Dear Ethan: A Second Chance Romance

Chapter 10: Promposals

*Jodie*

Stacey smiled at us benevolently as she drifted down the hallway drawing stares. 

She had quickly become the most popular person leading up to prom. Even the seniors drifted over to her to get some intel.

Excitement along with nerves hung in the air. Some guys in our grades asked their dates right away while some created elaborate promposals but half of the girls were still waiting to be picked.

Sam and I exchanged smiles as we walked down the corridor. She was a smitten kitten. Someone from her AP English class had already asked her to go at lunch and she was on cloud nine. 

Finally, her crush on Mattie Hawkins was officially squashed. It had lasted a good 15 months. A new record as far as school crushes go.

I doodled in my notebook, barely paying attention in class, wondering when Ethan would make a move.

Cody came up behind us and slung his arms around our shoulders. 

"Who are you guys going with?" He asked, looking at us.

 Sam smiled back, her braces had come off just in time and she looked like she could be in a toothpaste commercial. Cody's eyes widened when she told him the name. 

He whistled. "Wow, a senior asked you? That never happens." It was true. A senior asking a junior was rare since there were two proms for each grade.

"How about you Jodie?" I shrugged, no one had asked me but I didn't care. 

I just wanted one person to ask me. I hadn't seen Ethan as often after winter break since he was busy with training and games but we had agreed to walk home together tomorrow.

By fifth period, it was already known that Shane had asked Stacey by decorating her locker.

And Cody got the entire basketball team to help him do a video promposal for his date.

Sam looked over at me and squeezed my hand. It was only a matter of time. 

-

*Ethan*

By the time I got home, I was already wiped from practice. 

The team sang me happy birthday at lunch which was awkward. I never knew what to do when people sang me happy birthday. I walked up the driveway and checked the mailbox anyway, the hinges screeching as I looked through the letters. There were mostly flyers but one letter from Dad.

I gazed at it feeling the anger rise inside of me. He never wrote any more. 

I studied it. Half of me wanted to crumble it up but I knew it was only right to give it to Mom. I went to open the door but my foot knocked into something on the ground. I looked down. 

There was a square white box right by the front step, it blended in with all the snow that I didn't even notice at first.

There was no note or anything. Strange. I opened the box and felt my heart race.

It was a cake. For me.

In loopy cursive, the cake read Happy Birthday Ethan! In red frosting. 

It was a little lopsided from my kick but it was definitely my name on it. My mind spun. Was it from Dad? Or a surprise from Mom? I couldn't think of anyone else that would do this. We had a lot of relatives but they usually just sent a card with some money. Or called to talk on the phone.

I unlocked the door and brought it inside, setting it on the kitchen counter. A part of it was already crumbling so I took a fork and ate a bit of the scraps. Red velvet and cream cheese frosting. The flavors exploded on my tongue. My phone buzzed. It was a text from my mom:

Happy birthday sweetheart! She wrote. 

I texted her back quickly. Thanks for the cake.

Mom: How did you know? 

I smiled, shaking my head.

Ethan: It got delivered to the front door.

Mom: What? I was about to pick it up at the store. I guess there was a mix up. Happy birthday baby. I left you some money on the kitchen table. Order some takeout for you and your brother. Enjoy your night.

My eyes drifted over to the box. 

It didn't look like a store-bought cake. It looked homemade.

Mason came running down the stairs. "I got you something." He said and handed me something wrapped in wrinkled tissue paper.

"Wow, thanks little guy," I ruffled his hair and he smiled back, looking proud. 

It was a wrestling video game I was talking about getting. "Want to test it out?" He nodded and we spent the rest of the night on the couch yelling at the screen before ordering takeout. 

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