The Soulless Prince | Ethan Dolan

vanilla

The morning aftermath for Y/N that early Saturday was filled with absolute agony and dread. She felt her entire body ache the moment she sat up in bed, realizing she was still wearing the same clothes from the night before. The pounding in the right corner of her head also didn't help the pain she was in, and the next thing she knew she was running over to the bathroom and puking her guts out, despite not having drank anything (or eat for that matter) last night. Once she released the final remnants of the small bit in her stomach, she quickly took an Aleve and gathered some fresh clothes for the day before running a shower, although she doesn't think she'll be spending much time out of bed.

As Y/N stood in the shower, her eyes ran downwards were multiple bruises and cuts scattered all over her body, mostly her stomach area where her attacker had hit. Remembering the awful assault, including physical and verbal abuse, tears rose in her eyes and soon spilled out on her cheeks that flowed with the water spouting from her showerhead. Y/N tried to contain her sniffles as she tried desperately to wash away the pain and cruel memory. She despised how weak and vulnerable she was in the situation; instead of fighting back and pulling out her pepper spray, her instincts made her stay frozen. But the one thing her mind truly couldn't wrap itself around was the fact that Ethan had saved her.

Ethan Dolan, out of all people. The one who mocks her status and lack of wealth. The pretentious Soulless Prince who hates her guts and she hates right back. The one who warned her about the party in the first place and told her not to go. She should've listened. Maybe he was right all along - she is naïve.

Once finished with her shower, and her body relaxing as the Aleve kicked in, Y/N simply dressed herself in a pair of light grey sweats and a pink sweatshirt, completely hiding her battered body. She makes a mental note to check her email before going to get breakfast, as her stomach is growling like crazy and some food might help with the headache. She opens her school laptop and logs into her student email, and is surprised to see an email from the dean himself summoning her to his office the moment she gets a chance. Is this about last night? Did someone tell him? Y/N sighs to herself and grabs her purse, and finally left the quarters of her bedroom while her legs still felt heavy.

Ethan was in the living room, pacing around and looking as though he was deeply contemplating something when his head snaps towards Y/N leaving her bedroom. He frowns when he realizes she's limping and he immediately goes over to her. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go to the dean's office," she mumbled, finding it difficult to make eye contact with his narrowed eyes. "I was sent an email to go there."

"I'm going with you," he decided, and moved to grab his sweater hanging from the back of the couch.

Y/N tried to protest, "No, you don't have to-"

"I'm going with you," he tells her sternly, grabbing her wrist gently and moving them towards the door. "I was a witness."

"What if you get in trouble for beating that guy up?" Y/N blurted from the remembrance of her attacker laying barely conscious on the floor in agony, looking twice as bad as she did. She also never realized Ethan's strength. "You hurt him pretty badly."

Ethan laughed with amusement and shook his head. "In case you forgot, Y/L/N, my father's the dean. The worst I'll get is a 'don't engage in physical violence' lecture from him. Let's go."

Their walk to the office was filled with complete silence, other than his offer to carry her on his back. She declined his offer, not wanting to burden him anymore. Y/N doubted he was pleased to be dragged into this situation, yet she was also wondering why he was being so nice to her... at least, nicer than he was before. Perhaps he pities her. And that "no makeup" comment he uttered under his breath before fell asleep kept repeating in her brain, and she was more his endearing words were not an illusion.