wicked games // ethan cutkosky

IV

a ray of sunlight burned through my closed eyes, making me wince. i noticed the surface below me wasn't bed, so i shot up and looked around. i was in an unfamiliar apartment complex, but i wasn't alone. val and jaden laid sprawled out on a bed in front of me while lola and carter were sound asleep cuddling on a black futon in the other room with the door cracked.

i felt movement and looked behind me. ethan had one hand rested on my hip and the other hanging from the side of the couch. i grabbed my phone from the glass coffee table next to me, having no recollection of setting it there, or even getting here for that matter.

i checked the time on my phone, it was 5 in the afternoon. "what the fuck," i whispered to myself. i looked out the window, the sun was setting. a rush of anxiousness filled my entire body as i rubbed my eyes and tried to get up without waking the sleepy boy next to me. until it hit me. last night hit me. the girl. the flask. the bathroom. it came to me in parts, but i remembered. that's when i heard a small groan; i looked behind me to see ethan stretching, eyes halfway open. when he seen me he gave me a cheesy smile. "you're awake, feeling better?" i continued to look around the apartment that looked like it would be featured in a "Home" magazine.

"where are we? who's apartment is thi-" i stuttered anxiously before he cut me off. he started to talk in a raspy voice, indicating he was still tired. his hair was a jumble of curly locks going in every direction. he was the most angelic boy i've ever seen.

"don't worry, this is my apartment. i didn't think you should've went home in the condition you were in last night.. and i figured you didn't wanna be alone either so we all crashed here."

i thanked him and asked where the bathroom was. when i got up to go where his hand was pointed, i noticed i was wearing his sweater from last night with no pants, just my lacy black panties. ethan had no shirt on, just these red and black checkered boxers. i put my head in both my hands and shook it slowly. "did we..?" i trailed off, not making eyes contact. he shook his head frantically, "no- no of course not. id never do that, i- you-" i stopped him. "i believe you," i gave a nervous laugh. he looked down; "this is just how i sleep," he said, his face getting red, "and you undressed because you said you were hot." i managed a small laugh to leave my lips. i leaned over and kissed his cheek. he scrunched his nose and smiled. i picked up my pile of clothes underneath my feet and walked over to the bathroom. just before i reached it, i looked behind me, provocatively, to see if ethan was looking. he was definitely staring at my ass, and had a grin on his face while doing it. i lifted up his oversized sweater as i shut the door, giving him a better look.

a few minutes later, i came out in yesterday's outfit with ethan's sweater draped over my arm. everyone was still sleeping except ethan, who was lounged on the couch on his phone.

i walked over to him and sat down. "i should probably go.. it's getting late," i whispered, trying not to wake anyone up. i handed him his sweater and started to get up. "keep it, it's chilly out." i half smiled and started towards the door, keys in hand. "when will i see you again?" ethan asked, standing up and staring in my eyes. i looked at him and walked over to the coffee table where there was a notebook and mechanical pencil. i wrote down my number. "soon," i said to him as i wrapped myself in his sweater and shut the door behind me.