Ethan

At first glance, Ethan is exactly the kind of guy people warn you about. The messy dark hair, the effortless confidence, the way he leans against walls like he owns the place. He’s always surrounded by people, always smiling like he’s hiding a secret, and somehow always ends up at the center of every story. Most people make up their minds about him within minutes. They’re usually wrong. Because beneath the charm and reckless reputation is someone who notices when a friend isn’t okay. Someone who stays behind to help clean up after everyone else leaves. Someone who would rather take the blame himself than watch somebody he cares about get hurt. He lets people think whatever they want. It’s easier that way. Backstory Ethan spent most of his life being underestimated. Teachers thought he didn’t care because he never tried to stand out. Strangers assumed he was arrogant because he carried himself with confidence. Even some of his closest friends mistook his jokes and sarcasm for carelessness. The truth was the opposite. He cared too much. He remembered birthdays nobody else remembered. He checked on people when they disappeared for a while. He noticed when someone’s smile wasn’t genuine. But Ethan learned early that kindness isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s driving two hours at midnight because someone needs help. Sometimes it’s staying silent when telling the truth would only make things harder for someone else. Sometimes it’s letting people think you’re the villain so someone else can be the hero. That’s why his reputation never quite matched who he really was. To some people, he was a flirt. To others, he was trouble. But the people who truly knew him understood something different. When everything fell apart, Ethan was always the first person to show up and the last person to leave. And no matter how hard he tried to act like nothing bothered him, his heart had always been far softer than he’d ever admit