly. After a moment, he said, "No need to worry about that." He stood up, withdrawing his gaze and adding, "I'm out." Jason stared blankly at Ethan's retreating figure, picked up his tray, and muttered, "Is he angry again?" After leaving the cafeteria, Stella unexpectedly encountered someone at the corner of the teaching building. Aaron stood silently by the railing, seemingly waiting for her. It had been over half a month since they last met, but Stella still remembered the scene of Aaron's last visit. With hesitation, Aaron approached before she could react, asking, "Dean has left the Carlson family. Do you have any new plans?" "The company has my uncle around, so there's probably nothing for me to worry about," Stella paused, then added, "But still, thank you." Although she didn't know why Aaron had exposed Dean's secrets to his grandfather, the fact that Dean had left did ease her mind considerably. Aaron noticed Stella's distance and after a brief silence, smirked slightly. "No need to be polite with me." Then, he handed her something. "Take a look at these documents. Even if you're not considering leaving Seattle, being prepared never hurts." Stella hesitated for a few seconds but eventually nodded and took the documents from him. Aaron breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave. Stella stood there, flipping through the documents. When she looked up, she suddenly met a pair of blue eyes. Ethan's tall, lean figure leaned against the corridor, his gaze fleeting, as if it was just a casual glance before he turned and walked away. Watching his retreating figure, Stella instinctively furrowed her brow. As finals approached, tension mounted in the classroom. Jefferson High School offered dormitory rest during lunch breaks, and many students rented rooms near the school. However, Stella often stayed in the classroom for lunch, fearing delays on the way. When Ethan entered, the spacious classroom was empty except for that solitary figure, peacefully resting with closed eyes on the desk. After a brief pause, he instinctively softened his footsteps and returned to his seat. Even though January had arrived, the sun at Seattle was still piercing. There was a gap in the curtains at the back, and even with eyes closed, the disturbing brightness could be felt. Quietly observing for a while, when Stella furrowed her brow for the third time, Ethan absentmindedly picked up his textbook and stood by the nearby window, blocking out the troublesome light. Realizing his actions, he furrowed his brows slightly, then inexplicably felt annoyed and quietly slipped away. Lost in thought, the textbook by the window suddenly fell. As she went to pick it up, she noticed the person in front had just drowsily opened their eyes. Their eyes met. Stella's mind was still a bit fuzzy. She lightly rubbed her eyes and looked at the boy enveloped in the light and shadow, feeling somewhat startled all of a sudden. The angular hand shielded the glaring sunlight, meeting those deep, ocean-like eyes. In the stillness, it felt as if someone had hit the pause button. She could even hear her own heartbeat. "What, got struck dumb?" His deep voice teased with a playful undertone, abruptly snapping her back to reality. People began trickling into the classroom. Stella silently breathed out, turned her head, and tried to dispel the scene from her mind. At the end of every semester came the physical exams. Students at Jefferson High School could choose their physical education classes themselves, and Stella had chosen yoga, so the exam wasn't particularly difficult. However, when she returned to the classroom after finishing, she sensed something amiss. Many people were whispering. Before she could ask, Liora quietly explained, "There was a brawl during the basketball game just now between our class and the other side. It escalated all the way to the principal's office." "And then?" Stella inquired. "The principal made both sides apologize to each other. But Ethan turned and stormed out of the office, which didn't sit well with the principal, so he canceled classes for a week." "Canceled classes?" Stella glanced at the empty seat behind her and furrowed her brow. "But he's..." Liora knew what she was about to say and sighed. "Aaron and Brian were injured. Aaron might even miss the competition. It's because of him that if anyone else were in this situation, they'd probably be in serious trouble."