perilous - e.d | book 2

chapter nine

REN

I focused my gaze on the now cold coffee that sat there in front of me, my foot tapping impatiently against the slightly damp floor from the rain outside. I had been sitting here for god knows how long just waiting, seeming like hours it had been a mere half hour at most. There had to be some kind of significance to this place, I just know it.

The bell to the store finally rang once again, my heart pumping out of my chest, looking up it was exactly who I expected it to be. I turn over my phone that laid on the table to see the time.

1:00am

Ethan walked in pulling his hood down, he greeted the worker and ordered his usual and sat down where he always did by the back next to the large window with him facing me. Thankfully he hadn't seen me coming in here every night but I needed to know more. He had to open up.

I pulled my hood up slightly so he didn't see me maneuver my way towards him.

"Ethan?" I say nearing him, acting surprised like I hadn't seen him.

"Ren? What're you doing here?" He asks a faint smile on his face.

"Oh you know getting coffee, I always come here around this time!" I say with a shrug, taking a seat into the empty seat in front of him. "I just saw you and thought you'd like some company?"

"Really? I come here every night, how haven't I seen you?" He questions me with a small laugh.

"Oh that's because I sit in the back right over there, can't really spot me in the dark, especially around this time of night." I say pointing to the small area that could barely be seen from where we were sat. "What's the deal with that anyway? Why get coffee at this time?"

Ethan looks at me for a short while, fixating his eyes on anything but me as looks away again, he played with the rings on his finger like he was struggling to say what he wanted to say before he finally looks up after a short silence. "I used to date this girl." He manages to get out. "We came here every night, it was kind of our thing. Guess it just makes me feel closer to her in a way– if that makes sense."

"What happened to her? Was her name Veronica by any chance?" I asked hesitantly, it was definitely a sore subject for him.

"Don't." His voice slightly raised, his face uncreasing from the stress of saying her name caused him.

"I'm sorry I didn't know-" But I did, I just didn't need him to know that.

"No it's not your fault you're curious, you've probably heard a lot from the media, most of which is just completely based off rumours and quote on quote sources, but they'll never know the real truth." He sighs looking out the window.

I follow his gaze to see nothing but darkness, only street lamps lighting up the dim streets. Maybe this was way deeper than I thought but the only way I could get close to Ava was through him and I needed to get there without her suspicions on me.

"I'm sorry for what you went through, I may not know all of the details but I can tell it's hard for you, and I'm here to listen for when you want to tell me the whole story. I'll wait." Waiting meant the most in this situation, especially for Ethan, both in terms of him trusting or forming any type of relationship with him. I mean he was damaged goods. He's hurt. It'll take a lot for him to open up.

"I can't ask you to wait." He looks at me with complete sincerity in his eyes, a little glossy from the hard hitting conversation we were having.

"You're not asking me to do anything, it's on me."

He musters up a small smile before getting up. "Do you need a ride home?"

"No I'm okay, I drove here."

He nods leaving the small table we were sitting at, he was quickly at his car which wasn't far from the coffee shop, he sent a brief glance my way with a wave and was off, leaving me in the quiet and empty shop alone. That is until I felt a presence from beside me sitting on the seat in front of me where Ethan just was.

He looked familiar, the dark skin, short hair, contagious smile with the mesmerizing dimples and that's where everything clicked.

It was Jordan, clear as day.

I knew he'd pop up sometime, especially with Ava presumably watching me like a hawk, and he was obviously her tactic to keep an eye on me.

"Hi I'm Jordan." He smiles up at me, his hand extended in front of me. "I saw from across the room and knew I had to get your number."

"Mhm were you? So i'm guessing you saw me with a guy a few minutes ago then?" I reply with a slight raise of my brow. His demeanour was definitely suspicious. How would he have known I would be here tonight?

"Yeah, so?" He shrugs as if he couldn't care less about the guy he put an endless amount of trauma through, although thankfully he was oblivious to the fact that I knew that.

"What if he was my boyfriend."

"If he was your boyfriend you would've dismissed me the second I introduced myself." A prominent smirk made its way onto his face like he was so proud of himself for coming up with that. You have one conversation with them and they assume you're in love with them.

Ugh, men.

"Alright, bye then." I say happily getting up and grabbing my stuff wanting to avoid any interaction with him at all costs. I was not about to suffer the same fate as Veronica.

No offence.

"Wait how about your number, and I haven't even gotten your name?" He asks before I could leave the place completely.

I don't think he needed to ask me either of those considering Ava could've been able to get those within a matter of seconds, but I wasn't about to out myself like that. Not yet anyway.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that sweetheart. You're pretty, there should be some clever ideas somewhere in that little brain of yours." I gave him the fakest real smile I could muster before I roll my eyes and get into my car that wasn't parked too far.

Guess it didn't take long for Ava to bring her minion on me.

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hope u enjoyed this chap! and havin a great quarantine/summer <3