Undying Echo {1}

16 | I'm Me

Light pole after light pole was passing through the window, the sound of tires on the asphalt road and the occasional running-over-pebbles rang in my head as I leaned it against the window.

We had left the market 15 minutes ago. And the scene that happened there has been put on repeat since then.

How she had hugged him tightly to herself, crying tears of nostalgia.

How she had stood before me confidently and claimed that Ethan was hers.

How she eyed me like I'm nothing compared to her.

But I'm something. At least, that, I know. Not her, but something. I'm me, Camilla, and she's her. And I'm content with who I am.

But about Ethan, I wasn't even sure what she was talking about. Sure, I figured myself that something happened between her and Ethan in the past. But then again, I wasn't expecting anything from Ethan.

And I never thought of the idea of him liking me in the first place. I knew I felt something for him, whatever that was. But I never put it past him to feel the same-Well not until recently actually, after we had watched the movie in his room and he was about to...

But still, I wasn't hanging onto that or anything that might happen between us, things happen between people, yet not all of them are out of mutual feelings.

I didn't like how she thought he was wrapped around her finger.

Knowing Ethan, he would never let anyone do that to him. Maybe he let her once, or twice even, in the past, but I doubted that the Ethan I know now would let her again.

Back then, after Kaylee had said what she said, her face had morphed into one of horror and shock. She had panicked and tried to explain. But when I looked at Ethan to see his reaction. His eyes were all that got my attention.

They were cold.

And that alone made me realize that she had hurt him. Badly. Which made me dislike her even more. And I knew I wasn't going to let her do it again. Ever.

His fingers had slipped into mine, and he held onto my hand tightly that it hurt, before he was tugging me outside and back to Dad's car, with Kaylee and Ryan trailing behind after ringing their snacks.

Now looking down at my hand as it rested in my lap, it was empty of his warmth. Empty of his touch.

Ethan glanced at me, and I smiled at him reassuringly. For a moment I thought he wasn't going to smile back and was about to give it up. Whenever so slightly, the corners of his lips tugged up. And that small action was all I needed for my hand to reach slowly and hesitantly to his, and I wrapped my pinky around his.

I studied him carefully, afraid of what he might think of what I just did.

He was looking down at our joined pinkies before his grey eyes flickered up to mine, and I felt heat prickle at my cheeks and was about to retreat my hand to my lap, when his finger tugged at mine, and he squeezed.

I blushed, and couldn't help but smile as I averted my eyes to look out the window.

And I squeezed back.