him. His black leather jacket slung over his shoulder, he is dressed in a blue and red plaid shirt, the sleeves rolled up over his muscled forearms and slim cut, faded gray chino shorts with navy canvas sneakers. He looks so handsome and put together, I feel underdressed in my emerald green t-shirt, denim cutoffs, and scuffed, white low tops.
“Good morning, Fallon,” he says, flashing me a bright smile that makes his eyes crinkle.
“Morning, Ethan,” I mutter suspiciously. “You look well rested. How was the hottest party of the week?”
He arches an eyebrow and smiles vaguely, “It was... eventful.”
“Those parties usually are,” I try to sound bland, but I can’t keep the bite out of my tone. I don’t like the idea of him getting tangled with Mackenzie. I knew her too well to want that for him.
“Mackenzie told me all about you last night,” his voice is teasing and his eyes are alit with mischief.
Mackenzie and I used to be best friends, but I never thought she would actually talk about me to get close to Ethan. Then again things were different now and I wouldn’t put much past her these days. I respond skeptically, “It must have been full of revelation seeing as Mackenzie and I haven't been friends since middle school.”
He casually runs his hand through his hair, a stray lock flopping back down on his forehead. I resist the urge to reach over and brush it back. He leans toward me and in a confidential whisper reveals, “Ooh, busted. I confess, I didn't actually go to her soiree last night.”
“Hmmm,” I am secretly thrilled but reply in a disinterested voice. “Who you hang out with in your free time is none of my concern.” Flipping open my Calculus book to a random page so that I have something to look at besides Ethan, I can still feel his eyes studying my face.
He taps his finger down on the page to get my attention. “Hey, I was just pulling your leg. Mackenzie cornered me after Psych yesterday and I barely made it out alive. I could’ve used some back up.”
I look up from my book and am taken aback by his expression. His blue eyes are earnest and his smile is open. For some reason, Ethan genuinely wants to be my friend. He just doesn’t know who he is getting mixed up with. I sigh as the first period bell cuts through our moment of suspended silence as we stare at each other. I snatch up my Calculus book and make a run for it. “I’m sorry I’m not very good company. See you around, Ethan.” He is still sitting at the table as I turn down the hallway to head to European History.
Mrs. Douglas's monotone is background noise as I fiddle with the pages of my notebook trying to concentrate on her words instead of the prattling in my head. What does it matter what Ethan hears about me? Everest Heights is a small place and my reputation precedes me. It’s hard to have secrets when everyone knows who you are, no matter how insignificant you become.
I consider myself to be very practiced when it came to dealing with people, but Ethan has this disarming quality. Was I really that incapable of having a normal interaction with this boy? Well normal is not how I would definite my interactions with people in general. But all my careful controls seem to slip around him.
Staring down at the blank page of my notebook willing my mind to clear, I can feel Ethan's stare from across the classroom and I have to force myself not to return it. I shouldn't want anything to do with this boy, yet here I was dissecting his words. My curiosity is getting the better of me but I have to remind myself that all my careful controls aren’t just for my benefit.
But Ethan had teased me, something no one has done in a long time. He was treating me like how people used to treat me when I still felt normal though Ethan made me feel far from normal. I don’t know where I belong anymore. When the bell rings, I scramble out of the
“Good morning, Fallon,” he says, flashing me a bright smile that makes his eyes crinkle.
“Morning, Ethan,” I mutter suspiciously. “You look well rested. How was the hottest party of the week?”
He arches an eyebrow and smiles vaguely, “It was... eventful.”
“Those parties usually are,” I try to sound bland, but I can’t keep the bite out of my tone. I don’t like the idea of him getting tangled with Mackenzie. I knew her too well to want that for him.
“Mackenzie told me all about you last night,” his voice is teasing and his eyes are alit with mischief.
Mackenzie and I used to be best friends, but I never thought she would actually talk about me to get close to Ethan. Then again things were different now and I wouldn’t put much past her these days. I respond skeptically, “It must have been full of revelation seeing as Mackenzie and I haven't been friends since middle school.”
He casually runs his hand through his hair, a stray lock flopping back down on his forehead. I resist the urge to reach over and brush it back. He leans toward me and in a confidential whisper reveals, “Ooh, busted. I confess, I didn't actually go to her soiree last night.”
“Hmmm,” I am secretly thrilled but reply in a disinterested voice. “Who you hang out with in your free time is none of my concern.” Flipping open my Calculus book to a random page so that I have something to look at besides Ethan, I can still feel his eyes studying my face.
He taps his finger down on the page to get my attention. “Hey, I was just pulling your leg. Mackenzie cornered me after Psych yesterday and I barely made it out alive. I could’ve used some back up.”
I look up from my book and am taken aback by his expression. His blue eyes are earnest and his smile is open. For some reason, Ethan genuinely wants to be my friend. He just doesn’t know who he is getting mixed up with. I sigh as the first period bell cuts through our moment of suspended silence as we stare at each other. I snatch up my Calculus book and make a run for it. “I’m sorry I’m not very good company. See you around, Ethan.” He is still sitting at the table as I turn down the hallway to head to European History.
Mrs. Douglas's monotone is background noise as I fiddle with the pages of my notebook trying to concentrate on her words instead of the prattling in my head. What does it matter what Ethan hears about me? Everest Heights is a small place and my reputation precedes me. It’s hard to have secrets when everyone knows who you are, no matter how insignificant you become.
I consider myself to be very practiced when it came to dealing with people, but Ethan has this disarming quality. Was I really that incapable of having a normal interaction with this boy? Well normal is not how I would definite my interactions with people in general. But all my careful controls seem to slip around him.
Staring down at the blank page of my notebook willing my mind to clear, I can feel Ethan's stare from across the classroom and I have to force myself not to return it. I shouldn't want anything to do with this boy, yet here I was dissecting his words. My curiosity is getting the better of me but I have to remind myself that all my careful controls aren’t just for my benefit.
But Ethan had teased me, something no one has done in a long time. He was treating me like how people used to treat me when I still felt normal though Ethan made me feel far from normal. I don’t know where I belong anymore. When the bell rings, I scramble out of the
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