pieces | ethma

hoax

Emma

Ethan smiled at me from across the tree. We were both high up, sitting on different branches.

"Two friends in a tree," he said. "they'll probably kiss."

My jaw dropped as my face turned red. "What? No."

Ethan laughed. "They might."

"No they won't," I said, smiling at him.

I wondered if he knew how much I liked him. We had been hanging out more lately, and I was totally beginning to develop a crush.

"I told my mom about you," he said.

"What? No you didn't."

"You're right. Grayson did, and then my mom asked me further questions."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that I enjoy hanging out with you."

"Did you tell her how much trouble we cause?"

Ethan smiled. "No. That stays in between us. Memories are more fun that way, aren't they?"

I bit my lip, looking down at the ground. "Yeah."

Ethan climbed over, sitting next to me on the branch I was on. "So, homecoming's in two weeks. Got any plans?"

"I'm sure Olivia and Tessa are dragging me there."

"What do you mean dragging? Don't you wanna go?"

"I don't know," I said. "I've never really enjoyed school dances."

"Why?"

"Cause the music is always terrible, and I never have a date."

"There's nothing I can do about the first issue, but I could fix the second if you'd like?"

I felt my cheeks blush. "Are you asking me to homecoming, Ethan Dolan?"

"Possibly, Emma Chamberlain."

I smiled. "Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"I'll go with you if you insist."

Ethan smiled. "Wow, I scored a really hot date," he said.

I smiled, rolling my eyes. "Right," I said. "Because I'm definitely a supermodel."

"Emma," he said, giving me a look.

"What?"

"Stop talking yourself down. You're beautiful."

I looked down at the ground, biting my lip. "You're just saying that."

"No I'm not. I'm being serious."

"Nobody's ever called me that before."

"What? No way," he said. "I refuse to believe that for a second."

"It's true."

"Where was your last school again? A school for pretty girls and blind men?"

I laughed. "Ethan, stop."

"I'm just telling the truth, Em."

"Oh, so we're at the nicknames now?"

"Yup," Ethan said, giving me a wide grin.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, starting to laugh again.

"Because I like looking at you. You get all smiley and blushy when you're in a good mood, and I think it's adorable."

My heart started beating faster. Ethan doesn't like me like that does he? If he doesn't, has he picked up on the fact that I feel that way about him?

We ended up sitting in that three for three hours until the early October sun started going down, and then he drove me home.

My parents never really asked me where I was or who I was hanging out with as long as I was home by curfew.

I still usually tried to make it home for dinner though. I was close with my mom and stepdad.

My real dad had passed away when I was three, so I don't really remember him that much.

When Olivia and Tessa found out that Ethan asked me to homecoming, there were mixed reviews. Tessa was excited that I was finally getting myself out there, and Olivia was worried that I was getting myself into trouble.

I didn't mind though. She knew how stubborn I could be, and that I wouldn't let anything happen that I didn't want.

Ethan and I were just friends, but there were so many times that I felt like we were starting to become more than that.

Frequent FaceTimes on days that he had practice and we couldn't hang out, always walking to classes together, and simply becoming closer as friends.

Nobody believed us when we said we were just friends. They all said it was a matter of time before we became a couple, and I almost believed them.

At the same time, I felt like it would never happen.

I think back to a month and a half ago, my first day of school and the first time I ever saw Ethan, and I remember how Olivia told me I needed to be careful, and how I made a bet with my friends that I could get Ethan to fall in love with me.

I wondered if he was just acting like a good friend to get more from me, or if he genuinely cared about me, and wanted to get to know me.

My gut trusted that he was a good guy regardless of what Olivia said. He's really sweet to me, and either way I think it's too late for me to stay away from Ethan.

I couldn't wait for homecoming.