Enamour [boyxboy]

Chapter 13 - Finding Nemo It Is!

Chapter 13

Finding Nemo It Is!

•Ethan's POV•

I refused to show up at lunch.

After I escaped the biology room, I headed straight for the photography room. The door, as always – according to America – was unlocked, and I let myself in. Miss Tulle looked up the moment I took a step inside, smiling a brightly at me.

"Hi, Ethan! What's up?" She ceased writing at her desk and gestured for me to take a seat. So I did. I pulled a seat from a desk to the front of her teacher's desk and sat down. "What can I help you with?"

Miss Tulle continued to write her notes. I shrugged, despite her not seeing.

"I'm not sure." She looks up at me, noting the obvious confusing and questioning tone in my voice. She frowns slightly, two prominent lines forming between her brows, disrupting her otherwise smooth skin. I shrug again. "I guess it's just been a really weird two days."

Miss Tulle just stares blankly at me, asides from the frown. "Like, a really weird two days."

"Did you want to give me the details or should I cut straight to the bullshit advice?" She grins slightly at me, and I can't help but smile back.

"Well, basically, I'm falling for this guy I only met yesterday," I say slowly. She raises her eyebrows suggestively at this. Briefly, her eyes flick to the exact same spot where me and Jake have sat for the last two days. "Okay, fine, the guy is Jake."

Miss Tulle releases a little giggle-y, excited noise at this. I laugh.

"Anyway," I continue. "We go on a date the first day, right? And don't get me wrong, like, the date was pretty great and all but the weirdest thing happened today and I can't exactly say what but just know that it's the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me. And we kissed last night – well, I kissed him – and that was my first kiss and possibly the best kiss ever but, like, on the first day?"

Her eyebrows are still raised. "Maybe you really like him?" She shrugs suggestively, a smug tone in her voice, and a knowing smile on her lips. She crosses her arms on her desk, leaning forward.

"But, like, I only met him yesterday?"

"So?"

I shrug, like, but I only met him yesterday.

She sighs. "Do you believe in love at first sight? The one? Soul mates?"

"I mean, I guess," I say, puzzled at her quizzical questions.

"Well, think about it. I watched you both look at each other when you sat down. I saw the connection, Jake saw the connection, and I'm sure you did, too," Miss Tulle says.

I frown. Was there a connection? Did we connect? I just figured he was clingy and annoying at first. At first. I mean, obviously I came to enjoy his presence, as annoying as he is. But I wouldn't really call it annoying, now that I think about it. I enjoyed his presence. I know I did. I noticed every perfect grin that he deemed okay to show me. I noticed every touch of skin on skin, every time he'd look me in the eyes.

I realized, then, I was playing hard to get. I realized why I was always so 'grumpy' or 'closed-off' in his presence. I was being stupid, cutting him off, not letting him in like he so generously let me.

I had absolutely nothing to hide. I didn't care if he knew about my father, or what he had done, or my family's financial status, or what my favourite music was. I had to stop cutting him off.

- - - - -

I had thanked Miss Tulle for gently waking me up, for making me realize, before I left the room. She had smiled at me, and told me it was a pleasure, and that I should visit more often because no one does. I laughed, and had promised her I will return shortly.

I pulled the car in the driveway. Zoe hopped out, her overly-large-bag-too-big-for-her-body bouncing on her back as she ran for the front door. I climbed out of the car, locking it behind me. The front door wouldn't budge for Zoe.

"Why is it loc-" she cuts herself off, realizing exactly why the door was locked, and not open like it has been since we moved here. Mom started her job today. And she won't be back until Friday.

I push the key into the door and open it for Zoe. She murmurs a quick thank you and walks inside. She wasn't smiling. She didn't have that usual bounce to her walk. She drops her bag against the back of lounge as I close the front door.

Instead of bounding up the stairs and locking myself in my room for the next few hours as usual, I drop my bag right next to Zoe's and take a seat on the lounge.

"What movie did you want to watch?" I ask Zoe, praying that she will smile. She does. She beams. She runs over to the stack of movies placed neatly against the wall below the TV. Immediately, she has two moves in her hands: The Lion King or Finding Nemo.

I laugh at her. "Well, which one is it?"

Zoe frowns. Which, I must say, is the cutest thing I think I've ever seen.

"I don't know," she says quizzically.

"Well, not that it matters," I say. "But I'd rather not cry. So, how about Finding Nemo?"

Zoe takes a brief moment to decide, but nods her head comically as she makes her decision.

"Finding Nemo it is!" She says gleefully.