The Bittersweet

chapter three - ethan

Everyone on our table was silent, staring at the two newcomers. Dakota especially.
Rileys' grin slowly faded replaced by the look of confusion. Ethan looked bored out of his mind with his tongue pushed into the side of his cheek looking everywhere but us.

"I'm William" Wes broke the silence and stood up to handshake Riley. He didn't bother introducing himself to Ethan not really caring what impression he gave off to him.

Riley smiled slightly and nodded at Wes introducing himself to him briefly,

"Dakota? You said you were looking forward to meeting my best friend? Here he is." Riley questioned motioning towards Ethan. She gulped and stared wide eyed, wordlessly at him.

I watched and decided to help her out and clear my throat, "I'm Maya, nice-"

"-I know who you are"

The friendly smile dropped off my face and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, you're the girl everyone talks about, your mom's the designer and founder of 'Lee's,' everyone loved your ex-boyfriend but not you with him, so when he che-"

"Shut. Up. Ethan." I stand up from my seat my eyes never leaving his cold blue ones. My face and voice is stern and I clench my jaw wanting to say more but knew better than that.

I felt Wes grab onto my forearm softly but firmly and I knew it was both a warning and a way of support. Ethan remained blank faced, his eyes never leaving mine too both of us challenging one another to go further.

"Okay that was not cool man," Riley interrupts and gains Ethan's attention, pulling his freezing stare away from us.

I roll my eyes and sit back down eyes averted to face Dakota.

"Got anything to say?"

Dakota stared at me and slowly shook her head unable to form any words. Riley and Ethan were standing quite far from our table obviously in a heated argument. Over Dakotas head I could see that Riley was really pissed and Ethan was pissed that Riley was pissed

"I like the Riley kid, I just want to beat Ethan's face in, who knew he was such a douchebag?" Wes grumbled

I took my apple out and ate it quietly watching Riley and Ethan come to some sort of conclusion. Riley ran his hand through his hair and shook his head before leaving Ethan and walking towards our table with Ethan going the other way towards the popular crowd. I released the breath I didn't know I was holding and looked up at Riley's hands on Dakota's shoulders.

"Am I still welcome to sit here?"

Dakotas head looked up at him and he looked down smiling slightly, she blushed and looks over to me asking for permission to say yes, I look over at Wes to silently asking for his response, but he's already moving his bag from the seat across him.

"Here man, take this seat" he motioned to the seat across from him that was seated beside Dakota.

Riley sighed in relief and took the seat beside Dakota.

"I'm so so sorry for his behaviour, I have no idea what got him like th-"

"Riles it's okay, you don't need to do anything for his behaviour." 

He nods slowly, not fully convinced, "So what books have you been reading?"

Before I could respond, I hear Wes groan and slam his head on the table.

"Uh is he okay?"

Wes lifts his head up from the table, "you just have to encourage her don't you?"

I shove Wes in the shoulder, "Shut up Wes"

"I thought his name was Will?"

"Me, Dakota and a couple of other dudes call him Wes, he doesn't like being called Will." I explain

"So why Wes?"

"William Eli Stakes. Which is abbreviated to WES so we call him Wes." Dakota proudly exclaims

"You guys talk as if I can't speak for myself" Wes deadpanned

"And you eat as if you don't have your own food" I scold once I realised he had my apple.

Author's Note:

Ethan's a bit of a dick. But hey, what guy isn't a little? This book has been going better than I thought it would've at this point. Please do continue reading, commenting and voting, it means a lot. Thank you xx

P.S: Yes this chapter is really short, the next is hella long so oops