Strength in Secret

12

Ethan

As I left Riley’s apartment, my mind still buzzed with everything that had happened. The image of him lifting the coffee table with one hand played on a loop, and his words—sharp, vulnerable, defensive—were etched in my memory.

But for now, I needed a break.

My house was just next door, a small but cozy place I’d called home for the past three years. As soon as I unlocked the door, Luna, my fluffy gray tabby, bolted toward me, meowing in her usual dramatic way.

“Hey, Luna,” I greeted, bending down to scoop her up with one hand, my other hand holding the small bag of clothes I’d brought from Riley’s. She purred immediately, nuzzling her head against my chest.

“You missed me, huh?” I said softly, stroking her head. Her soft fur was a comfort I hadn’t realized I needed until now.

I kicked the door shut behind me and locked it, still cradling Luna as she settled into my arms like royalty. “You wouldn’t believe the night I’ve had,” I muttered, heading toward the living room.

Luna let out a short, questioning meow, as if asking for details.

“Well,” I started, placing her gently on the couch before dropping my bag onto the floor. “Riley might be secretly Superman. Or Batman. Or… I don’t know, something superhuman.”

She tilted her head, blinking at me like she understood every word.

I sighed, flopping down beside her. “I know, it sounds insane, right? But he lifted a freaking coffee table, Luna. With one hand.” I held up a finger for emphasis. “And then he got all weird about it. Like, he was panicking. Riley—the guy who never freaks out about anything.”

Luna yawned, stretching out her little paws as if to say, Yeah, humans are weird.

“Thanks for the input,” I said dryly, rubbing her belly. “You’re a big help.”

The room fell into a comfortable silence, the kind that only existed when it was just me and Luna. But my thoughts didn’t stay quiet for long.

What if Riley really was hiding something? Something… big?

I grabbed my phone from the coffee table and stared at it for a moment. I had half a mind to text Riley, demand answers, or at least check if he was okay. But I hesitated. He’d made it pretty clear he didn’t want to talk about what happened.

Instead, I opened a browser and typed, “Signs of superhuman strength.”

“Wow,” I muttered to myself as I scrolled through the results. “This is either a conspiracy theorist’s paradise or a rabbit hole I really shouldn’t be going down.”

Luna jumped into my lap, curling up as I absentmindedly scratched behind her ears. The soft vibrations of her purring did little to quiet the storm in my head.

Later, I tried to sleep but couldn't.

"Sighh!"

Still restless, I grabbed my phone and opened my messages. My thumb hovered over Riley’s name, but instead, I clicked on Ava’s. If anyone could talk sense into me, it was her.

Me: You up?

Ava: Depends. Do you need life advice or a snack suggestion?

Me: Life advice.

Ava: Uh-oh. What happened?

I took a deep breath and typed out everything in rapid bursts—how Riley had lifted the coffee table like it weighed nothing, how defensive he’d gotten, and how I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Ava’s reply came almost instantly.

Ava: OMG. Ethan, are you telling me your mysterious neighbor might actually be Superman?

Me: I’m serious, Ava.

Ava: So am I. Sounds like you’re living in a rom-com. Superhero boyfriend next door? Love it for you.

I rolled my eyes, but her teasing brought a small smile to my face.

Me: He’s not my boyfriend.

Ava: Sure, sure. Anyway, you’re probably overthinking this. People do weird stuff under pressure. Maybe he was just showing off?

Me: Riley doesn’t show off.

Ava: Okay, fine. Maybe he’s secretly a circus strongman. Or… I don’t know, on some weird fitness program. Either way, you’re spiraling. Chill.

Me: Easier said than done.

Ava: Look, Ethan. Just talk to him. Or don’t. But whatever you do, stop googling stuff. You’ll convince yourself he’s an alien.

I laughed softly at that, feeling some of the tension in my chest ease. Ava always knew how to keep things light, even when my mind went into overdrive.

“Thanks, Ava,” I murmured to myself, setting my phone aside. Luna had curled up in my lap, her soft purring grounding me. For now, I decided to let it go.

---

The next morning, I woke up to Luna kneading my chest—a not-so-subtle demand for breakfast.

“Alright, alright, I’m up,” I groaned, gently setting her aside as I stumbled toward the kitchen.

As I filled her bowl, my phone buzzed on the counter. I glanced at the screen. A text from Riley.

Riley: Morning. You good?

I hesitated before typing back.

Me: I’m fine. Are you?

The response was almost immediate.

Riley: Always am.

I rolled my eyes. Classic Riley—avoidance at its finest.

---

Later, I found myself back at his apartment. I hadn’t planned on it, but Riley texted again, asking for help with a few last-minute wedding details.

When he opened the door, he was his usual self—calm, collected, and annoyingly unreadable.

“Ethan,” he greeted, stepping aside to let me in. “You’re early.”

“Yeah, well,” I said, brushing past him, “I figured you might need extra help. You know, since you’re secretly a superhero and all.”

Riley froze for half a second—just long enough for me to notice—before shutting the door behind me.

“Still on that, huh?” he said, his tone casual, but his jaw tightened ever so slightly.

“Maybe,” I replied, plopping onto the couch. “You’ve got to admit, Riley, last night was… weird. And don’t try to tell me I imagined it.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sat down across from me. “Ethan, can we not do this?”

“Not do what? Talk about the fact that you lifted a table like it was made of paper?”

“It was nothing,” he said firmly.

“Nothing?” I leaned forward, my voice rising. “Riley, normal people don’t do that! And then you just—”

“I said it’s nothing,” he snapped, cutting me off.

I stared at him, taken aback by the sudden edge in his voice.

“Look,” he said, softer this time, “I get that you’re curious. But some things… they’re better left alone.”

“Better for who?” I challenged.

He met my gaze, his expression unreadable. “For both of us.”

The room went quiet. Luna’s absence suddenly felt very noticeable, and I found myself wishing for her comforting presence.

“Fine,” I said finally, leaning back. “But don’t think for a second that I’m dropping this.”

Riley sighed again, but this time, there was a hint of a smile. “I’d expect nothing less from you, Ethan.”