Ethan Adams

Chapter 3

I dream that I'm swimming in a pool filled with cherry kool-aid. When I catch my reflection in a mirror, my hair is red.

It takes everything in me to get out of bed in the morning, which is odd because I'm totally a morning person. I'm still exhausted and the feeling of dread that came when I first saw Ethan hasn't left me yet. Hopefully he'll have the sense to leave me alone today but I doubt it.

I take a long shower and wear a pair of blue denim shorts and a black tank top. Even though the summer vacation is over, it's still pretty warm outside and three temperature isn't looking to drop any time soon either so I might as well make the most of it. I finish the look by braiding my hair and putting on my black converses. I put some concealer and eyeliner on and get a breakfast bar, eating it before I leave for school.

It's just past seven thirty when I leave my house. Ethan's car is still parked in his dad's driveway so I try to discreetly leave just in case he's looking out of the window or something. A little part of me wishes he was out just so he could offer me a ride again: I'm not really feeling a twenty minute walk but at least I won't have him to annoy me.

I start listening to music on my iPod, taking my sweet time and basking in the early morning light. Though it's still quite early, it's still a lot later than it normally is when I leave so everything seems weird. Despite this, it doesn't take long for me to get lost in myself and my thoughts.

So it's a huge surprise for me when someone taps me on my shoulder in the middle of this creepy brush area. I literally jump five feet in the air and fall on my butt in a bush.

Feeling more than a little shaken, I look up and lo and behold, Ethan is standing above me looking horrified. He steps toward me, stretching his hand out for me to take but I push it away and stand up by myself, feeling stressed.

"You scared the life outta me, Ethan!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry - I called your name but-"

"Why are you even here?"

He looks completely lost. "I'm walking to school..."

My eyes narrow and I dust off my earphones. "You have a car, why are you walking?"

If I'm not mistaken, his cheeks go slightly pink. "Well, I went over to your house to offer you a ride but then your mom told me you'd already left so I decided to walk with you,"

That seems like a bullshit excuse but I don't call him out on it. Instead I roll my eyes and put my earphones on, making sure my music is on. My heart's beating a notch too fast and I feel my cheeks getting hotter because I'm so flustered. I can't imagine how red they are now.

"I really got you though, didn't I?" Ethan says. He smiles at me and once again, I roll my eyes.

"You did."

He chuckles. "It was kinda funny, you jumped really -" he catches sight of my face. "Oh come on 'Leese, you gotta admit it was sorta funny."

"It wasn't."

"Was."

"Wasn't."

"It was." he sings.

I decide it's time to stop giving him the satisfaction of pissing me off and turn my music up.

"Katy Perry? Nice."

"I'm not listening to Katy Perry." I lie and mentally tell myself to delete every Katy Perry song I have.