"So like, I was talking about feeling bad for Steve, and Ethan was like, yeah, he looks super sad when we all left the house, and then there she was, standing not far from where we were, literally gawking at his every movement," I said the last part pointing up at Ethan who in return just smiled.

We'd been spending the rest of English period doing our own work since Ms. Kendrick had left for an emergency meeting halfway through the class and didn't leave any substitute teacher to supervise us. Not that I was complaining.

Ethan was sitting down on top of an empty desk behind me, his arms wrapped around my shoulders and his chin resting on top of my head. Kaden and Steve had their chairs pulled around my place, each had different expressions on their face listening to the story with huge interest. It ranged from total shock to amusement, and pure horror.

Kaden first spoke up, lifting his face to meet Ethan's eyes. "And you had no idea this lady was stalking you?"

"I had my eyes set on someone else during that time," he answered and I felt his arms tighten around me.

I couldn't explain what sort of enchantment he put me under but that gesture was enough to leave a funny tingly sensation in my stomach. Warmth began to blossom upon my cheeks.

"And people say I'm the player. If Elle finds out, she might go crazy on you," Kaden commented with a laugh.

"You two were talking about me?" Steve asked, mostly staring at me with an appreciative look on his face.

"Don't interrupt the story!" Kaden yelled at him to which he received a flick on the forehead from Ethan. He cried out in pain.

"Yeah," I answered. "We're really sorry for leaving like that, Steve. I hope you're not angry with me or Ethan."

"Trust me, Short King. I'm not," he responded and I just narrowed my eyes at the nickname.

"Andy and I will swing by your house again today if that's okay with you," Ethan told Steve making his perfect eyebrows arch in question.

"Yes! Count me in!" Kaden chimed in eagerly while rubbing his sore forehead.

Everyone waited for Steve to open his mouth as he seemed to be hesitant for a while with his answer. One thing was for sure, he was a deep thinker so perhaps he was having a vision thing going on in his mind.

"Don't only show up if you guys are doing it out of guilt, alright?" he said after some time.

"Nah, we're coming to beat your ass at Madden again," Kaden replied, eliciting a laugh from all of us.

"That's true. Also, your parents have the best liquor cabinet," Ethan added humorously.

"All jokes aside, with them being away we thought we should come over more often. Being alone could be very lonely," I said to Steve.

Steve smiled at that. "Thanks, guys. I have no problem with being alone in the house but sometimes it does get lonely."

"We'll help you get over it, buddy," Ethan let out with much optimism and I nodded my head at Steve.

Kaden slung an arm around Steve's shoulders pulling him for a one-armed hug. "We're going to be there and keep you company until you grow tired of us."

That got him to smile even wider as he brought up a hand to cover his face. "It's so nice of you guys, I might get emotional."

"Alright, hug time is over!" Kaden announced, pulling his arm away from Steve and shifting his attention back to me. "I still want to know about the lady?"

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes at him. "She wandered away after getting caught multiple times. That's the end of it."

Knowing Kaden, of course, he wasn't satisfied with the reply. "At least tell me what she looks like?"

"Kade, I know what you're thinking. Don't do it," Ethan said seriously only for the guy to wink at his captain.

Just when I thought Kaden had changed from his old habits and who he was, he proved me wrong. I could feel my anger building up at him. The guy was, indeed, still a shameless prick, and I've never felt so angry for someone else as I did at that moment.

"Aren't you trying to date my sister?" I asked, not too kindly.

"I'm over that," he answered, leaning back on his chair. "And before you get all protective and stuff, it's a mutual decision."

That ended much faster than I thought it would. I never really liked the idea of the two of them together anyway. It would be like setting Olivia up for another heartbreak and future bitterness between me and Kaden.

"You got bored of her, didn't you?" I decided to ask again. My voice was less harsh but still skeptical.

"Try again," he answered, which surprised me. Kaden then quickly added. "You haven't answered my question about that lady though."

"You're getting obsessed, aren't you?" Steve remarked, shaking his head with a concerned look on his face.

"Hey, I need that PS5. Come on, Andrew. You gotta have at least one picture of her," Kaden pleaded and I refrained from another eye roll.

"Why would he take a picture of a stranger like some weirdo?" Ethan interjected, sounding as if he was trying not to be mad.

"As proof or I wouldn't believe him," Kaden answered, having no idea how ridiculous he sounded.

"Why would I lie?" I snapped.

"Stop bothering Andy, man," Ethan told him sternly but I had no intention to let it slide.

