summer romance (e.d.)

forty-three

anna

"will you finally tell me where we're going?" i ask, taking a sip from the straw of my water bottle.

ethan sends me a side ways glance from the driver seat, and smiles. "you seriously didn't catch on? i asked you to bring a water, a backpack with snacks, and wear tennis shoes."

"wait," i tilt my head. "are we going on a cross country backpacking trip starting on the west coast and stopping in the east? because if so, i didn't bring enough granola bars."

he laughs a little. "no, but you're close enough. hiking, babe. we're going hiking."

"i feel really dumb now," i admit, shaking my head.

"well don't, because i thought we should go somewhere fun before you have to introduce your new persona to my mom. i know you're nervous about it."

"i just want her to like me, e."

he glances away from the road and to me for a split second. "she will. what's there not to like?"

"i'm kind of just... weirded out by it. moms usually like me!" i say, a hint of frustration in my voice.

"she likes you anna, just not... with me."

"because that makes me feel so much better," i mumble, rolling my eyes.

"hey, watch it east coast."

"sorry, country club."

he smiles a little bit, shaking his head. "i'm really glad you begged stanford for a shot. i mean, i know it complicates things for you time wise, but i'm really glad you did it."

"why's that?" i ask.

"because, if you had just accepted USC, you wouldn't have gotten this job. and you would be back in jersey with your dad, probably scooping ice cream and falling in love with a weird guy from your calculus class."

i laugh loudly. "not slinging ice cream— brewing coffee at my local starbucks. and it wouldn't be calculus boy, thank you very much. it would be hot adam from physics."

he shoots me a narrowed look, and i say, "i'm kidding, i'm kidding. i don't know any adams. you get so jealous."

"i do not!" he argues, steering the wheel loosely with one hand.

"yes you do!" i laugh back. "i like to mess with you all the time, and you always give me a reaction. ethan, i mean this with the best intentions, but you might just be the rudest, most sarcastic guy i've ever met. if i didn't want you and only you, i would've stayed with liam or weird guy from calculus."

he smiles a little bit. "i think sarcasm is proof of good sense of humor."

"you do have one of those," i nod. "most guys i've met at the club definitely don't. one time i tried telling liam a funny joke and he totally gave me the weirdest look ever. can you believe that?"

"liam has no personality, never mind a sense of humor," he scoffs, turning into a small parking lot in the hills.

i smile. i like to hear him talk trash about my ex.

when we get out, we see a few old couples going in and out of the hiking trails, and ethan slings his backpack over his shoulder.

"so, i say we head up to inspiration peak but stop at heather's ledge along the way..." i hear him mumble, scanning the grounds, but i'm already skipping to the nearest trail entrance.

"anna!" he yells, and i hear slapping footsteps on the concrete. "wait up!"

laughing, i stop for him to catch up. he reaches me with a smile, and a light in his eyes that might be my favorite thing in the world currently. when i got here at the very end of may, his eyes were always dim. they made me sad.