Previously: Let's see how much of a challenge Ethan really wants since I'm the most difficult person according to my mom.
I woke up the next more to my phone going off like crazy. I look at the time. 7:35?! Who the fuck needs me at 7:35 in the morning when I can sleep for another 20 minutes?! I check the caller ID and it says it's Ryan. I forget he has my number sometimes. See me and Ryan grew up together. Were absolute best friends. Then wrestling in middle school came about and he got closer to Ethan. Not gunna lie. I always always always had a crush on Ethan. But when Ryan replaced me with Ethan it really hurt. So I hated him for a good while. I found dance though and when Ryan had wrestling, I had dance so I couldn't be mad at him anymore. We kinda grew apart after that. We're still friendly in the hallway and we'll hang out if the times match up but other than that we've mostly grown apart. It was really difficult without my best friend. But I made new friends from the dance team so I understood.
I answer my phone when Ryan calls. Again. For the 10th time apparently. Did I really sleep through all of that? "Wake up sunshine, me and E are here to pick you up." "Y'all better have breakfast and some coffee with you or I'm killing you both for waking me up right now when I'm perfectly capable of driving myself and you know it." " chillll princess grouchy. Yes we have coffee. We also have food for you. Now cmon let's gooooo I wanna get to school already!!" "You got a hot date waiting for you there or something?" "Oh yeah, the bench press and a two mile before school is sO hot I have no idea how I'll ever live without her. So hurry up and get your butt down here berrie or I'll use my key." "OKAY OKAY IM COMING lemme just get some shoes on." "Okay. See you in a sec." "bye" I rolled my eyes and finished putting my shirt on. I shove my phone into my back pocket of my jeans and put on my favorite pair of vans. Grabbing my backpack and keys I head out the door locking it behind me. "So Karoly, you driving my car to school then since I'll need it later to take the kids home?" Ryan rolls his eyes. But I know he was excited. He crashed his ranger rover last January and hasn't been able to replace it since. He took my keys and practically ran to my car. "DONT CRASH MY JEEP STUPID OR YOUR BUYING ME A NEW ONE YOU HEAR?" Ryan nods his head and gets into my Jeep. I knew he was excited. Kid always loved jeeps. I smile down to myself before I hear him clear his throat. "So, you ready to head to school?" I turn to look at Ethan since Ryan had driven away. "I was told there was coffee. Where's it at sir?" He chuckles and grabs it. "Right here madam" I smile and gratefully take the coffee from him taking a huge sip from it. "Ugh my god sO good. Also my favorite. How did you know?" "I just had a feeling." "Mhmm I'm guessing that feeling's name is Ryan Karoly, Yeah?" Ethan smiles. "Something like that." "Hey, thanks for dinner last night. You didn't have to do that." "I wanted to make sure you ate. Since you said you didn't have anything for lunch and wouldn't have time for dinner." "That was also my favorite. You got Ryan hidden on a wire in here somewhere?" Ethan laughs. A genuine one too. "No, but he has been really helpful in knowing what your favorite is of things." "I would hope he knows them seeing as we've been friends since we were five." "Good to know. Anything else I should know?" " I hate mornings. I love sleeping. And sunsets. And the stars. Ohhhhh and sweaters I absolutely love sweaters. If you ask Ryan you'd swear he'd think half his wardrobe is missing but I promise it's all clean and tucked away in my apartment where it's nice and warm." "Are you dating Ryan?" Ethan sounds a bit nervous now. I look at him weird. "Ryan? As in Ryan Karoly? Like Ryan 'wrestling pro who's totally getting a full ride scholarship from it this year' Karoly? THAT one?" Ethan gulps and nods his head. "Yeah him." "Ethan he's been with Bryn for like two years. Clearly I'm not her. He's just my best friend. He's more of like a brother than anything. I couldn't imagine myself doing anything like that with him." Ethan's face visibly relaxes. "Good. Because I'm not done with you yet." He puts his hand on my thigh. Subconsciously, I look down at it and smile. I wanted to grab it. So bad. So so bad. But he can't have me like that. Not yet. So I smack his hand away. "What was that for?!" "Too personal Ethan. We don't know each other like that yet. This is our second ever conversation-" "you're wrong." Ethan mumbles to himself. But I heard him. "Excuse me?" "This isn't our second time talking. Back in middle school remember when you had a tiny thing with Grayson?" I nod my head. "Dude was so sissy he couldn't talk to you. Always was handing me the phone anytime he called or texted. We sounded so similar back then you didn't know the difference. It was always me though. So no it's not our second time talking. Or even our third or 10th." My jaw drops. I wasn't expecting that. Did Ryan know? That certainly explains why Grayson never knew what I was talking about when I saw him at school. I close my mouth and quietly sip my coffee. Ethan places his hand back on my thigh and I just leave it there while I stare out the window. How do you even respond to that?
