How To Rule Your High School

Chapter 30: Every Story Has Two Sides

Lunch was a surprisingly pleasant affair, with most of Danielle's cheerleader friends treating me like one of the bunch, save for a few who had probably been bullied one too many times by the A-listers. Kelly, Ashley, and Mercedes, the three that had actively taken to chatting with me and Danielle had invited me to their post-game party on Friday night, to which I'd gratefully replied yes.

Class was a whole other story. Ethan was lying in wait when I strode in, as purposefully as late as I could be without missing the bell. Mr Collins called the class to order before I could sit and I thanked my lucky stars that Ethan hadn't had the time to spit out whatever it was he'd been preparing to say. Instead of the murderous expression I'd anticipated, he'd schooled his features into a mask of something close to dejection.

"We're talking later," he whispered back to me, before turning around to face the front. I rolled my eyes. Right, like I wanted to talk to him after he had me kicked out of Miss Watson's office. I distracted myself with taking thorough notes on what Mr Collins was teaching, thankful that the second half of class was devoted to quiet work and not group work. When the bell rang, I'd already packed my bag and had launched out of my seat towards the door, but Ethan must've predicted my move and was hot on my heels.

"We're taking a walk," he said, sliding his arm through mine and pulling me away from where I'd been heading for English.

"You already made me miss Chemistry today. I'm not getting grounded for skipping because you're an asshole," I snapped, trying to disengage myself from him. But he held fast, steering me out a side door into the sunny November afternoon.

"You never came back to talk with Miss Watson," he said, releasing me so he could turn and face me. I crossed my arms against the chill in the air, braced for anger when all he was facing me with was a hurt look in his eyes.

"Because it was pretty clear that you and Dakota are a thing. Frankly I had no desire to sit there and be dumped in front of that clown of a guidance counselor," I retorted. Ethan ran a hand through his hair, pacing now.

"I get why you think that Dakota and I are a thing. But we're not, not anymore. That's what I wanted to tell you in the counselor's office, but you never came back," he said, still pacing and unable to face me. I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"When will you stop pretending Ethan? Do you really think I'm that stupid?" I demanded. At that, he turned and finally looked at me, but I cut him off.

"You and Dakota clearly have a history. I have no idea why you went after me when you two had something going on. It's not a secret because even the A's knew about you two. So cut the shit, I'm getting sick of this little game we're playing,"

"You think this is a game?" he asked, his grey eyes searching mine.

"You're a liar, Ethan, and I'm sick of it. So if this isn't a game, I don't know what it is!"

"I'm not a liar! Dakota's just...twisting the truth," he snapped, shaking his head and returning to pacing as his temper cooled, "Yes, she and I dated. But that was before you and I were a thing. I'd never asked her to be my girlfriend, but apparently that's what she'd assumed. And fine, maybe I'd led her on more than I should have, but you're the one I wanted, Maddie, not her,"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes as I took a step towards the door. Ethan cut me off and caught me by the shoulders, forcing me to look at him.

"You don't believe me," he said, searching my eyes again. I cocked an eyebrow.

"You expect me to believe anything that comes out of that mouth of yours?" I fired back, only to be cut off as he leaned down to kiss me. I shoved him away, despite the fact his kiss nearly had the butterflies rising again.