summer romance (e.d.)

fifty-eight

ethan

"ethan?" she asks in awe.

even her complete shocked face is beautiful.

i smile shyly, only because her dad is at the door. "you didn't seriously think you could leave and not say goodbye, right?"

and that's the only thing that sends her running into me, flinging her body onto mine. i let out a noise of impact, but it turns into a small laugh.

she pushes me further out onto the porch, and i see her dad from the corner of my eye shut the front door.

"stop it right now," she mumbles shakily against my chest. "this can't be real. this can't be happening."

i bury my face into her hair. "it's real, anna."

she pulls away, and touches the sides of my face immediately, tears threatening the corners of her eyes. "oh my god, oh my god..."

i simply smile down at her. "surprised?"

"surprised?" she repeats, smacking my chest lightly. "i'm downright convinced i'm dreaming."

"want me to pinch you?" i ask teasingly.

she giggles, immediately falling back into my arms again. "it's been literally 28 hours and i've been dying without you."

i rest my chin atop her head. "me too. it's been a hell of a 28 hours, huh?"

"totally."

we stay like that in the humid, buggy, and dark new jersey night. the porch light is the only thing illuminating her face when i finally duck my down and leave a long kiss to her lips.

"i've been waiting for that," she mumbles.

i laugh, planting one last kiss.

"you need to tell me everything," anna demands.

"about what?"

"how you got here, why you're here, everything," anna lists off.

i'm about to respond when the front door opens again, and i'm faced with a familiar man i recognize from old college photo books of my parent's.

he gives us an apologetic look. "enough time?"

anna blushes red. "dad."

"can't i formally meet the kid you won't stop going on and on about?" he asks jokingly.

i laugh a little, and he opens the door wider. anna pushes me into the home, filled with warm lights and the smell of banana bread.

of course her house would smell like banana bread. it just makes sense.

i slip my shoes off in the front door, earning a weird look from her dad.

"ms. valerie really house trained you, huh?" anna jokes. "we don't take off our shoes."

afraid of doing something else wrong, immediately bend down to put them back on. her dad catches me before i can.

"kidding. just not used to the california customs."

i smile a little and stand back up straight. "right. sorry."

anna stifles a laugh at my apology, since she's never really seen me nervous in this way before.

"it's nice to meet you... again," i add in quickly, realizing i've met this guy before. "i'm ethan." i hold out my hand.

he takes my hand. "i'm dan. call me dan, okay? it weirds me out when people throw in the mr's."