Ethan's POV (Bonus Book)

Chapter Nine - Ethan's POV

I shifted nervously in my seat as I finished explaining, or more accurately lying to Dylan about why Mia was on my back. 

I couldn't exactly tell him that I had blackmailed Mia into sitting on me, so I could mentally live out my shamefully perverted fantasies. Instead, I vaguely explained to him that I had a sore back which Mia had kindly offered to stretch out.

Dylan blinked back at the three of us, all our words seeming to pass straight over his little head.

Then before I knew it, the look of boredom in his eyes vanished, and a giddy smile overtook his face. 

At once, he skipped his way over to my sofa and launched himself onto me. I anticipated it easily and caught him with a laugh. Deciding to torture him a little, I started to tickle him, causing his arms and legs to flail about as he shrieked with laughter. 

As I moved about, I briefly caught Mia's eyes from where she still lay on the sofa across from me. She had a loose smile upon her lips and was watching the two of us intently with visible amusement in her eyes.

Shit, shit, shit. She thinks it's cute. She thinks it's cute. Act cool. Act cool.

Trying my best not to smile too wildly, I averted my eyes and focused my attention back on tickling Dylan.

"Stop, Ethan, Stop," Dylan screeched out, his words interwoven by laughter. I eased up a little, deciding to let him catch some breath.

Dylan looked up at me. "Can we play Mario-Karts?" He asked with eyes all widened and innocent. I playfully rolled my eyes at his request, knowing how obsessed he was with Mario karts.

"Yeah, sure, little D," I said with a light chuckle. 

As soon as the nickname departed my lips, I shifted my eyes over to Lucas who was sat on the armchair to my left. Lucas looked as though he was on the brink of laughter, and the two of us exchanged a brief knowing look. 

The two of us had decided to give him that nickname because we thought it would be funny when he grew to be a teenager and realized how offensive it was. I honestly had the most beautiful image of Dylan bringing home some girl or boy one day; and then me ruining it with a 'Hey, little D' greeting. It would be priceless.

Yeah, I know, I know, we were bullies...

Shaking my smile off my face, I set up the TV. Grabbing the control remotes from the cupboard, I handed one over to an eager Dylan who had moved to sit cross-legged on the floor. 

Before I pressed play on the game, I snuck a look at Mia. I was surprised to find her looking at me, but she rapidly averted her gaze the moment our eyes met. My lips tugged up a little, liking that I had caught her staring at me.

  Now, all there was left to do was to impress her with my racing skills...

Okay, long story short, I lost to a 6-year-old. And even worse, with an audience present.

As Dylan's baby Mario character did a victory lap around the track, an awkward silence drowned the air. I didn't even dare look in Mia's direction, not wanting to face the humiliation.

"Ethan, you suck," Lucas cackled rudely. 

His words only intensified the shame I felt, and I prayed to every god I knew of that I wasn't turning red.

"Why don't you try and beat him then, Lucas? It's harder than it looks." I bit back.

"Okay, I will," Lucas smirked, not seeming the tiniest bit intimidated.