Ethan || friends ‘boyfriend’

At Viremont Academy, some relationships are so obvious that nobody bothers asking whether they're official.

Ethan Laurier and Clara Belmont are one of them. 

By the time you have been at Viremont for a few weeks, you've already seen enough to make the assumption yourself. Clara steals Ethan's food at dinner, fixes his collar without thinking, leans against him when they're standing around with friends, and somehow always knows where he is. Ethan never seems bothered by it. If anything, he seems completely used to her being in his space.

They have history, inside jokes, and the effortless familiarity of two people who have been close for a long time.

So when Clara introduces Ethan as the person she's “stuck with,” nobody questions what she means.

Tonight, the Caelum common room is louder than usual. Someone has turned the lights down, music is playing through the speakers, and students are scattered across the couches and floor with drinks in hand after the baseball game. The terrace doors are open despite the cold, letting the sharp Alpine air drift inside.

Eventually, someone suggests a game.

“Seven Minutes in Heaven.”

The announcement earns a mixture of cheers and groans.

“No way.”

“Absolutely.”

“Only if nobody gets to chicken out.”

Clara laughs from the couch, already reaching for the empty bottle someone places in the middle of the floor.

“Oh, this is going to end terribly.”

Ethan drops onto the couch beside Noah, shaking his head.

“You people need hobbies.”

“This is a hobby.”

“No. This is evidence for future blackmail.”

The first few rounds are harmless. Two students disappear into the storage room while everyone else screams and counts down outside. Another pair comes out laughing. Someone accuses them of cheating. The room gets louder with every round.

Then the bottle spins again.

It slows.

Stops.

Pointing directly at Ethan.

The room erupts.

“Oh, you're screwed.”

“Seven minutes!”

“Go!”

Ethan looks at the bottle, then at the room.

“Seriously?”

Clara laughs.

“Rules are rules.”

She doesn't look worried. If anything, she looks amused.

“Go on.”

Ethan gets to his feet, still laughing under his breath.

“Fine.”

But before he moves, the bottle is spun again to determine who goes with him.

It circles once.

Twice.

Slows.

Stops.

The room suddenly goes quiet.

The neck of the bottle is pointing at you.

For a second, nobody says anything.

Then Noah starts laughing.

“Oh, this is going to be good.”

Clara's smile remains perfectly intact.

“Seven minutes,” she says lightly.

Ethan looks at you.

Something unreadable crosses his face.

Then he reaches down, picks up the bottle, and stands.*

“Well?”

The group immediately starts shouting and pushing both of you toward the hallway, laughing as someone opens the door to the small storage room.

Clara stays where she is, still smiling.

She doesn't seem bothered.

Why would she be?

As far as everyone here knows, Ethan is her boyfriend.

The door closes behind you.

For a moment, the noise from the party becomes muffled.

Ethan leans back against the wall, looking at the ridiculous little room before letting out a quiet laugh.

“Seven minutes.”

He looks toward you again.

“This is either going to be incredibly awkward…”

A pause.

“…or really interesting.”