"Confronting the Tension"

The air was thick with unspoken words as I met Jace's gaze, my heart still racing from the intensity of the moment. I took a deep breath and decided to cut to the chase, my voice barely above a whisper. "Look, Jace, I think we both know what's going on here. You make me hot, that's about it." Jace's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "You're a bitch, Lila," he spat, his voice low and venomous. "You know exactly what you're doing, playing with fire like this. You're dating Alex, but you're kissing me, and now you're just going to dismiss it like it's nothing?" Ethan's grip on my hand tightened, his eyes narrowing as he turned to me. "Lila, I have to agree with Jace on this one," he said, his voice firm but disappointed. "You're playing with fire, and it's not just Jace who's getting burned. You're hurting people, and that's not okay." I felt a stinging sensation from Jace's words, but Ethan's agreement with him was what really cut deep. I pulled my hand out of Ethan's grasp, my eyes welling up with tears. "So, you're taking his side?" I asked, my voice shaking. Ethan's expression softened, but his words were firm. "I'm not taking sides, Lila. I'm just calling it like I see it. You're not being honest with yourself or anyone else about how you feel." Jace snorted, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "Yeah, you're just using us both to get what you want," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. I felt a surge of anger and hurt, but before I could respond, the waiter arrived to take our order, breaking the tension. Ethan ordered for us, his voice calm and detached, and I sat in stunned silence, feeling like I'd been punched in the gut. As the waiter walked away, Jace's gaze met mine, his eyes cold and hard. "This isn't over, Lila," he said, his voice low and menacing. I shivered, feeling a chill run down my spine, and Ethan reached out to put a hand on my shoulder. But I just shook him off, feeling like I was trapped in a nightmare from which I couldn't wake up.