Chapter 6: Roses and Resolutions

The class president, sensing the awkwardness, quickly pulled out the bouquet of roses he’d prepared.

“It’s nothing, Anna. Happy graduation.”

“I know it’s sudden, but I just wanted to tell you how I feel. If I don’t say it now, it’ll be too late.”

The teasing grew louder and louder.

The whole restaurant was buzzing.

Group Chat: Ethan’s face just went pale—he never saw that coming!

Group Chat: He actually cares a lot, right?

Group Chat: He’s so nervous, afraid Anna will actually say yes.

Amid everyone’s anticipation, I politely turned down the class president’s confession.

But after he insisted, I accepted the flowers.

“Thank you.”

The roses pricked my palm, but I held them tight, pretending I didn’t care about the sting. In my previous life, I didn’t even accept the flowers for Ethan’s sake.

But being liked by someone isn’t something to be ashamed of, is it?

The roses smelled faintly sweet, their stems wrapped in a blue ribbon. I tucked them against my side, feeling the eyes on me—a heat that had nothing to do with the weather.

“So the class genius is still the most important—are you still going to chase him?”

No one seemed willing to let the topic go.

But it was time to put an end to things. I smiled.

“I’m not chasing anymore. I’m tired.”

As soon as I finished, both the chat and the classmates at the scene fell silent.

Ethan suddenly looked up.

His jaw flexed, and he looked away, like the roses were made of poison. He blinked, startled, like someone had snapped a rubber band inside his head. Even the clatter of plates from the kitchen seemed to hush for a moment.

Across the table, Ethan’s knuckles whitened around his glass, but he didn’t say a word. For the first time, I wondered if he’d ever try to stop me.