Through the Lens

23

Waking up, I remembered my night. It had been fun. Ethan had promptly dropped me off by curfew and curiosity had me wondering if he'd gone out after. Maybe back to the party he'd been back at or to her. The girl I'd heard in the background, I hadn't been sure it was Lucy, but I wouldn't have doubted otherwise.

Finishing homework and chores, I watched a few YouTube videos about starting a blog. I was seriously considering it. When my phone buzzed, I didn't bother to look at who was calling, knowing it was either Madison or Bradley.

"What's up," I said.

"Nothing," a voice responded, clearly not belonging to either of my best friends.

"Ethan?" I ask incredulously.

"Yeah," he said, "Hey, have you finished the roll yet?" He was referring to the film and my camera.

"Yes..." I said a little too slowly.

"So really no," he said calling me out.

"Um, well, almost," I confessed.

"Can you come over?" he asked.

Now curiosity dictated I say yes, immediately. But pride said that I should drag it out a bit. "Why?"

"Because I have something to show you," he said.

Okay, yes, I was truly intrigued. "Sure, when?"

"Soon, if you can," he said.

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit," I said.

Since Jenna had the car yesterday, I was easily able to commandeer it today. Parking, I walked to the door with ease. I'd just been here last night. His house was fast becoming a familiar territory.

After I rang the doorbell, I waited a beat before he opened the door. There was no denying my gawking it when he did. He knew, I knew, heck the whole world would know it if they saw him. His hair was damp, his bare chest rosy against the golden tones of his skin. He recently left the shower and the clean woodsy scent of pine of something permeated the space between us. His gray sweats were loose on his hips. My throat was dry. I didn't even bother to speak when he smiled at me. Scowling at him in order to hide my ogling, he stepped back. Feeling less like a stranger, I walked into his kitchen and grabbed a glass. Opening the fridge, I pulled out a pitcher of something and poured it in.

"Wait," he said.

But I drank deep before I sputtered. "What the hell is this?" I complained. My mouth no longer dry but burned instead.

"All in punch," he said.

"What?" I croaked while he reached in the fridge and handed me a water bottle. Cracking it open, I drained the bottle hoping to take some of the sting out of my throat.

Shaking his head, he said, "Someone brought it over."

"Who?" I asked, wondering who made something that tasted like it could take paint off the walls.

"You don't want to know," he said looking away.

Well, that explained it. One of his fan club, because despite Lucy's claim on him at school, there were other girls making themselves available. The shamelessness of some people, I thought. "Look, I'm going to go get dressed," he said. That brought my attention back to his body. Giving me a grin, he headed out of the kitchen.

Sighing, I didn't need this torture. My phone buzzed and I looked down to see that Josh was calling. I sent the call to voicemail. I wanted to turn the ringing off but didn't.

A few minutes later, Ethan walked back in covered with a tee shirt and jeans. I was ready for him with my camera pointing. Click, Click, Click. Sighing, I almost thought about Josh and his beautiful body but remembered he was on my shit list. Instead, I watched Ethan's dismay. "What," I said. "I told you I was almost done with the roll."