Behind That Door

Chapter 13

"Push harder," I screamed as I descended from the high. He pushed harder, causing me to let out a squeal as I found myself again going for the new height. I tightened my grip on the sides and tilted my head, letting the joy wash over me. I closed my eyes and felt him pushing it with more force, causing my heart to beat faster. I had ridden it so many times when I was a kid but with him, it felt different. The ecstasy was incomparable. My giggles resounded the surrounding. 

"Stop. Stop," I panted as I came down again. It was getting too much now.

I let my slippers rub against the muddy ground to stop swinging. He grabbed the swing from behind to make it stop and left it when I got off. I was breathing heavily and my face was split in a big grin. 

"Now you sit, I'll push you," I motioned towards the swing and stepped around it. He chuckled and shook his head in no.

"No, I am better here," he said.    

Tonight we were visiting the park that I used to go to when I was a kid. Ethan was observing everything like a keen child. His eyeballs swinging from one corner to another with curiosity, taking in and memorizing everything that he could. I then pointed my finger at the slide where I had scraped my knee so many times when I was a child.

I told him the stories of my childhood and he listened with avid interest. He smiled when I smiled. He frowned when my lips turned downward and laughed when I pouted, remembering how Kristen and Justin would join hands against me.

Even though I was telling him my story, I also observed a few things about him. He never asked me about Kristen or anyone other than his own personal family, it looked as if he didn't care. He also had this habit of zoning out during the conversations and that sometimes felt offending. He always had something on his mind. It would be a lie if I say sometimes he didn't give weird vibes. He did. 

The next night I took him to my favorite diner which stayed open 24/7. 

We were almost busted that night. A guard had heard Etan's struggle with climbing the tree.

A branch fell off due to the excessive force he put on the poor offshoot to lift himself up. I slapped my hand over my mouth as I watched him dropping to the ground along with the branch. 

"Who's there?" the guard's flashlight slashed through the pitch-black darkness. I hastily dragged him to hide behind the tree as the guard came closer.

"Who's there?" he questioned as he took a cautious step ahead. He hadn't seen us yet as we both were hiding behind the tree. My mind was running miles per second. I looked over at Ethan who was as clueless as me.  

I picked a pebble and threw it into the bush to distract his attention and meowed. The sound came more like a question but thankfully, he bought it. I was a little embarrassed wondering what Ethan would have thought of it.  

"Fucking cat," the guard murmured and turned to his heel. It is after he disappeared I took a sigh of relief. 

I looked over Ethan who looked thoroughly amused by my little stunt. I rolled my eyes, glad that he wasn't able to see my reddening cheek. 

"I didn't know you mimic," amusement dancing through his eyes. I rolled my eyes at him, embarrassed a little.

We made it out of here without attracting any more attention from anyone. 

We ordered our food. Although the diner was almost deserted, Ethan looked a bit uncomfortable. This was the first time in many years, he had seen so many people, even though in reality there were only six. He was wary of strangers.