Touchdown | E.D. + E.C.

2: "You All Good Sweetheart?"

Emma's POV

"Seriously?" I let out a frustrated sigh, chucking a random pen from atop my desk before resting my head in my hands.

Nothing. I was getting absolutely nothing. I swear, I thought only fictional writers got writers' block but apparently sports writer weren't immune to the disease as well. I couldn't formulate my sentences to convey the emotions I hoped would be felt through the article. I didn't want the piece to simply report on the sport-- any one could achieve that-- but I wanted to show the athletes and their lives beyond the field.

And right now, anything I wrote down was crumbled into a ball and thrown across my room, some making into the trash bin while more ended up rolling around on the floor. I smacked my head a couple times against my desk for good measure, hoping to knock something into my brain.

The door swung open with a bang and my head shot up from its position to find one of my best friends, Olivia, standing in the doorway.

"Excuse me bitch, why aren't you dress?!" She screeched at the top of her lungs. Olivia's tanned legs should underneath her short black leather skirt and her makeup and hair seemed done to perfection. Aw shit, I completely forgot about this stupid party she wanted to drag me to. Ever since my birthday, she had made me promise very reluctantly to try and get out more.

"Olivia, I am soooo sorry. It completely slipped my mind." I mentally smacked myself when her eyes turned sad but they lit back up in an instant.

"Well?" She started, "What are you waiting for? Get dressed already!"

I groaned and threw my hands over my face. "No Liv, I'm really stuck on this one article right now..."

"But you promised me! Come on, it's literally your last year in high school, live a little Emma!"

I looked at her, holding her eyes in a battle until I finally decided I was wasting my time sitting around trying to win anyway. I groaned and moving to my closet while Olivia clapped her hands together happily.
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"I literally can't believe you decided to wear pants." Olivia groans for the fourth time.

"Oh come on, at least I'm going," I fire back.
I may agree to go to a party, but I'm damn sure gonna make sure I feel comfortable. I looked down at my outfit: camo cargo pants and a white tube top. I had pulled my hair back and — shocker— had actually put on a little makeup.

"Where's this party even at?" I asked. We were driving through a neighborhood not far from my house yet I still didn't recognize the streets very well. The GPS beeped and said the house was just right around the next corner.

Olivia took a right turn before her jaw dropped as she took in the house before us and I could see why. The house itself was gorgeous and extremely large, looking quite outta place in our small town.

But what really caught our eyes was the party that appeared to slowly be trickling out into the lawn. Teenagers making out on the grass in front, party decorations hung from the trees like they'd been thrown carelessly up on them, and the music blasting from within.

I blew a breathe out with a huff and hit the back of my head against the soft padding of the headrest.

"Olivia... I can't believe we're actually going to this." I whined

Olivia parked her car a little ways down the street before we started the trek towards the house. As soon as we entered the house, the smell of alcohol felt like a slap across the face. I scrunched my nose up at the disgusting smell.

Although, I'd much rather be drinking and forgetting than still sitting at my desk stressing over my article. Actually, my two articles. Not only did I need to write the story about Ethan Dolan for the school paper, I also needed an article to submit into the scholarship competition. There was a full ride scholarship on the line, and I needed to make that story even better than my one on the soccer team drug ring story.

Putting aside my thoughts, Olivia and I sauntered over to the kitchen area where everyone who brought drinks and snacks had lined them up along the counter top. Olivia grabbed a couple of shots while I reached in the cooler for a beer that I knew would be my only drink for tonight. I was cool with letting her get drunk, I didn't mind being the designated driver, especially because she always puts up with my drama and breakdowns.

After downing a couple of shots, Olivia tugged on my arm, ushering me towards the large crowd in the living room to dance. We entered the tangle mess of bodies as the music bumped so loud you could feel it in the wooden floorboards.

I was hot, surrounded by sweaty bodies, and didn't have quite enough alcohol to be unbothered, yet I threw my hands in the air as we swayed to the music. Several songs later and we still weren't worn out completely but I could feel the sole of my feet ache from standing around for so long.

I felt a pair of large hands slip around the back of my waist, and before I could stop it, someone had their chest pressed against my back and was trying to sway along with my hips. I could tell from their arms they must have been pretty big compared to me and the heat they radiated out seemed to burn my skin as they pulled themselves as close as possible to me.

I had stopped dancing and tried to wiggle myself free but the individual's large hands remain glued to my hips as my breathing picked up.

No, no, no, no... I thought as my eyes darted around the room for Olivia, who had disappeared within the crowd and definitely not able to help me.

I refused to let this guy get away with this. Using my own hands, I struggled to push his wrists down and off my skin. My own attempt to get away caused him to dig his own nails into my waist and I was pretty sure he drew blood. Oh, that's it. Raising my knee as high as possible, I drove my foot back into his shin as hard as I could manage.

"Fucking BITCH!"

Not even bothering to look back, I ran through the crowd, dodging and slipping in between people. I kept going through the house until I was forced to catch my breathe.

Somehow, I'd ended up in a bedroom of some sorts and was thankful for the open window which provided a refreshing breeze to flow into the room as I sat next to it. I wasn't ready to head back downstairs, but I knew Olivia was probably having the time of her life right now and I couldn't leave without her. Guess I'll be hanging out here for awhile...

"You all good sweetheart?"

I shrieked as a voice called through the window and shook my head at the face that appeared outside the window. Of course.

"Ethan, what are you doing on the roof?" I hissed.

His lips curved into a small smirk and the corners of his eyes scrunched up as he laughed. He tipped the neck of an open beer towards me.

"Enjoying the night, yah wanna come join."

I eyed him cautiously before replying, "Only if I get that beer."

He reached around behind him where I couldn't see before revealing an unopened beer that he wiggled in my direction. "Good thing I brought an extra."

Sighing, I made my way up to the window seal to climb onto the roof. Well it wasn't really a roof, more like the top of the cover that hung over the front porch of the house. Still, we were pretty high up above from the floor and could see a good distance down the street. Ethan grabbed my hand to help me through the window and I couldn't help thinking about how well my hand fit into his own-

Snap out of it Emma!

Ethan must have felt how sweaty my palm was because he looked up to make direct eye contact with me before shaking his head and handing me the beer.

"Also, don't call me sweetheart."

"Whatever you say, Chambie."

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Well hello again, FINALLY I finished this chapter. Now we can really get things started muahahaha. Anyway, be ready for the next chapter cause it's really gonna get interesting.