His Sunflower

Chapter 22

"Zoey, you gonna be ok with..." Kaylie trails off throwing a glance at Ethan.

"He knows about it." I say rubbing my temples. I'm honestly freaking out right now. The moment I go home, my life will never be the same. What if mom hates me? What if she's a completely different person? What if she tries killing herself again? What if I'm the one to find her?! What about the twins? They haven't seen mom at all in the past two years. Will they still remember her? Of course they do, but what if things are awkward between them? What if mom and dad don't work out? What if they get a divorce?!

Ethan gently grabs my hand, just holding it. Which oddly enough makes my mind shut up. How did he even know I was freaking out?!

"Oh, well will you be ok?"

I nod. "Yeah Kay, I'll be fine." Probably. Maybe. Hopefully.

"Are the twins still with-" Katlyn stops looking at Ethan. "How much does he know?"

"Everything."

"Everything! Since when did you go around telling people stuff like that? I'm kind of hurt Zoey, I know you told him stuff you didn't tell me." Kaylie says crossing her arms.

"Kaylie chill out, Zoey can do what she wants. Her life doesn't revolve around us." Katlyn says shaking her head.

"How about we don't talk about Zoey's life?" Mark suggests.

"I agree!" Nolan says.

"I agree as well!" Alan says, louder than Nolan. Like he's one upping his twin.

"Sorry Zoey." Kaylie mumbles.

"It's fine." I say forcing a smile at Kaylie. It's not that it isn't fine, I just really don't feel like smiling right now.

"Oh, mom's here. Gotta go!" Katlyn says standing up. "Come on knucklehead."

Lincoln grumbles under his breath getting up and following after Katlyn.

"I guess we should get going too." Alan says. "Come on knucklehead."

Nolan snorts at how Alan mimicked Katlyn and follows after Nolan after saying bye to us.

"Want us to wait with you guys?" Mark asks.

"It's ok." I say softly. Still sorta freaking out.

"Alright the.  Come on-"

"Call me a knucklehead and I'll kick your balls." Kaylie says narrowing his eyes.

Mark's hand shoots to his crotch and he runs away from Kaylie. Kaylie grins then looks over at Ethan and I. "Bye cousin."

"Bye Kaylie."

Kaylie runs off after Mark, leaving me and Ethan by ourselves.

"Hey, you alright?" Ethan whispers to me. He must have realized how I now have a death grip on his hand.

"Hahahahaha no. I don't want to go home."

"It'll be fine Zoey."

"And how do you know that? False advertisement is a criminal offense."

"What?" Ethan looks at me. "No, it's not. At least I don't think."

"Psh, what does it matter? I'm still forced to go home anyway."

Ethan takes his hand that's not holding mine and slumps it over my shoulders. "How about this, if things don't go well, I'll come get you from your house and I'll take you to get like ice cream or something."

"How about we ditch now and go get ice cream? And then I never go home?"

"Zoey, it might not be bad." Ethan says, giving me a look.

"But it might be bad."

"Since when have you been such a pessimistic?"

I shrug. "Since you met me?"

Ethan sighs. "Just at least go home and see how things are. I'm serious, I'll come get you if you can't be there anymore."

"Do you have your license?" I ask, it sounds like Ethan's saying he does. How else could he come get me?

"Yeah, I got it last week."

"So you've stayed with me until I've gotten picked up everyday since then because why?"

"Incase you don't get a ride back." Ethan says leaning his head on my shoulder, over top his arm.

"Oh, thanks I guess."

"No problemo."

My phone buzzes, and I see it's a text from my dad saying he's here to pick me up.

"Ethan, I can't go." I whisper. Suddenly terrified of going home. I may be freaking out for no reason, but what if I'm right about everything? What if nothings normal? What if mom hates me?

"You'll be ok. You're a tough nut to crack sunflower. Come on, I'll walk you to your car."

Ethan stands up, and then pulls me up when I don't move.

"Don't make me drag you all the way there." Ethan sighs.

"Please, hide me. I can't go home." I say trying to get away from Ethan as he actually starts dragging me to the pickup line.

"Remember Zoey, I'll come get you if things are bad. I promise. Just go home and see."

I sigh and give up trying to fight Ethan, I'm going to have to go home and see my mother eventually.

I hug Ethan before I get into the car. "Promise you'll come get me if I need it?" I whisper.

"I already promised you that."

"Pinky promise me." I say holding out my pinky.

Ethan rolls his eyes but locks pinkies with me.

I let go of him, say bye and get into dad's car.

"Was that your friend Ethan? Because he seems more like just a friend judging by the length of that hug." Dad greets me in such a loving way.

"I think he might be upgrading to my b-"

"Boyfriend?!"

"Dad! I was going to say best friend! Ethan does even..." I trail off before saying he doesn't even like me. Because I do still remember Ethan's younger brother Vance telling me he did like me.

"I ship it." Dad says.

"Ew no."

Dad laughs. "Don't worry, shipping is more the twins' thing."

I chuckle softly, until I remembered mom's going to be at home when I get there.

"Dad, on a scale of one to ten how bad is it?"

"Well which is which? Is one really bad or is ten really bad?"

"Ten's really bad."

"Oh... then probably a three or four."

I groan letting my head fall back against the headrest. "I was hoping for negative numbers."

"Come on Zoe, be realistic here. We both know your mother. But she's trying."

I nod, trying to be positive. Maybe it won't be bad.