Cinderfella

Chapter Twenty

"Do I look alright?" Ethan asked, looking over himself in the mirror in the small bathroom. "I look like I'm trying too hard."

Alice waved off his insecurities. "You look fine. Trust me, when Kyle sees you, he's going to fall in love," she said, mocking a cheesy lover's voice. "And then you two will get married and have lots of babies and die when you're in your late sixties because of heart failure."

Ethan snorted. "Shut up," he laughed, smiling and relaxing for the first time in hours. "But seriously, do I look okay?"

Alice turned him away from the mirror and flicked his styled hair. "You look great, I promise." Alice turned him back to the mirror, her hands on his shoulders. "I mean, look at you. You've got pretty eyes, and fluffy hair, and when you smile you have little dimples."

Alice reached up and poked his nose. "And I see some freckles popping up. You should show them off, everyone secretly loves freckles."

Ethan looked at himself closely in the mirror for the first time in a while. He was always afraid of the person looking back. Somewhere, somehow, he looked too feminine for himself, and it made him uncomfortable. So uncomfortable that he'd pretended to be sick before to get out of going to school, until it became such a big problem that his mother had home schooled him.

"I'm so nervous," he whispered. He turned away from the mirror. "What if he just doesn't like me?"

Alice wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Look, I'm not the best to talk about this kind of thing, but honestly, so what? If he doesn't like you, then that's it. You're still a great guy, you're smart, and you have people who love you. I promise you, whatever happens, you'll be fine in the end."

Ethan let out a shuddering breath. "Thanks Alice, I needed that."

The doorbell rang, and Alice pushed herself out of the bathroom. "Well, looks like they're here for you. Do you want me to go, with you for support?"

Ethan smiled at his friend. "It would be nice, but I don't want you to be the fifth wheel all night."

Alice waved her hand. "I'll be fine either way. I'm asking you if you want me there."

Ethan shrugged. "Whatever is fine, but I would like you there in case things go horrible."

Alice smiled. "Let me just grab a jacket and a crutch then."

Ethan watched her pop into her room and return a few seconds later with a grey sweater and a crutch. She tucked the latter under her arm and followed Ethan down the stairs.

"Bye Mom, we're heading out now!" Alice called to Nicole in the kitchen.

"Have fun!" Nicole called back. "Let me know who wins!"

Ethan said goodbye to Alice's mother as Alice opened the door. "Ethan, are you coming?"

Ethan took a deep breath and walked out of the house and up to the group gathered on the doorstep. Mikey's hand was entwined with Josh's, and both had soft smiles on their faces. Alice leaned on her crutch, watching Ethan walk out.

And Kyle. He'd actually come. Ethan couldn't help but feel like he was in a fairy tale with the way Kyle looked at him. He smiled, and he knew his face was turning red like Mikey's did when he talked about Josh.

"Hey," Kyle said, breathed really. His voice was so soft, and he looked ready to burst. Ethan almost asked for Alice's crutch to keep him upright.

"Hey," he said back. "It's good to see you again."

He looked so much better in the soft light of Alice's porch. His hair was a soft blue, already fading at the tips, so that it looked like the middle of the ocean. Ethan swore he had less piercings too, and his eyes were a soft, safe hazel.