Feline

Mr Greene

Chapter iii

"What was that for?" I panted the question. We had made it up the block to Ethan's car, but I was out of breath. I was a dancer, not a runner. Ethan laughed at my question.

"I felt like it. And embarrassing Logan was a nice bonus. After all this time he's gone embarrassing you, he deserved it." Ethan explained. He was right. It felt nice to humiliate my lying ex. Not exactly conscionable, but still fulfilling. Ethan had started driving.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Away from Ryan's house." Ethan said.

"Crap I didn't even get to talk to Melanie." I realized.

"You want to go back?" Ethan asked with disbelief.

"No, no. Definitely not that." I sighed. "I was supposed to crash at her place. And I'm still so high... no way I can go home like this. My parents would flip." I was monologuing at this point.

"Why don't you charge your phone. When it turns on you can worry about what do." He smiled and gestured toward his car charger. I plugged in my phone. A few moments of quiet passed.

"I'm hungry. I'm like... starving." And I was. Ethan chuckled.

"Of course you are." He grinned knowingly. "I know where we are going."

***

Ethan pulled up to his home. Or what I assumed was his home.

"What are we doing here?" I asked. "Is this your house?"

"Yes." Ethan started getting out of the car.

"I'm coming inside?" I was frozen.

"Only if you want to." Ethan chuckled.

"What about your parents?" I inquired. I knew that my parents would not be pleased if I brought a boy over at night with no permission or even warning.

"It's just me and my brother Kyle. Our parents are in Tempe 9 months out of the year taking care of our grandmother." Ethan explained. "Kyle is 25... so they think he's responsible enough to keep an eye on me. He practically lives at his girlfriends apartment in China, though." Interesting set up.

"Do you miss your parents?" I asked, and started getting out of the car. "Do you like living alone?"

"It's got its ups and drawbacks." Ethan said as I followed him up to the door. He opened it up and turned on the lights. We came into the kitchen. "Sit down." He instructed, pointing to the bar which looked into the kitchen. There was a bong on the counter He stood across from me on the kitchen side. "What do you want to eat?"

"Excuse me?" I laughed. "You're going to cook for me?" I laughed harder. I picked up the lighter and hit the bong on the counter. I pulled up smoke for longer than I should have- Ethan had to reach over the counter and pick up the bowl. I coughed relentlessly. Ethan just watched with a knowing smile. My eyes were watering up from the coughing. "What is this day????"

"Answer the question, pothead." He joked. I thought about it.

"Pick for me. I am in no shape to make a decision." I gazed at him. He was cooking for me? Logan has never once even offered to cook for me. "I trust you." I admitted. "I trust you like a lot."

Ethan got out a bunch of stuff from the fridge. I watched him while he did. He was so good looking. I'd never noticed before today. Before today he wasn't even a blip on my radar- just looking would have been a crime of sorts. It was all so dumb. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became with myself. I'd never thought of myself as shallow, but the longer I dwelled I knew I had been. For so long I was just worried about my reputation and maintaining the status. No rocking the boat, no risks. Then in one fell swoop the boat had flipped and capsized, and I was being rescued by none other than Ethan Green. Who I now realized, was tall, with strong arms, big hands, and stellar posture. His face was unique, unconventional, framed by dark red hair, and his eyes were vibrantly green. I must have been staring. Being high was a good excuse. My cheeks hurt from grinning. I sat in the quiet watching Ethan cook, until I found myself bored. I got up and went into the kitchen. I lifted myself up and sat on the counter near the sink. "Is this cool?" I asked after the fact. Ethan laughed and said it was fine. Ethan opened the oven and put two containers inside. He set the timer. "Hey come here." I said. Ethan walked toward me. "What did you make?"