Secret Glances

Alex closed his laptop quickly when the door opened. Ethan walked in, cheeks flushed from the cool evening air.

"Hey," Ethan said, dropping his keys on his desk. "Did you get settled in okay?"

Alex nodded, trying to look normal. Just seconds ago, he'd been looking at the sign-up page for a new social media account. His crazy idea was still buzzing in his head.

"So... that Liam guy seems nice," Alex lied, picking at a loose thread on his blanket.

Ethan laughed. "He's just protective. We've been friends since we were five." He sat on his bed and kicked off his shoes, lining them up neatly under his desk. "He'll warm up to you."

"If you say so," Alex said, not believing it for a second.

The next morning, Alex woke to the sound of clicking keys. Ethan was already up, washed, and typing on his laptop. Sunlight streamed through the window, making dust particles dance in the air.

"What time is it?" Alex mumbled, hair sticking up in all directions.

"Eight thirty," Ethan answered without looking up. "I didn't want to wake you, but your alarm's been going off for twenty minutes."

Alex shot up. "Eight thirty? My class is at nine!"

He jumped out of bed, falling over his shoes and nearly face-planting on the floor. Ethan's quick reflexes saved him again, grabbing his arm just in time.

"Thanks," Alex gasped, his face burning where Ethan's hand touched his skin.

"You should really clean up your side," Ethan said, letting go. "It's a safety hazard."

Alex grabbed random clothes and his toothbrush, then darted for the door. "I'll tidy up later, promise!"

When Alex returned after his morning classes, he found Ethan sitting cross-legged on his bed with a controller in his hands, eyes glued to a small portable game system.

"Take that!" Ethan muttered, thumbs flying over the buttons. He didn't even notice Alex come in.

Alex watched in surprise. Mr. Perfect played video games? And he was really into it too, judging by the focused look on his face.

"What game is that?" Alex asked, dropping his bag on his desk chair.

Ethan jumped, nearly dropping the machine. "Oh! I didn't hear you come in." His cheeks turned pink as he quickly saved the game and put it aside. "Just a fantasy RPG. Nothing special."

"I love RPGs," Alex said, sitting on his own bed. "Which one?"

Ethan paused, like he was embarrassed. "Dragon's Quest Legends. The new one."

"No way! I've been dying to play that!" Alex leaned forward eagerly. "Is it as good as everyone says?"

Something changed in Ethan's face. His serious face melted into a genuine smile that made Alex's heart skip.

"It's amazing," Ethan said, his voice warm with joy. "The world-building is incredible, and the character development system is so much better than the last game."

For the next twenty minutes, they talked about video games, finding common ground in their favorite titles. Alex couldn't believe how animated Ethan became, gesturing with his hands as he described epic boss fights.

"I should get back to studying," Ethan finally said, glancing at his watch. Just like that, the serious student returned. He put the game system in his drawer and pulled out a textbook.

"Sure," Alex said, trying not to sound sad. "I've got some sketching to do anyway."

As the days passed, Alex noticed trends in Ethan's behavior. Every morning, Ethan woke up early to run. After classes, he studied for exactly two hours before giving himself a gaming break. And he was constantly checking his phone, smiling at whatever messages he got.

Alex wondered who Ethan was texting. A girlfriend back home? The thought made his stomach twist.

On Friday afternoon, Alex was alone in the room working on a drawing when someone pounded on the door.

"Open up, loser!" a familiar voice called. "I brought snacks!"

Alex grinned and opened the door to find Jasmine standing there with a bag of chips and two sodas. Her dark curly hair was piled on top of her head, and she wore a bright yellow dress that fit her bubbly personality.

"Finally!" she said, pushing past him. "I've been dying to see your new place. And your new roommate," she added with a smile.

"He's not here," Alex said, taking a drink. "He's at the gym."

"Ooh, athletic too?" Jasmine flopped onto Alex's bed. "Tell me everything."

Alex filled her in on the past few days with Ethan. "He's super nice, but he keeps to himself a lot. Except when he talks about video games—then he lights up like a Christmas tree."

