Swipe of Fate

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 has arrived.... and with it, I'd love to hear your feedback. That is SO immensely helpful for me, and I appreciate all your support.

I had not yet felt my truest low with Ethan, but I would reach it tonight. 

The night started out like all the rest that summer that I had planned with Ethan. 

I drove from my hometown (where I was living over the summer) to campus and his apartment for 30 minutes. 

I still felt a deep sea of anxiety before I clicked his name on the phone elevator machine, but I assured myself that it was just because I liked him a lot and soon the alcohol would take this negative feeling away. 

He rang me up, and upon greeting each other, Ethan and I fell into a rhythm of rough, rapeplay-esque sex on his bed.

After the sex ended (and the duct tape went away too), I found myself in a comfortable silence cuddling with my head on his chest. 

Things felt so perfect right in that moment. I knew Ethan was mine until tomorrow (granted a few phone interruptions I suspected would come from the other girls tonight) and there was nothing I was thinking about besides how wonderful it felt to be with him.

Riley's phone call ruined it all, although I knew it wasn't his intention. I didn't believe he even knew he was put on speaker.

Ethan rolled his eyes at the incoming call, acting like he too found this to be a blissful moment Riley had ruined and picked it up. "Hey, dude. What's up?"

"Just heard back from my brothers. They can come tonight, and guess what?"

"What?" Ethan asked, ignoring my raised eyes that hinted I didn't know he had made plans for tonight.

"They said these strippers they know from college can come!" Riley's voice was ecstatic in a way I found questionable for the occasion. College? Strippers? Weren't the two usually mutually exclusive?

I glanced at Ethan, waiting for him to say he was with me, so no need to invite them. 

Or at least say, that's fine but Ava's here tonight, implying his attention could not be adequately delivered to any such strippers, but he didn't. 

He gave a nervous smile to no one in particular and replied, "That's awesome. Do we have enough alcohol or do I need to get some more?"

The next few minutes were riddled by a discussion on how much alcohol was needed to supply three strippers, Ethan, Riley, and Riley's two brothers. 

I felt a slight degree of panic in me rise as I was never brought up in the conversation. I knew if Riley was here, he'd invite me at once. 

After all, I was already here in their apartment, and Riley had always seemed to support our pairing.

Finally, Ethan hung up. And he just sighed. So I had to start the conversation.

"Uh, what was that?" I had been giving him googly eyes the whole call.

"Riley and his brothers are coming over tonight. I guess they're bringing over some girls who are strippers," Ethan just summarized the conversation I had already heard. "So, I guess you should go."

There it was. What my panic had told me I needed to be worried about.

"Um...." I didn't know what to say. I always wanted to proceed carefully when I was around Ethan and not demand too much. 

"You don't even know these girls?" I asked. 

I didn't understand why just because a few strippers (I honestly didn't know why their occupations were relevant if we weren't paying them for a service) were coming over, I had to leave.