Love to Hate You • E.D.

Eleven

"Not much of a talker are we?" Ethan asks with one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on his leg, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

"Sorry..." I mutter, staring out the window at the passing trees. We pull up in front of Ethan's house, and right away I see Grayson and all of their friends playing basketball in the driveway. How can they be out in this cold.

"Because it's only fifty degrees. Not that cold." Ethan tells me. I must've said that thought out loud. I glance at him before getting out of the Ford Fusion. I stand on the curb, and suddenly Ethan takes my hand in his, walking me to the door of the garage.

Grayson and their friends begin to whistle and howl our way.

"Ethan's brought home some snacks." Cameron yells out.

"And I'm not sharing!" Ethan replies. My cheeks are on fire. I was totally regretting this.

"Don't mind them baby girl, they're just jealous." Ethan bumps his arm against mine.

"Oh, yeah, I can smell it, they're just reeking of it."

Ethan gives me a side glance as he drags me to the back shed. His four-wheeler is parked in front and he immediately hops on. I stand in question.

"Well hop on." He says matter of factly.

"On that? With you? I think not." I cross my arms over my chest.

"Consider it your white horse, and I your prince." He places his hand on his chest, raising his eyebrows.

Okay, that was cute.

I give a dramatic sigh and roll my eyes before carefully mounting on behind him.

"Hold on as tight as you like baby girl, there's no rules for this ride."

He could be cute, but incredibly corny.

I wrapped my arms around him, placing my chin on his shoulder. As he revs the engine I feel his muscles contract and I breathe in his scent. It was a much more pleasant smell from his sweat, and it completely turned me on. It was so masculine, so delectable. It made me want to consume him completely.

Ethan started into the woods, and once we hit the tree line he immediately increased speed. I tightened my grip genuinely afraid for my life and a part of me knew he was smiling. We seemed to be going on forever until he swerved into a small clearing. I shut my eyes tight against the flying debrew.

"Alright, I got you here in one piece, right?" I slowly opened my eyes.

"Yeah, I think so."

We dismounted the vehicle and I brushed myself off.

"One of these trees isn't like the others." Ethan commented, standing tall.

"Excuse me?"

"I know you heard me."

"Yeah I did but I don't know what the fuck you mean."

He grinned at me.

"I mean you gotta fucking search for the one that's different." I stood with my mouth agape.

"This was your big convincing moment? Making me search for a tree?"

"Trust me." he stated all too cooly.

"Ethan get real-"

"Trust me." he repeated more sternly.

"Alright alright I'll go look for a fucking tree."

Something in the way he commanded me made my throat tighten.

I walked in front of the surrounding trees, peering at each one.

"Am I suppose to find something?" I call out.

"Only if you look hard enough." Ethan answered. Now this was a joke.

I continued to look at the trees, now making circles around each one. It must have been ten trees later before I saw my name carved into one. I stood utterly still, blinking hard. I was seeing things surely. I walked up to it and sure enough it was my name with a question mark.

How fitting.

Slowly I placed one foot in front of the other, making my way around to the other side. I saw the beginning of another carving.

P...

R...

O...

M?

"Prom?" I breathed silently.