"Hey dad. I just wanted to call and let you know I'm home. I love you. Call me back once you get this message."

Since I'm home alone, my dad forced me to call him as soon as I get home and then once every hour so he knows I'm safe. He treats me like I'm five years old. I wish he would trust me. I know he's just doing it because he loves me, but it gets annoying sometimes.

I decided to take a shower before Ezra got here. Letting the warm water run over my body, I started to relax. I love taking showers. It's as if all of my stress and worries roll off of me and go down the drain, never to return. When I stepped out of the shower, I heard a loud knock on my front door, causing me to slip on the water.

Who in the heck could this be? Ezra isn't supposed to be here for another two hours.

Wrapping a cozy towel around my body, I tip toed down the stairs, grabbing a pan on my way. I heard a knock again except this one was softer.

"Kylie, it's Ezra. Open the door unless you want me to kick it in!" He yelled.

Seriously? I'm in a freakin' towel! Why in the heck did he show up this early!?

"Why are you here so early?" I asked, opening the door, clearly annoyed.

"I just got bored so I decided to go ahead and come here." He smirked, examining my body from head to toe.

"Whatever. Just come in. I'm going to get changed. Don't mess with anything."

"Aww. Why can't you just wear that? I won't mind." He grinned.

"I'm sure you wouldn't." I rolled my eyes, walking back up the stairs towards my room.

Since I didn't even want to be doing this, I just threw on a pair of gray sweatpants and a light blue tank top with spaghetti straps. I put my hair in a messy bun and left my face bare, not wanting to add any makeup. As I approached the living room, I saw Ezra laid out on my couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table. He was sloppily eating a bag of chips, dropping crumbs everywhere. He really needs to learn how to listen.

"Um... Excuse me? This is not your house. Either treat mine with respect or get out. Quit dropping crumbs everywhere and get your dang feet off of the coffee table!" I exclaimed, shoving his feet. "I told you not to touch anything!"

"Someone's bossy tonight. I was hungry and you were taking forever so I just helped myself."

He is so dang annoying!!

"If you want to work on this, don't be so disrespectful."

"I'm not being disrespectful. I'm just making myself at home." He smirked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well don't. Lets get to work."

Twenty minutes later and we still haven't accomplished anything. Ezra's been doing everything except what we need to do.

"Ezra!!"

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"You came here to work so let's work. I'm ready to get this over with." I sighed.

"How about we interview Austen? He's been with a lot of girls. I'm pretty sure he would have an opinion on young marriage."

He knows good and well I don't even want to be within one foot of Austen. I have no choice in the matter because I just had to run out of gas!

"No, we cannot interview him. There's hundreds of people we can interview besides him."

"You can't say no. I get to decide who we interview and I want to interview Austen first."

"No!! You can interview Drake or Cody or even the disgusting guy in first period! Anyone but him!!" I stood up, glaring at him, waiting for a reply. There is no way we are gonna interview him!

"Listen Kylie. I know you two aren't on good terms but I also know he's gonna have a lot to say about young marriage. He is very opinionated. He would give us a lot of information for our essay. If you want, you can be the recorder and I can ask the questions. Come on. We really need to interview him. I'll make sure he won't say anything to you. I'll be by your side the whole time. If you feel uncomfortable, just squeeze my hand and I'll tell him to leave." Ezra stated, looking straight into my eyes.

I wanted to look away but I just couldn't. Something was pulling me towards him. His eyes were so mesmerizing. Wait! Quit thinking like this Kylie! Pull yourself together. He's a jerk! Just as I was about to reply, my phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

"Hey darling. Sorry I was in a meeting. I just got your message. How is everything going? Have you ate yet?"

Ezra started walking towards the kitchen, making a bunch of racket.

"Yeah dad everything's fine. I'll eat later. I'm actually doing homework so I have to go. I'll call you in a little bit."

Ezra continued making noise, getting louder and louder.

"Who's there? Kylie is everything okay? Do I need to send someone over there?" My dad asked, worry evident in his voice.

"It's just someone from school. We're working on a project."

"Is it a boy? You know I will not tolerate you being in the house alone with a boy!!"

"No dad. It's Hailey. I have to go. Love you."

I knew my dad would fall for it. Hailey is my dads coworkers daughter. She's the head cheerleader of our schools squad and she is the daughter of every parents dream.

"Love you too." My dad replied, ending the call.

Now, time to go yell at the douche bag in my kitchen.

"Why did you make all of that dang noise?? Could you not tell I was on the phone?"

"I'm hungry. All that work we've been doing created an appetite."

"All the work we've been doing? No. More like all the work I've been doing. I'm hungry too so I will just call for take out."

"No it's fine. I'll cook. I haven't had a home cooked meal in a while."

I was shocked. He was gonna cook? I bet he can't even use a microwave.

"No thanks. I would rather save my stomach from your cooking." I laughed, grabbing my phone.

"Seriously. I'll cook." He argued, snatching the phone out of my hands.

I could smell his cool, minty breath.

Realizing how close we were, I turned the other way and walked towards the fridge.

"All I have is chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, milk, cheese, and pudding. We haven't been grocery shopping in a while."

"Perfect. I'll make us a grilled chicken salad. Now get out of my way." He said, slightly shoving my shoulder.

"If you burn my house down, you're going with it."

"I won't sweetheart." He smirked. "Just go sit down and relax. It'll be done in about twenty minutes."

I did as I was told. I took a seat at our bar, watching him work his so called "magic".

I started watching his every movement. He looks like he's cooked before. He was cutting the peppers and tomatoes so precise. He looked so concentrated. I noticed the small scar beneath his eye. I wonder why I've never noticed that before.

"Like what you see?" Ezra smirked.

I forgot I was even looking at him. My cheeks started heating up. I looked away, rolling my eyes.

"Nope. Not one bit."

"Then why were you staring at me?" He asked, looking up at me.

"I... Uh... I.... I was just trying to learn how to cut properly."

Really Kylie? That was so stupid!

"Come here. I'll teach you."

"No thanks."

"Come on. I'll be nice."

Sighing in defeat, I walked towards him. I slowly attempted to cut the pepper. I felt warm rough hands slide over mine. I couldn't describe the feeling. A wave of electricity washed over my body. I don't like this at all.

"Cut slowly. We don't want you getting a boo boo now do we?" He asked, poking out his bottom lip.

"I'm not a little kid. I know how to use a knife."

"Don't cut them too big. Now cut the big pieces into smaller ones. Make them into small squares like I cut the onions and tomatoes." He was moving my hands back and forth. Every time he moved, my breath hitched. I've got to stop this.

"I've gotta go call my dad. Hurry up with the food. I'm hungry." I shoved his hands off of mine and walked into the living room.

"Don't rush me if you want it to be good!" He yelled back.

I wish he would just leave. I don't want him here.

I dialed my dads number. It rang a few times until my dad picked up the phone.

"Hey sweetie. How's everything going?"

"Good. Haliey and I are making a chicken salad for dinner."

"Sounds good. Save some for me. They're letting me go home early because I've been working hard. I'll be home in about twenty minutes. I've gotta go. The boss man needs me. Love you."

I couldn't speak so I just hung up the phone. My dad is going to kill me! I have to get Ezra out of the house. Looks like I got my wish.