Let's Get Ethan ✔

Chapter 16

Shouting and hollering and every sound imaginable came out of that group during the game. As it wrapped up everyone was close to losing their voices. The final score was 24-10, and UCSB had won, unsurprisingly.

Everyone in the group was talking about what a great game it was, and it was plain to see that Stephanie was still angry at Lincoln for spilling that drink on her. Though it was easy to see why, she had coke stains up and down her white skirt, it was not flattering. Ethan felt a twinge of joy, her relationship definitely wasn't as perfect as she made it seem, nor was she looking as perfect as she had presented herself as.

Ethan followed the group back to the van. One of the guys, Ethan believed his name was Randy, hollered at the top of his lungs.

"UCSB! UCSB!"

Everyone joined in as they piled into the car, a tribute to the victorious heroes out on the field. Ethan couldn't help but join the mob mentality as everyone had become a slave to the school spirit.

In the dark, the temperature had dropped significantly; Ethan could feel his hairs pick up and goosebumps formed over his arms. The air conditioning in the vehicle, left on haphazardly, only added to this effect. The other guys had warm bodies because of their extra fat, so they probably didn't notice the cool air in circulation. Ethan being as tall as he was, didn't carry much fat, and with all the exercise he had been getting, fatter was not the result. And since he wasn't lifting weights, neither was muscular. He was, at that exact moment, a pool noodle. Ethan, along with the ladies, began to shiver. Until one of the shorter girls said something, "Hey, hey, Jim!" She attracted the attention of Jim who turned around. "Turn off the AC, it's like a freezer!"

Soon the vehicle heated up again.

Ethan had all these romantic ideas about being the muscular, tall dude, but instead he was over in the back of a van imitating a pencil being sandwiched by two beefcakes.

The radio blasted. Rap was playing, and everybody was pretending that they too were in the rap video. Ethan could only describe the scene as all out cringe inducing. He allowed it but only until they reached the party. Once they arrived at the destination, he was out of the car in a hurry, in order to save his ears from the deafening sound of overlayered trash. Needless to say, he was not a fan of fast talking, or at least the kind that these people listened to.

Lincoln, the leader of the pack, led the group up to the grainy looking house. It wasn't the same one as last time, but it still had a similar vibe. Paint chips abound with a rickety front porch. Brown beer bottles displayed in the window, one of them smashed, and a broken barbeque in the middle of the front lawn, typical college living. Ethan had to wonder if this was a fraternity house or what, because the school would be better at upkeep than this.

They walked in unobstructed, only greeted by the familiar smell of a party, though it wasn't as bad this time, as the event had only just begun. Ethan could see some of the players still in their uniforms. They had probably carpooled, not caring that they smelt rank, Ethan hoped for the sake of his nose that they would go home and shower later. With all the smells of college he was pretty sure his nose would just stop detecting scent all together, his olfactory senses would just up and leave, claiming OSHA laws prohibited assault.

They got up the staircase to the main living quarters and each of them went their separate ways, except for Stephanie, Lincoln, and Ethan who just kind of stood there. The two girls went off with Randy, and Jim and his other buds went outside again, and the three of them just kind of stood awkwardly.

"So, you wanna see what they have for snacks?" Lincoln asked Stephanie, who just frowned.

"Sure," Stephanie agreed with a girlish sigh.