"Stop fooling around, Ethan!" I said while stifling my giggle as he was leaning back towards the railings.

"But I don't know how to pose like a model", he protested.

“You don’t need to force yourself to pose like a model, you can just stand there effortlessly. That would look better.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Sometimes just looking laid-back seems more natural. It looks better”, I said with a smile.

“Okay.”

“Don’t force it, okay? You’re making me laugh.”

"Stop taunting me, Ave", and he acted like he was about to walk out.

"Hey, I'm sorry", I laughed while telling him.

When he started to relax and just stood there without any silly act, I was able to take a couple of nice shots of him. After a while, he placed his hand inside his pockets and I can't help but stare at him.

“Ave-”

I got back to my senses, “huh?”

“Ave, was that okay?”

“Was what okay?”

He shrugged, “the photos?”

“Yeah, it was fine.” I said coolly.

“Can I see?”

I gave him the camera as he scrolled through all the photos probably.

"Woah, you really took a lot of photos."

"Well, my model's great", I winked at him.

He then placed the camera on the table and slowly walked towards me.

“Avery…”

“Ethan…”, I mocked him.

“Ave, seriously. You need to stop teasing me or else”, he said, veiled with a threat.

“Or else what?”

“You really wanna know what I’ll do?”

“Try me”, I challenged him.

“You sure?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really”, I said with conviction.

He started tickling my waist, and I can only slap him lightly as I can't help but keep on moving backwards slowly.

"Ethan!", I can't help but laugh. "Stop it!"

Then I lost my balance and fell on the swimming pool.

"You're crazy!" I can't help but be annoyed because I'm now drenched, my clothes are wet! Good thing my phone isn't with me, or else.

“Ave, I’m so sorry”, he worriedly said.

He slowly tried to reach for my hand to help me up, but I forcefully tried to drag him in the pool with me. Splash!

“Serves you right”, I told him while smirking.

He then took off his top and tossed it.

My eyes widened. "wha...what are you doing?"

"It's hard to move around with that thing."

I can't take my eyes away his chiseled body. Why did he have to take his top off?

“I can also remove my pants if you want me to.”

I just rolled my eyes at him. “Perv!”

He laughed loudly and I just glared at him.

"You should've seen the look on your face."

I just splashed some water in his direction and it seems as though he was able to ingest a bit of it as I can hear him cough a bit. I can't help but laugh.

Now I'm really the one who got the last laugh.

The skies were turning dark and I was starting to feel cold, so we decided to get out of the pool. He then directed me to the guest bathroom and I slowly went there.

I was shivering on my way there when I felt a bit of warmth from having him cover me with a towel.

"Thanks", I smiled politely.

“Just wait there, okay? I’ll get you some of my clothes.”

I just nodded. I found myself just sitting in front of the vanity area.

When he knocked, I immediately opened the door and took the stuff he gave me. Upon glancing at what it was, I can't help but chuckle. Typical Ethan.

He looked up when I got out and flashed me a huge grin. I was wearing the black hoodie that he lent me and a garterized drawstring black shorts which is still a bit loose on me.

“Stop it”, I said with a straight face.

“Why? You look cute”, he taunted.

“Yeah, right. I’m starting to look like I’m your disciple.”

I rolled my eyes and can’t help but laugh a little thinking about how we look like right now. Both wearing the same style of clothes, we either look like part of a street gang gone wrong or a failure of a dance group.

“Why are you laughing?”

"Nothing", and I just shook my head.

I then started to pick up my stuff, planning to leave.

“Wait”, he called. “Where are you going?”

“Home”, I shrugged, “Where else?”

“Can’t you stay here for dinner? I’ve already ordered some chicken wings.”

Now, that’s tempting. But as much as I would love that, I really feel uncomfy not wearing any underwear, so I just looked at him with uncertainty.

“Wait here”, he pointed to the couch.

I got seated and a few minutes after, he came back with a huge blanket. I guess he must have sensed my discomfort. He wrapped me around in it until only my face can be seen.

"Ethan, stop it!", I laughed, then lowered it just enough to cover my bottom half, I mean that's the only part I'm not quite comfortable about anyway.

We both were probably tired and hungry because when his order arrived, it got wiped out in a jiffy. Then we just stayed on the couch and watched different shows on Netflix.

Slowly, I can feel his hands holding mine. And even when he was able to do it a couple of times, I still feel some sparks running through my veins. I can’t help but look at him and smile. He slowly held my head and guided it to rest on his shoulder.

