My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 29: His Confession

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Ethan’s hand felt warm against mine as he guided me through the thinning crowd, away from the laughter and bright lights, toward the towering ferris wheel that sparkled like a crown in the night sky. The air carried a hint of fried dough mingling with the chill of autumn, and my nerves danced wildly the closer we got.

"Ethan," I said, slowing my pace as I gazed up at the massive spinning structure, "I honestly don’t think I can do this. It’s just way too high."

He chuckled softly, glancing back at me. "You’ve mentioned that before."

"Well, it’s still true," I replied, crossing my arms tightly even though my heart was racing for a whole different reason.

Ethan handed our tickets to the ride operator, his fingers brushing mine again as he turned to smile. "Hey," he said quietly, "you’ll be alright. I’m right here."

The way he said it—steady, calm, so sure—made me nod before I even realized it. My stomach twisted as we climbed into the small open carriage, and as soon as we started to ascend, I instinctively reached for his hand.

He laughed softly, his thumb tracing slow circles over the back of my hand. "See? Not so bad."

"Not yet," I muttered under my breath, gripping the cold metal bar in front of me. The wheel creaked as we rose higher, revealing the fairground below—tiny specks of color and light like a living painting.

Somewhere between the third and fourth rotation, Ethan’s voice broke the comfortable silence.

"Noah," he said, and the way he said my name made my chest tighten a bit.

"Yeah?" I tried to sound casual, but my voice came out softer than I had intended.

He hesitated for a moment, looking down at our hands before meeting my gaze. "Remember when you asked me why I was being so nice to you?"

I nodded slowly, my heart racing as I searched his face. The carnival lights below flickered across his features, making his blue eyes seem almost golden.

He let out a small, nervous laugh. "I told you I’d answer that later... I guess now’s the time."

My breath caught. "Ethan—"

"I like you, Noah," he said simply, the words spilling out in a rush. "I’ve liked you for a long time. Since before the whole pool incident, before everyone at school turned it into a joke."

I blinked at him, stunned into silence. My mind scrambled to process what he just said, while my heart was already racing ahead, loud and fast in my chest.

"You... w–what?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

He smiled sheepishly, his cheeks a shade of pink under the string lights. "I just didn’t know how to tell you back then. You always seemed lost in your own world—reading, sketching, keeping to yourself. I didn’t want to be just another person complicating things for you."

I stared at him, barely breathing. "Y–you’re serious?"

He nodded. "Totally. So please don’t doubt me anymore, okay? I’m not nice to you out of pity or because of what Adrien or anyone else says. I’m nice because I genuinely care."

I felt my throat tighten, emotions swirling into something warm and dizzying all at once. I looked down at our hands again, his fingers still intertwined with mine, his thumb moving in slow, gentle lines against my skin.

"Ethan..." I whispered, unsure of what to say.

He leaned a bit closer, his voice softer now, barely above the hum of the ferris wheel. "I don’t expect you to say anything. I just needed you to know."

I turned toward him, meeting his gaze, and for a moment, the height didn’t matter. The world below faded away, leaving just the two of us suspended in quiet, spinning air.

And despite my pounding heart, I couldn’t shake the thought that maybe, just maybe—falling wasn’t so terrifying anymore.

For a long moment, I could only stare at him, the words hanging between us like a heartbeat I couldn’t quite catch up with. My palms were clammy, my pulse thumping so loudly I almost missed the faint carnival music drifting from below.

"You... you like m–me?" I finally managed, my voice barely a whisper. "I thought you were just being nice because you felt sorry for me."

Ethan’s expression softened instantly, and before I could look away, his hand came up to gently cup my face. The warmth of his palm against my skin made my breath hitch. His thumb brushed just under my cheekbone, a tender, steady touch.

"I don’t do pity, Noah." he said quietly, his blue eyes steady on mine. "I just... like you. Just the way you are."

My throat tightened. I wanted to trust him—truly, I did—but the words felt too good to actually belong to me. "But why?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my efforts. "But...but why does someone as cool and popular and...uh insanely goodlooking as you even like me? I’m not confident or funny, or even brave half the time. I’m... boring. Ordinary. I can hardly stand up for myself."

He smiled, that slow, crooked smile that always made my stomach flip. "You’re not boring, Noah. You’re real and you think before you speak. You notice things others don’t. You care about people even when they don’t deserve it. You have this way of making everything feel calmer, like the world slows down when you talk."

I blinked, my face burning so hot I swore the ferris wheel lights might be reflecting off me. "You’re just saying that."

"I’m really not," he said, his tone soft but sure. "You’re smart. When you talk about the books you like, your eyes light up like you’re seeing something no one else can. You laugh at my dumb jokes, even when you try not to. And you don’t see it, but there’s this strength about you... The kind that doesn’t need to shout to be felt."

By now, I was a mess of nerves and heat, my fingers tangled together in my lap. I couldn’t even look him in the eye anymore. "You’re seriously trying to kill me right now," I muttered under my breath, which made him laugh softly.

"I mean it," he said again, still smiling. "You make me want to be better. That’s why I like you, Noah."

For a heartbeat, everything seemed to stop. The ferris wheel creaked, the wind teased my hair, and the lights cast soft gold across his face. I could barely breathe. No one had ever said things like that to me before—at least, not like they meant it.

Finally, I managed to look up, my voice trembling. "Ethan..."

He tilted his head slightly, eyes warm. "Yeah?"

I swallowed hard, the words catching in my throat. "You really mean all that?"

He chuckled lightly. "Every word. To be honest, I was so happy to find out you actually liked me back"

And just like that, the insecurities and doubts that had been gnawing at me all day began to loosen their hold. For the first time in forever, I felt seen—not for the rumors or the mistakes or the girl everyone thought I was, but for who I truly am.

And it scared me to realize just how much I wanted to believe him.