Falling for Ambition

Everything - 14

I wake up in my room with two pairs of eyes staring into mine.

Hailey's and Ethan's.

"What happened?" I say trying to get up from my bed.

"Andrea you need to rest. You passed out in the middle of class!" Hailey lays me back down.

I notice I am no longer with Cam's clothes.

"Meredith knocked you out, and then she-"

"It's all good now though you're safe and you need to rest." Hailey says, cutting Ethan off.

"I'm going to go get you something to eat." Hailey says, walking out of the room.

"How long have I been out for?" I ask, looking at Ethan.

He's sitting on the edge of my bed, one of his hands holding mine.

His eyes are filled with worry.

"4 hours." He says, looking down at our hands.

"Wow.. I really should get to my homework-"

"No! You need to rest. You're not well. You're school work can wait." He says cutting me off.

I roll my head to the side looking out the window.

I can see the waves crashing against the shoreline.

It gives me peace.

I think about my first day of school.

How everyone laughed at me.

How everyone misunderstood me.

How everyone mistreated me.

How everyone humiliated me.

How everyone bullied me.

All except Ethan.

He was there from the beginning.

When Meredith tripped me and I fell.

He was the only one who didn't just stand there and laugh.

He reached his hand down and lifted me up.

He pulled me close to him while everyone was watching him, their eyes full of judgement.

He was there for me when I needed him the most.

And he's still here.

Right by my side.

Holding my hand.

"Thank you Ethan." I whisper softly enough for him to hear me.

"For what?" He whispers back.

"Everything." A tear falls down my cheek.

He wipes off my tear with his thumb and lays beside me.

He pulls me close into him, my back against his chest.

We lay there for a while and I'm slowly dozing off.

"I love you." He whispers into my ear.

But I don't say anything.

I just pretend that I'm asleep.

I think that's how he intended it to be, anyways.