Author's POV
The school was buzzing with excitement. Everywhere you looked, students were setting up booths, adjusting decorations, and running around with armfuls of supplies. The festival was finally here. The bright banners and colorful stalls lining the courtyard gave the whole place a lively atmosphere, and the scent of food filled the air, popcorn, cotton candy, and something grilling over by the food stalls. 
Ella stood near the entrance with Lily and Sophie, watching as the last-minute details were being handled. It had taken weeks of planning, and now, after all the stress and chaos, the day had arrived. But instead of feeling relieved, there was a nervous energy hanging in the air.
“Can you believe it’s finally happening?” Sophie said, her eyes lighting up as she scanned the crowd. She was practically bouncing on her toes with excitement, completely ignoring how tired the other two looked.
“I can believe it,” Lily muttered, rubbing her temples. “What I can’t believe is that we actually pulled this off without something catching on fire.”
Ella smiled a little, but she wasn’t really paying attention. Her eyes kept drifting through the crowd, searching for a familiar face. She hadn’t seen Ethan yet, and that nagging feeling in her chest wouldn’t go away. She didn’t even know why she was so worried about it, he’d show up. Right? But still, her mind was spinning with thoughts she couldn’t shake.
Khian was over by the stage, talking to some of the performers. His usual calm expression never left his face, even with the chaos surrounding him. Katherine stood beside him, holding a clipboard and directing the volunteers. She looked flustered, but that was normal for Katherine. She liked to be in control of everything.
“Alright, let’s get moving,” Lily said, snapping Ella out of her thoughts. “We need to make sure the booths are running smoothly. Come on, you two.”
Ella nodded and followed behind Lily, trying to focus on the tasks at hand. The three of them made their way through the crowd, checking on the different stations and helping where they could. But no matter what she did, Ella couldn’t help but feel distracted. Her mind kept wandering back to Ethan.
Where was he?
---
The festival was in full swing now. Music blared from the speakers, students were laughing and chatting, and the booths were packed with people trying out the games or grabbing food. The talent show was set to start in an hour, and Khian was keeping everything on schedule, as usual. He stood near the stage, arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning the scene. He wasn’t one to let anything slip.
“Everything looks good,” Katherine said, walking up to him with a satisfied smile. “I think we’ve got this under control.”
Khian nodded but didn’t say much. He was always like that, calm, quiet, and in control. It was part of what made him a good leader, but it also made him hard to read. 
As they stood there, watching the crowd, Khian’s eyes caught sight of Ella across the courtyard. She was helping some kids at the ring toss booth, but something about her looked... off. He could sense it. She’d been distant lately, distracted, like something was weighing on her. And he had a pretty good idea rather, who was causing it.
---
Meanwhile, Ethan was weaving through the crowd, trying to find Ella. He had been running late, stuck helping his mom with something at home, but now that he was here, he just wanted to see her. The festival was loud, and the crowd was bigger than he expected. It took a few minutes, but finally, he spotted her by one of the booths, laughing softly as she handed out prizes to the younger kids.
For a second, he just watched her. She looked... happy, in a way that made his chest tighten. It was strange, being back after all these years. Everything was familiar but different at the same time. Ella had changed. They both had. But seeing her smile like that made him feel like maybe not everything had changed. Maybe there was still something between them, even after all the time apart.
Taking a deep breath, he walked up to her.
“Hey,” he said, trying to sound casual.
Ella turned around, and when she saw him, her face lit up with surprise. “Ethan! You made it!”
“Of course I did,” he said with a grin. “I wouldn’t miss this.”
They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, like neither of them knew what to say. The noise of the festival faded into the background as the air between them seemed to thicken. It was awkward, but not in a bad way, more like they were both waiting for something, but neither of them knew what.
---
Over by the stage, Khian noticed Ethan walking up to Ella. His jaw clenched slightly, but he didn’t move. He just stood there, watching. He knew this was bound to happen eventually. Ethan was Ella’s childhood friend, after all. They had a bond, and Khian couldn’t deny that. But that didn’t mean he had to like it.
Katherine, who was busy talking to one of the stagehands, glanced over at Khian and noticed his shift in mood. She followed his gaze and saw Ethan and Ella talking by the booth. “Ah,” she said, a knowing smirk crossing her lips. “So that’s the infamous Ethan, huh?”
Khian didn’t respond, but the tension in his posture was answer enough. Katherine chuckled softly. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much. You’ve got nothing to worry about, President.”
He shot her a look, but she just shrugged, still smirking. “What? Just saying.”
---
As the afternoon wore on, the festival continued, and the crowd grew even bigger. The talent show was about to start, and students were gathering by the stage, waiting for the performances. Ella and Ethan had made their way over to the side of the stage, standing close together as they talked. They both seemed more relaxed now, laughing and joking like old times.
Khian stood by the stage, his eyes flicking between the performers and the crowd. He saw them there, Ella and Ethan and something inside him twisted. He didn’t want to admit it, but it bothered him more than he liked. He wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like he and Ella were... well, they weren’t anything. But still, seeing her with Ethan brought up feelings he’d been trying to push down for a while now.
But this wasn’t the time to focus on that. The talent show was about to start, and he had a job to do. He turned away from the crowd, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. The performers were lined up backstage, ready to go. Everything was set.
