you're next | dolan twins

n i n e

"You did what?!" I yell at Nicole, who is smiling brightly at me as we enter the dreaded high school.

"I signed you up to help decorate for homecoming." She repeats as she flashes me a smirk.

"Why would you do that?" I loudly groan.

"Because the committee needed more people and you need to get involved more."

"I get that you're the social butterfly but I don't want to be around people who I hate in this school." I seethe as she stops at her locker.

"You're going to be with me, Alex and your very own boyfriend. Who do you have to be with that you hate?" She arches an eyebrow while grabbing her notebook.

"Kelsey and Crystal." I lean my head against the metal, lightly rolling my eyes.

"I doubt they'll bother you." Nicole shakes her head in disagreement.

My eyes move across the hallway, landing on the devil herself. Kelsey is laughing with some boy on the football team, twirling her hair and getting her flirt on.

It's scary how much she reminds me of Amanda. Her mannerisms are practically identical, right down to the bitchy attitude.

"So, what are you ladies chatting about?" Alex's goofy smile appears in front of us.

"Never say the word ladies or chatting again." Nicole laughs as she playfully pats his chest.

Ethan walks up to me and hooks his arm around my shoulder. "Morning babe." He places a soft kiss on my cheek.

"You're in a good mood today." I look at him with a grin.

"I just feel like things are finally getting back on track."

"I signed Rachel up to help us decorate for homecoming." Nicole nudges him with an innocent smile.

"You did?" Ethan smirks down at me.

"Not by choice." I groan as I look at him.

"It'll be fun." He encourages.

"You only say that because you win homecoming king every year." I shake my head while Alex laughs.

"Maybe I'll win it this year." A smirk crosses his lips.

"You wish." Ethan jokingly makes a fist at him.

The bell to first period rings through the school, causing Nicole to look at me one last time. "See you later." She beams before grabbing Alex's hand and walking off.

"So, do you have a second to talk?" Ethan asks me as we walk down the hallway.

"About what?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"About what I said last night. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." His voice is tiny and he looks down at the floor.

The memory plays in my head as I gulp. "You didn't, I just wasn't expecting it." I keep my eyes straight ahead as my voice lowers.

"You didn't say it back so I just assumed it made you feel weird." He tries to shrug it off as no big deal, but I can tell it means more to him than he's leading on.

"I've never told anybody I love them before." My voice trails off. This all seems so sudden to me, Ethan and I have only been officially dating for about a month.

"It's okay, if you aren't ready to say it then I understand." He flashes me a small grin. This may sound horrible, I feel like he didn't actually mean it. Maybe it was just an 'in the moment' sex thing, or he feels it will make our relationship closer.