Taboo

III

Ethan

  "Shit!" Ethan had an overwhelming urge to punch something.

Fucking idiot.

  It was his fault. It was always his fault. He could never do anything right.

Such a fucking idiot.

  Ethan could not remember the events that transpired a few seconds earlier but the sharp sting in his knuckle and the apparent indent in the wall in front of him clued him in on what probably happened.

"Ethan?"

  Ethan was snapped out of his daze by the male voice calling from behind him. He reluctantly turned around.

  "Ethan, is everything okay?" It was Mr Braden, looking concerned.

  Ethan ran his hand through his hair and winced as the strands brushed against his tender knuckle.

  Mr Braden glanced at the wall behind Ethan. "Well by the looks of that wall I'd beg to differ. Come with me."
 
                              ~

  Ethan almost was certain that he was being taken to the Principal's office but was confused when they ended up in Mr Braden's classroom.  

  Mr Braden made straight for the   trademark coffee maker that had been sat on his desk since the day his day at the school.

  "Coffee?" He offered as the machine began brewing the dark liquid.

  The strong, earthy aroma quickly filled the room. When he was a child, Ethan had loved that smell and had longed for the day he would get a taste. But he first time the brew touched his tongue at the age of thirteen, was the day he swore he would never touch a cup of coffee again in his life. Too bitter. His dad loved it though. Go figure(!)

  "Sure." He replied, taking a seat in the front of the classroom.  "Why not." Ethan let out a loud exhale and rubbed the back of his neck. "Fuck." He uttered lowly. 

  "Wanna talk about it?"

  "Not really, no."

  "If you keep it in, its gonna force its way out some way or the other. Next time I might not be around to save the next poor wall you decide to take your anger out on." He chuckled.

   Ethan smiled remorsefully, "Yeah, sorry about that."

  "It's not me you should be apologizing to." Mr Braden lightly dismissed, carrying two cups of coffee over to where Ethan sat.

  Ethan took the warm mug and cupped his hands around it. He stared at the rising steam, weirdly fascinated by the formless shapes it made, as Mr Braden sat on the desk in front of him.

  "So, what's on your mind?" Mr Braden inquired, taking a swig  from his cup.

  Ethan sighed, running his still tender hand through his hair. "I fucked up."

"How so?"

  Ethan proceeded to tell him the whole  story, although reluctant to tell him of his father's stunt.

  "Should have known something like this would happen. I wish I didn't place her in that situation."

  Mr Braden was silent for a while, processing the information he'd just received.

  "It sounds like you really care about this girl."

  Ethan brought his cup to his lips and slowly drank from it. The coffee's bitter taste attacked his taste buds, making it hard for him to swallow, but he forced himself, eyes closed. It was just as bad as he remembered.

  "I do, huh?" Ethan said, as if realising for the first time.

  "I probably shouldn't be giving you my opinion, but I say if she's worth it, don't give up."

  "I was in a similar situation when I was younger." He continued. Ethan furrowed his eyebrows, his interest now sparked.
              
  Her parents did not approve." He elaborated while chuckling and took another swig of his coffee. "But everything worked out in the end."

  "They accepted you?"

  "No they still hate me." He stated, nonchalant.

  Ethan frowned, confused as to whether this was Mr Braden's idea of consolence or if this was an attempt at demotivating him.

  "But even something as binding as blood was not going to get the way of my happiness. Our happiness."  He smiled. "Now we're starting our own family." He took his phone out if his pocket and showed Ethan his lock screen: an ultrasound image.

  "That's beautiful. . . But I don't want to put her through the drama." Ethan sighed. "Im not sure she'll put herself through the drama." He muttered under his breath.

  "If you're the one for her, she'll learn to shut out the background noise, focus on what's really important. The two of you."

  There was a war going on in Ethan's mind, but in the end, there was a clear victor;

      He left that classroom with a new found resolve that he was going to make it up to Davina.