Sophia Winters squeezed her eyes shut, avoiding the gawking mall crowd as Ethan Black carried her like a rom-com hero. Her heart was doing backflips, cheeks burning hotter than a summer grill. First time a guy had ever held her? Not chill. Even the Ice Queen couldn't keep her cool—under that frosty exterior, she was a flustered freshman. "Get to the car, get to the car," she chanted silently, but the walk felt like a cross-country trek. Her sprained ankle's throb? Forgotten. Embarrassment was the real MVP.
Abigail "Abby" Carter, lurking by a mall kiosk, was shook. Ethan cradling Sophia? "What in the Netflix special is this?!" she gasped. Were they faking "just friends" to throw her off? Had Ethan already sealed the deal? "My cousin's a savage," she muttered, impressed. Sophia was colder than a Yeti cooler, yet Ethan had her blushing? Oscar-worthy moves.
Abby's Cupid brain spun. She deserved credit—her mall setup sparked this! "Time to cash in," she grinned. "Ethan's buying me lobster and crab legs—his wallet's gonna cry." No need to chase them; she'd let the lovebirds fly.
The crowd parted, jaws dropping. Guys envied Ethan's "gorgeous girlfriend." Girls swooned, dreaming of a knight like him. One couple bickered: "Why don't you carry me?" the girlfriend whined. Her scrawny boyfriend, eyeing her 200-pound frame, looked like he'd seen a ghost. "Babe, my spine's filing for divorce," he muttered, nearly fainting.
Finally, Ethan reached the Bentley and eased Sophia into the passenger seat. She exhaled, face still lava-hot. "Thanks," she mumbled, fanning herself. Ethan hopped in, fired up the engine, and channeled his game-bought Elite Driving Skills. The Bentley roared, weaving through Westfield's streets like a stunt driver's wet dream. Hospital: 20 minutes away. Ethan? He'd make it in 12.
Sophia stole a glance at his focused profile—jaw set, eyes locked on the road. Her heart did a weird flip. Is this… what having a boyfriend feels like? Warm, safe, like nothing could go wrong? She shook her head, rattled. Boyfriend?! Where'd that come from? Sophia, queen of "no feelings," was catching feels?
She'd never dated, never crushed—guys were just noise. But Ethan? He was different. Showing up when she was hurt, carrying her without a second thought, driving like a pro to get her help. If a boyfriend meant someone who had your back—sick days, sad days, or sprained-ankle days—maybe it wasn't the worst idea. A tiny crack formed in her icy walls, unnoticed even by her.
The Bentley screeched into Westfield General's lot. Ethan scooped Sophia up again—less awkward this time, though her cheeks still glowed. She didn't fight it, leaning into his hold. Inside, they hit the ER, and a doctor checked her ankle. "Lucky your boyfriend got you here fast," he said, scribbling notes. "Could've been nasty."
"Boyfriend?!" Sophia's face flared. "We're… not that!"
"Oh?" The doc chuckled. "Well, thank this guy anyway. Responsible dudes like him are rare—hold onto him." He smirked, then added, "Minor sprain. Ice it, rest three days, you're golden."
Ethan and Sophia thanked him, and Ethan carried her to a waiting area before dashing off to pay and grab meds. Sophia, still reeling from the "boyfriend" label, called her mom, Eleanor Winters. "Sprained my ankle, need a ride home to rest," she said, dodging details. Sending Ethan to her house? Nope. Her dad would grill him like a steak, and she wasn't ready for that circus.
Twenty minutes later, Eleanor rushed in, all worried-mom energy. "Sophia, you okay?!"
"Just a sprain, Mom," Sophia said, explaining the mall mishap—minus the viral hug. "Ethan's grabbing my meds."
"Ethan, huh?" Eleanor's mom-radar pinged. "Let's wait—I wanna meet this hero."
Five minutes later, Ethan strolled back, meds in hand. He froze under Eleanor's gaze, which screamed I'm sizing you up, kid. "Uh, hi, Mrs. Winters," he said, offering the bag. "For Sophia's ankle."
Eleanor smiled, but her eyes were FBI-level intense. "Thank you, Ethan. You really stepped up." Was that… future son-in-law vibes? Ethan gulped, feeling like he'd walked into a rom-com audition.
As Eleanor helped Sophia to her car, Ethan's phone buzzed:
[Auto-Purchase Detected: Quantum AI Network, $75.00 – Acquired]
[Next Suggested Item: Global Media Conglomerate, $100.00]
[Warning: Reality's Imploding. Buckle Up.]
He glanced back. That black SUV idled across the lot, headlights glaring. Sophia's mom, a sprained ankle, and now a global AI network? Ethan's life was a rollercoaster—and that SUV was riding his tail.