Ethan's POV (Bonus Book)

Chapter 59, 60 and 61

Warning: This chapter contains distressing language discussing sexual assault and sexual assault. If this isn't something you are willing to read, stop when you see the following mark: *

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I studied Mia's face carefully, from where she still sat on my lap. Her gaze had fallen low, and I could almost see her eyes swirling with thought.

I couldn't for the life of me work out what had suddenly upset her so much. She'd been very enthusiastically kissing me, only seconds ago.

With a sigh, she untangled her arms from around my neck before flopping off my lap and onto the sofa.

I resisted the urge to tug her back, despite how badly I'd been enjoying holding her.

"Hey, are you alright, Chubs, you look a little sad?" I mumbled, noticing the slight frown on her lips. She stared quietly off at the party as the beginning of a soft song started to play.

She turned to me immediately with a small smile and straightened up her posture. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good," she said. An obvious lie.

I looked at her silently for a while, wondering what it was that she was hiding from me. My eyes did a slow glance over the room where I could see a few people attempting to jokingly ballroom dance to the song that was playing. It was a little slow for a party song, but I guess whoever made the playlist must have accidentally left it on. I stared at them silently for a while before the image jogged my memory.

Suddenly an idea formed in my mind, and I smiled.

Standing up abruptly, I stood before a very confused-looking Mia. "First off, imagine me twelve, skinny and short," I said abruptly.

Mia blinked twice and looked at me like I'd positively lost my mind.

I cleared my throat dramatically before sticking my hands in my pockets, just like I'd remembered doing six years ago.

"Hey, so, Mia, I know I'm not your favorite person right now since you know....the whole lesbian rumor," I said with another clear of my throat. "But I – I just thought...well, maybe, only if you want to, of course...would you mind dancing with me?" I stumbled out, my eyes rocking between hers.

I saw Mia's eyes warp from confused, to shocked as she realized, I'd recited back the very words I'd said to her at our school dance all those years ago.

"H-how do you remember exactly what you said?" she asked in bewilderment.

I let out a light chuckle. "Well, it's hard to forget what you said when someone responds with and I quote, 'Fuck off, you nasty piece of shit," I laughed while scratching the back of my neck. "Your rejection stung like a bitch, so the cruel part of my brain likes to replay that memory over and over again in my head," I mumbled, my laughter a little stiff.

Mia seemed to physically cringe at the memory, guilt crossing her features. She had no reason to feel guilty and I was about to tell her so before she sat up straighter, and cleared her throat, her eyes locking on mine.

"Well Seventeen-year-old Mia says, yes, she'd love to dance with you," she said with a smile, clearly deciding to play along.

Though it was a little dumb and stupid, I couldn't help but smile foolishly on behalf of the twelve-year-old love-sick fool that still lived in me. God knows, how desperate he was for her to say yes.

Taking hold of her hand, I pulled her to her feet and started pulling her over to the makeshift dance floor.

The moment we got there, I grabbed a hold of her waist and pulled her flush up against me causing laughter to escape her lips. I reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear that had fallen into her face. I searched over her face, admiring how fucking beautiful she was. Beautiful and mine.