I shot Kaden a hard glare and leaned forward to get in his face, forcing him to recoil back into his chair. I didn't know where this confidence suddenly sprouted from, but I was glad for it.

"Do you really think I'd make up stuff just to keep people interested in talking to me?" I snarled at him. That was not like me - to snarl at people.

"Oh shit. It's been nice knowing you, Kade," Steve mumbled quietly before he angled his face to look away.

Kaden glanced at both of his friends as if silently pleading for help but none of them moved a muscle. I fixed my stare on his face and waited for an answer but the only motion there was was of his scared, blinking eyes along with the sound of him gulping down his saliva.

I clenched my hands into fists against my thighs or else I was afraid they would be hurled at his face. "Well?"

"I'm sorry," he squeaked out meekly. "I didn't mean to."

"Why would you say some dumb shit like that?" Ethan asked in annoyance.

"I take back everything I've said," Kaden told me with a regretful gaze. "You're an interesting person and so fun to talk to. It's just that my stupid mouth moves before my brain even processes."

A lot of people might not agree with me but I couldn't stay mad at someone let alone hold grudges. It was just not in my nature. "Hmm, fine. Forget about it."

"You're lucky he got a generous and forgiving heart," Steve pointed out to the smiling guy next to him.

I swore I could see a glimmer sparkling in Kaden's eyes after he said aloud, "And I'm very much thankful for that."

"Don't take advantage of it, Kade, or I'll take your head off," Ethan spat calmly and that prompted awkward laughter from Kaden.

I looked over to Steve who shared the same incredulous look that I was sure was on my face. It was hard to tell whether Ethan was being serious or not. After we had left Elle's house yesterday, I had noticed his behavior was off. He didn't talk much nor did he show any trace of emotion except for when he was showing me affection. It was like he was always deep in his own thoughts and seconds later he snapped back into reality, continuing to act as if nothing was wrong. I was determined to ask him about it soon as we were alone again.

"Blonde," I announced suddenly, getting everyone's attention.

"What?" Steve asked.

"That lady in the boutique," I answered and he sighed an uninterested 'Okay'.

As expected, Kaden was the one who appeared excited about that information. "Oh yeah?"

"She's blonde, tall, has blue eyes and is curvy and she's like a mid-thirty or maybe forty-year-old woman," I proceeded to tell him.

"Well, she sounds hot," Kaden commented. Steve gave him a disgusted look to which he shot him a happy grin.

However, the grin on his face faded as fast as it appeared the second Steve decided to raise a question that had caught everyone off guard.

"Are you sure that's not Kaden's mom?"

"You motherf-" was all Kaden shouted at Steve before he jumped out of his chair and started chasing the other guy around the classroom.

***

The last bell rang to mark the end of the day. I was walking out of my Math class scrolling through my phone in the hallway while Ethan -- who was still in his brooding mood -- speed walked ahead of me among the stream of students. He was probably in a rush for the locker room to put on his uniform for practice that he had after this.

On usual days, I would stay in the library doing some revisions and readings until he was done. Today, however, I had a follow-up consultation with Mr. Gilinsky. A few days earlier, I had sent him an email with an attached admission essay I wrote and I was curious about what he had to say about it. I hoped he approved it as much as Ethan liked it.

I snapped out of my own mini trance and redirected my attention to Ethan who was getting farther away from me, forcing me to hurry to catch up with him. He had his brows pinched together as he stared straight forward, he never turned to look at me, and I became infuriated with each passing time.

"Ethan," I called for him a bit loud making other people around us to turn their heads and stare at me in confusion.

My patience was thinning out drastically because he paid me no mind, which left me no choice but to grab his hand and pull him into an empty classroom. Although Ethan let out a few huffs and groans of protest, he didn't fight me, which I was glad for.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked him after shutting the door behind me.

"Nothing," he lied defiantly. His eyes darted from door to wall to ceiling, anywhere but my face.

I walked closer to him and placed a hand on his forearm. "Talk to me. I'm your best friend."

Ethan scratched the back of his neck, something he always did when he was anxious or nervous about something. "We fought. I know the timing isn't right but I finally told her."

"About us?" I wondered.

He scoffed and shook his head. "Elle would have you on the run if she knew that."

"Then, what did you tell her?"

"That I was seeing someone and wanting to break things off with her but she never acknowledged that she just straight-up ignored every word I said like who fucking does that? And I was sitting there mind fucked for about five minutes and now I feel like a loser 'cause I don't know what to do next or how I'm supposed to act around her when-"

By the time his breath began to shake, I grasped his cheeks gently to stop his ranting. "Hey, listen to me. Just breathe."

