Awakening

Ethan Montgomery watched her silently, waiting for her to finish speaking before nodding slightly. His concern was evident, yet tinged with a hint of distance. "Does your foot still hurt? It's getting late; you should probably rest now. I'm fine, really. If you're still worried, I can come check on you once you're feeling better," he suggested gently.

Though Ethan simply intended to urge her to go home, his words sounded to her like tender care; he was worried about her!

Her eyes slowly filled with tears, and a warm, heartening smile spread across her face. However, upon hearing that he would visit in a few days, the smile froze on her face.

Her expression stiffened for a moment before she relaxed, smiling gently. "Ethan, you do care about me, don't you? That makes me so happy!" she exclaimed, though inside, she felt adrift like a log on the ocean, her words dry and devoid of emotion.