And in that moment, I just wished that the time stopped. Just us spending nights like this, filled with warmth and comfort while overlooking Forthworth's skyline. It’s just perfect.

I woke up to the loud sound of the doorbell ringing multiple times. As I tried to get up, I can’t help but feel something warm beside me.

I hurriedly got up as my eyes widened when I saw that it was Ethan. Eff. That's why my body feels kinda sore. We fell asleep while watching a movie.

Suddenly, his phone started ringing, so he got up and took the call, “Oh?”, he yawned.

“You’re there?”, he asked, annoyed, “Then stop pressing the damn doorbell!”

He dropped the call and turned to me, "just go to the guest room, Ave. I don't want him to see you here. He might think differently."

I just nodded and immediately went there. I can't help but overhear them a little.

“Why are you here?”, Ethan asked.

"Cal and Zach's asking me to get you. Boys' day out before classes begin?" I'm not entirely sure, but this kinda sounds like his friend that I met yesterday, Kel.

“You could’ve just texted me or told me where to go”

“Really? You’ve always been hanging out with Avery. You don’t even send a message in our group chat. Tell me bro, are you already...together?”

“No. Not yet…”

I can hear their voices drop, and even when I'm trying to eavesdrop, there's nothing. I just went to the bathroom to freshen up. When I got out, I saw Ethan sitting on the bed.

“You good?”, he asked.

I just nodded.

“I’m sorry about that Ave. I didn’t expect him to come here and I just didn’t really want him to know you slept here. I don’t want him to think that way of you.”

“It’s fine, I understand. But I think I should get going, there's still lots of things I need to do."

“Won’t you at least have breakfast with me?”

“Maybe next time”, I just smiled and made my way out.

As soon as I got to my condo, I laid down on my bed. I can’t believe what just happened. We slept together! Wait, no, I mean we fell asleep beside each other. All the body pains slipped my mind and I just rolled over in bed. I can't stop myself from grinning. I feel ecstatic!

All the things that has happened this entire summer that I’m here in Forthworth, it was nothing short of perfect. I really hope it stays that way.

Days passed and tomorrow's already the beginning of classes. I can feel both nervousness and excitement because I'm not sure what to expect. I'm excited to make new friends, and nervous about where this relationship with Ethan is going.

This entire summer we’ve practically been together, undisturbed, away from the eyes of the public—with the exception of a few social media posts. I'm not sure how this will go when classes begin. Hope nothing changes.

ejandrada: Ave

What time’s your class tom?

averyday_: 8:30

y?

ejandrada: Mine’s 9

We can go together

I thought to myself for a bit. I'm not sure I'll accept because people might think that he's my boyfriend. To be honest though, I really wanna be with him, but I'm having doubts...

averyday_: okay

Good

but on one condition

wait

ejandrada: what?

averyday_: Wear one of the clothes I bought for you

ejandrada: u serious?

averyday_: Please 🥺

I'm not sure why I said that. I probably just wanted to see if he was really serious with me and would do as I say.

ejandrada: Alright

what else do you want me to do?

averyday_: Nothing more 😊

By tomorrow, we went to the uni together. Since it's the first day, there are lots of people around. And with us both being in the same department, we went there together. I can't help but notice a number of people staring at us, whispering.

Being quite uncomfortable with the stares, I tried to keep a bit of a distance from him, but he kept walking close beside me. And now, there are multiple set of eyes looking my way as I stepped into the hall.

He just flashed me a reassuring smile as if wishing me luck, then left.

"Woah, are you together?"

I got startled when someone suddenly asked. It was that girl—my next door neighbor.

I shook my head and just looked at her, confused.

"Oh, sorry, do you still remember me? I'm-"

"JB. Yeah, I remember," and I smiled at her.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I don't really know anyone from the same course and you're the only one who's familiar to me, since I kept seeing you around."

“It’s alright.”

"But seriously. Well, not to meddle or anything, I just wanna know if you're together, it's just a bit...shocking."

“What do you mean by that?”

"Well, we've been classmates since grade school, he transferred during high school, then we became classmates again, last year. Just one sem tho. I shifted, that's why I'm here," she paused. "But anyway, this is my first time seeing him with someone. A lot of girls even try to flirt with him, even our classmates before, but nothing."

She was about to continue more when we were asked to get into the room as the professor arrived.

Now, I’m getting more curious about him.