"I can't. I can't calm down," he said in an almost whining tone while squinting his eyes shut.

"We'll figure this out," I tried to comfort him but he kept mumbling something I couldn't hear.

Ethan kept shaking his head as if that helped him with his breakdown in any way. Just looking at him appearing very vulnerable was breaking my heart. I hated seeing him this way. I wanted the old Ethan back; the one that was always teasing and cheerful so I did what I thought could help with that situation. I tiptoed and pressed my lips against his. He was definitely taken aback by such a surprise. Nonetheless, he made a pleasured sound in return and was leaning into it ever so slightly. I let the kiss last only for a few seconds and pulled away just before he was about to use his tongue.

He looked down at me with a big smirk plastered on his face. "What's that about?"

"Just felt like doing it," I replied sheepishly, letting my gaze fall on the front part of his shirt.

"I've been waiting for that," Ethan said and brought his hands to cup my face, gently forcing my head up. "And I feel like... I want to kiss you again."

"Then why don't you?" I shot back, looking into his eyes.

Ethan didn't waste much time, surging forward and locking our lips together hungrily with all the passion that he had been holding in, the force knocking me back into the door but that wasn't my concern for now. Breathing deeply through his nose, he was savagely devouring my lips with a rush and rough tempo, biting them and forcing out a helpless whimper out of me.

I barely had a chance to register how had I missed the plushness of his lips before he had pushed his tongue through my parted lips. My face flooded with even more warmth as my hands slowly moved up to palm his rock-hard chest, feeling the thrumming of his heartbeat which was beating quickly as was mine.

One of Ethan's hands went to rest in my hair while the other made its way down over my back to squeeze my butt. I moaned into his mouth, my mind was spinning, my body shuddering, and my skin tingling as he kneaded the flesh firmly. My hips reflectively grind forward in response, eliciting a curse from Ethan. I smiled into the kiss knowing I had the same effect on him as he did on me.

Abruptly picking me up, my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist and I supported myself by holding onto him with my back pressed against the door. Ethan broke our kiss to start leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses along my jawline and neck, stealing another moan from me. I threw my head back, my breath became erratic when he rocked his hips against my crotch. The sinful act created pleasurable friction that sent a shock in between my legs.

Wanting more, Ethan's hands sneaked under the hem of my shirt, his cold fingers caressed my sides, moving in random patterns on my flushed skin making me squirm. A small whimper broke out on my lips at his actions but I was quickly silenced by his mouth on mine again.

While our kissing became more intense, Ethan's phone started buzzing in his pants pocket. I laughed watching him groaned in protest as he reluctantly pulled away to check who was calling him.

"It's Kaleb. Oh, shit, everyone's probably there already," he muttered at the same time he lowered me to the floor.

My mind was still a huge mess from the kiss we shared and it took a moment for me to catch that by 'everyone' he was referring to his teammates. I forgot Ethan had to be at practice and I made him, the captain of the team, late.

"You better start running," I replied while panting. My lips still tingled, and I couldn't stop smiling.

"I need a moment and apparently so do you," he told me, gesturing to the tents in our pants.

I immediately covered my crotch area and avoided making eye contact with him. Ethan didn't bother trying to hide his hefty bulge. He flaunted it like a trophy and I couldn't resist looking. I felt my entire face and neck gradually heat up again.

Ethan chuckled seeing my state. "You don't have to do that. I've already seen you naked."

I stared wide-eyed at him, unable to believe he would bring up that embarrassing incident. "Shut up!"

"I'm being serious. You have nothing to be shy about, Andy. Yours is nice too," he teased giving me a wink. "Very impressive girth."

"Stop it! Just get out!" I shoved Ethan's chest making his chuckle only go louder.

A smile threatened to creep onto my face seeing him back to being playful again and I wanted to make sure he stayed that way as long as I could.

Ethan opened the door and walked through it before he stopped to press a long, lingering kiss on my cheek. "Later, gator."

And with that, he went out.

I was left in the classroom with a smile. I didn't know how to put it in words but Ethan had done something to my heart. Just being around him made that fist-sized organ thud like it was about to burst out of my chest. I guessed that happened when someone cared and looked out for you. The feeling of being adored became overwhelming.

I was startled by the familiar chime of my phone. For a second I thought it might be Ethan however, it turned out I was wrong. My happiness subsided and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I read the text from Elle.

We need to have a serious talk!

!