Dedicated to

Thank you so much for the cool cover!!

**

I walked ahead of Ethan up to the school exit with my head in the clouds. Worries and disappointment scattered about the field of my mind just like the students who were now scattered down the hallway after the last bell rang for the day.

I didn't mean to entertain my self-doubt for a long time but I got incredibly upset because of his audacity to ignore me back when he was supposed to ask why I was behaving that way, but instead, he wasted his energy into trying to prevent my possible friendship with Charlie.

Call me petty but maybe boys are simple creatures after all — and that's coming from a boy who thought girls were clueless about how boys think.

"What is it?" Ethan asked pulling myself back into the present.

"Hm?" I hummed, confused as to why he was saying what he was saying.

He clicked his tongue. "The reason you've been ghosting me lately."

I stopped in my tracks with my eyes widened in mild shock before turning to face him. "Huh?"

A lock of dark brown hair fell over his forehead as he leaned over to me. "You didn't think I'd notice, did you?"

"Oh..." was the only word I could think of. The closeness of our faces might contribute to my reaction.

Suddenly it hit me, the moment which I realized I missed his green eyes drilling into mine in such proximity. Ethan shut his eyes, taking in a deep breath and I was fascinated by the way those thick eyelashes fluttered after he opened his eyes back.

"I get the vibe you don't want to be my friend anymore," he inferred.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled quietly and a bewildered look took over his face.

"For being an idiot? You could've at least told me first before ignoring my whole existence for two days and had Charlie as my replacement," he sternly put in.

Without saying any more words he started to make his way along with the other people to the exit door. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I took in what just happened. The pace of my breathing sped up dramatically and my heart sank watching his back getting away from my sight.

Oh boy, I had no intention for this to turn out the wrong way.

Not wasting time, I ran after him to the school's parking area. I wouldn't let Ethan leave without him knowing about the truth, well, not the whole truth, or Kaleb might just beat me into a pulp. I saw Ethan already approaching his Jeep and I quickened my steps to catch up with him.

"Hear me out first." I reached out for his wrist to stop him from getting in, not minding the stares of everyone in the area.

Ethan pulled his hand out of my grasp and gave me a cold stare. I held my hands up, afraid he would get angrier with me touching him. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door of his Jeep, looking at me expectantly indicating he was waiting to hear what I was about to say.

I absentmindedly played with the hem of my shirt before speaking. "You shouldn't befriend me otherwise I'd destroy your status and drag your team's good name into the mud."

"Great, now you're threatening me," Ethan replied sarcastically.

"No!" My voice came out higher than I anticipated. "What I'm trying to say is, people wouldn't approve of us being together. Your team captain's title is going to get tainted because you have a wimp friend and I don't want that to happen."

Ethan took a few steps towards me until the tips of his shoes were touching mine. I ignored the untranslatable feelings that began to spread throughout my body from our closeness. We were so close I could feel his breath when Ethan let out a sigh. For a few seconds, I heard my heartbeat drumming in my chest as I watched his green eyes softened.

Ethan looked down at me and cupped the side of my neck. "Who puts these crazy ideas into your head?"