Since it's only the first day, nothing much happened in class—just a bit of an orientation, introducing ourselves, and we were just given a list of the requirements we had to buy for our classes.

Now with another classmate of ours, Savannah, us three decided to go to the cafeteria while waiting for our next class. We're just here at CFAD since the cafeteria's big and there are lots of choices.

Savannah was holding my arm as she spoke gently, "Gosh, Ave, everyone's looking at you."

She was right. I can't help but feel the numerous stares. I did not expect this.

“Should we just eat out then?”, I asked.

"No, Avery, I'll just buy yours. What do you want?", JB offered.

I gave her some cash and pointed at the things I wanted. Savannah and I just stayed and like JB she tried to ask me about what's the real score between Ethan and I.

“Avery, I hope you don’t mind, but are you dating Ethan?”

I shook my head, "no, we're just friends."

“Wow. You’re new here and you’re already friends? Interesting. My sister and him are batchmates and they weren't even friends. She told me that he doesn't really talk to girls, except when it's his classmate or someone he's working with on a project or whatever school-related activity."

“Really?”, I was shocked.

"Yeah, that's why people were surprised when they saw him tagging a girl on his posts. You even convinced him to show up on your vlog! Not to mention that he drives you around in his sports car, I think aside from DABS no one has ridden with him there. A lot of people have seen you around during the summer. And trust me, Avery, that’s huge!”

“DABS, what?”, I was confused. 

“Wait. Later. I’m still curious…where and how did you meet?”

“Ah, at the condo, we live in the same building, then I just saw him around while taking a stroll, and he started talking to me.”

Her eyes widened. “He just approached you? Just like that?”

I nodded.

When JB got back, Savannah's questioning kinda stopped. Thank goodness.

After a while, I can't help but notice a number of girls looking towards a certain direction. Then there came Ethan, Kel, and two other guys.

"Avery! The DABS are together! Jared's there. Will you ask him to come here, please?" Savannah uttered.

“No, that's embarrassing”, I said. “What’s…DABS?”

She just laughed at my question, “an acronym for their surnames, De Luca, Andrada, Beltran, and Sia.”

“That's...really a thing?”

She nodded in excitement. “Yeah, aside from their looks, they’re the future of Forthworth.”

I think my face registered confusion, as she continued. “All of them came from well-off families here, so whoever gets associated with them, it easily spreads out around the girls here."

She pointed at one guy, "See that guy there with the glasses? That's Calvin Amir Beltran. His father’s the mayor of this city. He’s taking up Political Science, so people are expecting him to follow his father’s footsteps or be a lawyer or a judge. Who knows? But girls really like him 'cause he’s a bit mysterious, kinda like Jared.”

"That blonde with the curly hair?", JB pointed, "that's Marcello de Luca."

“Ah, yeah, Kel. His family owns that Italian restaurant, right?”

“You know him?"

“Yeah, I met him. Ethan and I had lunch there one time.”

“Not just that Italian restaurant though, they have different branches nationwide. And get this, there’s also a rumor that they belong to an Italian mafia. Just rumors going around though, but it really seems true because whenever they throw parties, there are lots of guards and scary looking guys”, Savannah interjected.

JB just rolled her eyes.

“You have a problem with him?”, I asked.

"He's very arrogant! He even keeps asking me who among our girl classmates is my type", JB said, evidently annoyed.

"Are you close?", Savannah asked.

"No. Just became classmates during high school and last year, before I shifted courses."

“How about that guy who’s laughing with Kel?”, I asked, becoming more curious about the four.

"That's Zach, Zachary Sia. He’s taking up Business Management. Old rich, from the Sia clan who owns AS Holdings. Banking, insurance, mining, I’m not sure what else. But yeah, if there’s someone whose status comes close to the Andrada's, it's them."

I slightly nodded, trying to absorb all this new info that I'm getting.

“And if you think that all those three are already great, then don’t get me started on your ‘friend’, Ethan Jared Andrada. He’s practically the prince of Forthworth.”

When Savannah said that, I kinda felt a bit small, however, I was still curious and continued to listen.

“Jared’s the heir to the EQA Group. Originally, their main line of business was Real Estate, but when they got big, who knows what else they have?”, she shrugged. “Logistics, energy, telecommunications, you name it, they probably have a stake in it. And yeah, that condo you live in? It’s theirs.”

With her hands under her chin, she continued, “People do expect a lot from him that's why he’s always serious, is never seen with another girl, and he always wears black…it’s weird, but well, I guess you changed him.” She shrugged.