The Heir's Little Badass

27: HE'S NOT JUST BOOK SMART

This time last year, the biggest problem in my life was trying to stay alive while keeping the rest of the free world safe.

And now? My biggest problem is whether I should or shouldn't call a boy.

I mean I want to call him, I do, but I also don't. As you might have noticed, I'm pretty shit at explaining myself. Besides he's probably asleep.

Oh who am I kidding? Which teenager sleeps at 9 o'clock on a Friday night?

I almost drop the phone when it starts ringing and I hastily answer it.

"Hey Sophie" I laugh nervously.

She groans loudly, "Really? You still haven't called him?"

"I'm working on it"

"I'm gonna work my way up your nostril if you don't hang up now and call the dang boy" she threatens.

"Okay first of all, that is disgusting and impossible, secondly I'm hanging up now and calling the 'dang boy'"

"You better, text me after, kay?" how can she go from threatening me with her godfather voice to gossip girl just like that?

"Yeah yeah"

I hang up and before I can lose my nerve, I call Ethan.

He picks on the third ring and I have to abruptly stop chanting "don't pick up"

"Hey Ethan" my voice is too loud and way too pitchy.

"Dylan" his voice is monotone.

"Uh, hi, how are you? How's school... and stuff" I did say I was bad at this, don't judge me.

"Oh I'm great and school is amazing, what about you? How is disappearing without a trace for a week going?" I wanna take credit for the sarcasm I taught him, but now's just not the time.

I sigh, "Listen Ethan, I owe you a huge apology"

"That won't do, I want an explanation"

There it is.

"My brothers and I went on a family trip and our dad didn't want us to bring our phones along" so far so good.

"Just so we're clear, your dad pulled you out of school for a week on a family trip and it was such a big deal that you couldn't just say so?"

I sigh, "I'm sorry, I panicked"

"I'm sorry, I don't believe you"

"Ethan" I groan.

"Seriously, Dylan the last conversation we had was caused by one of two things, either you don't want to spend time with me or you had to do something super secret that you couldn't tell me"

"I love spending time with you" I quickly clarify.

"So what is it? Are you some sort of criminal or maybe a government spy?"

Damn. He's not just book smart.

Cue forced laughter, "What? That's just crazy"

He sighs, "fine don't tell me, you're okay though, right?"

I almost can't believe my ears, after all that, he's still worried about me?

"Yes, I am, thank you" I'm sure he can hear my smile.

"Okay, that's good then, you'll tell me when you're ready"

"I will" I promise.

"So..." he trails off.