Ethan Adams

Chapter 1

-August 2011-

On the first day of senior year, I glance across the street and spot a flash of blue that haunted six years of my life. When I blink, it's gone and I try to reassure myself that it was his dad just casually looking out of the window or a trick of the light or something other than my number one self-declared enemy, Ethan Adams.

Ethan and his mom moved away on my twelfth birthday. His parting gift to me was a bunch of lavender laced with poison ivy but I didn't realise until they were in the taxi on the way to the airport. I remember him smirking at me through the window, his blue eyes seemingly swimming with joy as I started freaking out.

To be honest, I should've known something was up back then. Ethan and I were definitely not friends so why would he even bother to get me flowers? On my eleventh birthday he poured a jug of kool aid on my head because my hair was 'too blonde.' And don't get me started on the frog he put in my desk on my tenth birthday instead of a Valentine's or birthday card like our teacher had asked. 2004 was a bad year for me.

Anyway, I shake my head and look back towards his dad's house. Nobody's there but there's a new black four seater convertible sitting by his dad's red Ferrari. I figure it belongs to one of his dad's endless stream of girlfriends and try not to think too much of it or what it could possibly mean on my way to school.

As usual, I get to school super early. There's something kind of refreshing about seeing my school in the morning when it's truly at peace. Maybe I'm just weird.

I find a bench in the courtyard and sit down, pulling out a book and my diary. Most of the time I just write my dreams in it but today I scribble an escape route through the school if Ethan actually does show up. Here's hoping he doesn't because the vents here are super tiny.

After doodling myself sitting in a puddle of kool aid, I start reading my book. It's a dumb cliché romance about a nerdy girl and a bad boy and I'm proud to say that it's probably my favourite thing ever.

Time seems to pass way too quickly because before I know it, someone throws their bag on the bench in front of me and I'm forced to look up.

"Surprise!" One of my close friends, a girl named Ella, says. She grins at me as I stand up and reach over to give her a hug. The two of us have been friends since the eighth grade when she moved over here.

"Hey, it's nice to see you!" She went to Puerto Rico for the whole of the summer vacation so I haven't seen her since the last day of junior year. She gives me tight hug and we sit down, all smiles. "How have you been?" I ask.

She flips her dark brown hair over her tanned shoulder. "Absolutely amazing, my nails grew longer and I kissed this boy named Luca with the most amazing hair,"

I frown. "You kissed a boy? What about Josh?"

Josh was Ella's big bulky football playing boyfriend. He was blonde and had dark brown eyes that seemed hidden under his thick furrowed brows. He was friends with Ethan when we were kids and teased me when I had braces in. As annoying as it was, Ella always thought he was just being cute. She speaks about him a lot, actually, calling him the love of her life and whatnot. I get this weird feeling about him but I figure it's just because of his eyebrows.

"What about Josh?" She says, slightly nervously.

"Did the two of you break up?"

"No?"

"Then... why... um, I don't get it,"

She rolls her eyes. I stare at her and she avoids looking at me but launches into conversation about how great it was in Puerto Rico. I try my best to listen but she speaks really fast so I get lost somewhere between a wedding and how much she hates salt.

A few moments later, someone blocks out the sun and the two of us look up. Coincidentally, Josh is standing above us, grinning down at Ella. "Hey baby!" He says.

She stands up and the two of them share a dramatic kiss. I look away, feeling awkward and slightly unwanted. The courtyard is pretty full of people now, some who are catching up with their friends, others finishing off summer homework. There's the odd confused freshman holding their class schedule to their faces and looking frightened.

"Hey, so I was gonna park my car but there was a car in my spot. I don't recognise whose it is so I think someone is questioning my authority." Josh says.

I roll my eyes. Josh thinks he's a big deal because he's the football team's running back but most people I know don't like him that much because he's kind of a major jerk. He doesn't even have any authority to be questioned in the first place. Everyone just leaves the space for him because nobody can be bothered to deal with his drama.

"Maybe it's a teacher,"

He shakes his head and I decide that I'm gonna head inside and get my locker sorted out. "No, it can't be. Everyone else knows not to park there!" He slaps the table, making one of my pencils roll into the grass. They don't take notice of me when I pick them up, continuing their conversation.

"Wait, what if someone got a new car?"

"It was an Audi convertible," He continues, taking no notice of me. "I remember it 'cuz my dad wouldn't buy me one – it's black and-"

I drop my diary into my bag and look up at him, alarmed. "What did you say?"

Both Josh and Ella look up at me, seemingly forgetting I was even with them. "Uh, a black Audi convertible... but I wasn't talking to you?"

I give him a dirty look, sling my backpack onto my shoulder and pick up my book, feeling nauseous. That description perfectly matches the car I saw this morning across the street and I don't like what that means.

"Ella," I say, touching my forehead. "I'm going to... yeah, I'll see you in homeroom." I get up quickly and start walking away.

"Oh... uh... bye Alisa!" She calls after me.

I turn back and wave at her, but Josh captures her attention again and they begin talking. Sighing, I enter the school and think about what I just heard. As much as it kills me to accept it... it seems like he's back. And I don't know whether I want to crawl into a hole and die or whether I want to beg my parents to relocate.

Because I'm thinking so hard, I don't watch where I'm going and I end up bumping right into someone's chest. Being so short means that people don't see me when they're not paying attention and I have to be extra vigilant when walking. My book drops onto the floor and I sigh and hang my head.

"Oh, sorry," The guy I bumped into says. He bends down and picks up the book, looking at the cover.

"It's fine, I should've been – Oh." I stop talking as soon as I meet eyes with him and my heart fills with dread.

At first his eyes seem friendly, nice even but then his dark brown eyebrows dip in confusion and then recognition. And then suddenly, they become playful, the deep blue on the edges getting a little darker. There's a smirk starting on his lips to match the look in his eyes, completing the facial expression.

"Alisa? Is that you?" He asks.

Ah shoot.