“Let’s get this show started,” Khian said quietly to himself, pushing everything else aside. For now, the festival had to come first. Whatever was going on between Ella and Ethan... he’d deal with that later.
---
The talent show was starting, and the crowd had gathered around the stage, the noise and chatter settling into an excited buzz. Ella and Ethan found a spot near the back, standing close enough to see everything but far enough to avoid the crowd pressing in too much. She felt a weird mix of excitement and nerves, though she wasn’t sure if it was because of the festival or being around Ethan after all this time.
Ethan was leaning slightly against the fence, his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed. “You ever get nervous for stuff like this?” he asked, nodding toward the stage where a group of kids were setting up their instruments.
Ella shook her head. “Not really. But then again, I’ve never been the one performing.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Never? Not even when you were little?”
She smiled. “Nope. I’ve always been more comfortable watching from the sidelines.”
“That’s hard to believe,” Ethan said, glancing at her with a grin. “You seem like the type who’d be front and center.”
Ella laughed. “Yeah, no. I’m definitely not the star of the show type.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know... you kind of seem like it.”
His words hung in the air for a second, and Ella felt her cheeks warm. She was about to say something, maybe tease him back, but just then, the lights on the stage flickered on, and the first act was announced.
The crowd erupted into cheers as the group of kids started their song, the sound of guitars and drums filling the air. The festival atmosphere seemed to shift, like everyone was caught up in the energy of the moment. Ella clapped along with the others, her heart feeling lighter as she watched the performances.
---
Meanwhile, Khian was standing off to the side of the stage, arms crossed as he watched the first performance. He was doing his usual job, making sure everything was running smoothly, but his eyes kept drifting to the back of the crowd. He could see them, Ella and Ethan standing together, talking, laughing. It shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did, but it did. 
Katherine, standing next to him, noticed. She followed his gaze and let out a small, amused laugh. “You’ve got that look again.”
Khian blinked, pulling his eyes away from them. “What look?”
“You know, the one where you’re pretending you’re not bothered but you actually are,” Katherine said with a smirk.
He shook his head, trying to focus on the stage. “I’m just making sure everything’s going according to plan.”
Katherine snorted. “Sure you are.”
Khian didn’t respond, but the tightness in his chest didn’t go away. He knew Katherine was right, but what was he supposed to do about it? Ella had always been someone he felt protective of. She was his little sister, even if they weren’t related by blood. But lately, those feelings had started to get more complicated, and seeing her with Ethan... it brought out things he wasn’t sure how to deal with.
---
As the talent show went on, the performers got better and better, and the crowd was loving it. Sophie was sitting in the front row, cheering louder than anyone, and Lily was off somewhere making sure everything backstage was running smoothly. For Ella, the festival felt like a blur of colors, sounds, and emotions, and she found herself getting lost in it.
But there was always that nagging feeling. The one she couldn’t quite shake. The one that had started the moment she’d seen Ethan again after all those years. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t something she was afraid of, it was just... confusing. Like there were too many things left unsaid between them. 
Ethan nudged her gently. “You okay? You seem a little quiet.”
Ella looked up at him, realizing she’d been lost in her thoughts. “Yeah, sorry. Just thinking.”
“About what?”
She hesitated. She could tell him. They could talk about the past, about what happened when he left, about the letters that slowly stopped coming. But part of her wasn’t ready for that conversation. Not yet. “Just... stuff,” she said with a small smile, hoping it was enough.
Ethan gave her a soft look, like he understood without her having to say much. “We’ll catch up. There’s time.”
She nodded, grateful that he wasn’t pushing her. They could talk later. For now, she just wanted to enjoy the festival, the music, and the fact that, for the first time in years, they were together again.
---
As the talent show wrapped up, the crowd began to disperse, people heading toward the food stalls or sitting down on the grass to relax. The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, casting everything in a warm, golden light. Ella stood by the side of the stage, watching as students cleaned up and moved equipment.
Khian appeared beside her, his usual calm expression in place. “Everything’s running smoothly,” he said quietly, more to himself than to her.
Ella glanced at him. “You sound surprised.”
“I’m not,” he said, though there was a slight smile on his face. “You guys did a good job.”
“Thanks,” she said, feeling a bit of relief that the hardest part of the festival was over. But as she stood there, she noticed Khian’s eyes flickering toward the spot where Ethan had been standing earlier. 
There was something about the way Khian looked, like he was holding back, like he had something to say but wasn’t sure how to say it. Ella opened her mouth, wanting to ask, but before she could, Khian spoke.
“Are you... happy?” he asked, his voice low.
Ella blinked, not expecting that question. “What do you mean?”
“With everything. Are you happy?” He didn’t look at her as he spoke, his eyes still focused on the stage. 
Ella frowned, thinking about it. Was she happy? She didn’t know how to answer that. The festival had been great, and seeing Ethan again had brought up all kinds of feelings, but there was still that sense of something missing. Something unresolved.
“I... I don’t know,” she admitted softly.
Khian finally turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. “If you’re not... you should say something.”
Ella felt a strange weight in his words, like he wasn’t just talking about the festival or the day. But before she could ask what he meant, someone called Khian’s name from the other side of the stage, and he turned away without another word.