"Sounds like you've been paying close attention," Jasmine said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Shut up," Alex threw a pillow at her. "It's not like that."

"Sure it's not," she teased, looking around the room. "Wow, you weren't kidding about the neat freak thing. Is that his side? It looks like a hotel room!"

"I know. Meanwhile, my side looks like a storm hit it."

Jasmine peered at the drawing on Alex's desk. "What's this?"

Alex tried to grab it, but she was too quick. It was his sketch of Ethan from the first night, now nearly complete.

"Oh. My. God." Jasmine's eyes widened. "This is him? He's gorgeous!" She looked at Alex with a knowing smile. "You've got it bad, don't you?"

Before Alex could answer, the door opened and Ethan walked in, hair damp from a shower, gym bag slung over his shoulder. He stopped short when he saw Jasmine.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know you had guests," he said.

Jasmine jumped up, extending her hand. "I'm Jasmine! Alex's best friend since forever. And you must be the famous Ethan."

"Famous?" Ethan asked, shaking her hand with an amused smile.

"Alex has told me so much about you," Jasmine said, ignoring Alex's frantic head-shaking behind Ethan's back.

"All good things, I hope," Ethan said, setting down his bag.

"The best," Jasmine told him with a grin that made Alex want to disappear.

Ethan's phone buzzed. He checked it and smiled that special smile Alex had noticed before.

"I need to grab a shower," Ethan said, gathering his things. "Nice meeting you, Jasmine."

When the bathroom door closed, Jasmine turned to Alex with wide eyes.

"Okay, NOW I see the problem," she whispered. "He's way too hot to be real."

"I told you," Alex groaned, falling back on his bed. "And he's super smart and nice too. It's not fair."

"Did you see how he smiled at his phone?" Jasmine asked. "Who do you think he's texting?"

"No idea. He's always on it, though."

Jasmine flopped down beside him. "Maybe he has a secret online girlfriend."

"Or boyfriend," Alex added hopefully.

"Has he mentioned dating anyone?"

"No. We don't really talk about personal stuff. Just classes and games and general roommate things."

Jasmine sat up suddenly. "So you need a way to get to know the real him. The person behind the perfect student act."

Alex bit his lip. "I've actually been thinking about that..."

"Oh no, I know that look," Jasmine said, narrowing her eyes. "You're planning something."

Alex hesitated. "What if I could talk to him without him knowing it was me? Get him to open up without all the awkwardness?"

"What are you talking about?" Jasmine asked.

Before Alex could explain, the bathroom door opened and Ethan emerged in fresh clothes, his hair still wet. "The shower's free if you need it," he said.

"Thanks," Alex replied, then watched as Ethan instantly checked his phone again, typing a quick message with a small smile.

Jasmine caught Alex looking and kicked his foot. When Ethan wasn't looking, she mouthed, "You're so obvious!"

After Jasmine left, the room fell into comfortable quiet. Ethan read a biology textbook while Alex pretended to sketch. Really, he was working up the courage to ask a question.

"Hey, Ethan?" he finally said.

"Hmm?" Ethan looked up from his book.

"Do you play any online games? Besides your RPG, I mean."

Ethan seemed surprised by the question. "Yeah, a few. I'm in this gaming group chat. Why?"

"Just curious," Alex said, his heart pounding. "I was thinking of joining one."

"I could recommend some," Ethan offered. "What kind of games do you like?"

"The same ones you do," Alex said, a plan forming in his mind. "Actually, which group are you part of? Maybe I could check it out."

Ethan told him the name of the site, even showing Alex his profile on his phone. "It's pretty cool. You meet interesting people."

"I bet," Alex said, memorizing the facts. "I'll look into it."

That night, after Ethan fell asleep, Alex opened his laptop. The blue light illuminated his face as he made a new account on the gaming platform Ethan had mentioned.

His finger paused over the username field. This was crazy. This was definitely a terrible idea.

But what if it worked?

Alex glanced at Ethan's sleeping form, then back at his screen. Slowly, he typed a name: "Emily_ArtGamer."

His heart pounded as he clicked "Create Account."