Please Don't Tell (18 page)

             
I scooted back onto my side of the bed after several minutes past. “Ethan, are you awake?” I whispered.

             
No response. I stared at him sleeping for almost thirty minutes before his body moved slightly and then his arm draped across my stomach. Oh My God! How I wanted this to happen. My heart started to race, my thoughts became scattered, and I swear little beads of sweat had started to build in the crease of my forehead. Now, if I could’ve just waken him up and had the nerve to plant one right on his perfect lips and start this relationship.  I settled for my hand reaching over and ever so lightly, I traced my finger over the scar on his eyebrow.

             
             
             
             
             
Chapter 19

             
Three wonderful days had gone by when my mother returned after our movie and soccer marathons. Gran never showed. She called to tell me she wasn’t feeling well and had been worried about me catching whatever it was she had. She offered to send some soup, but I declined. And, I actually started appreciating soccer more. Or, as he insisted on calling it football. It helped that almost every guy that played had been fall-over-drool coming out of my mouth hot. But, the fact that he really loved Breakfast Club was the best part.
             

             
Val came crashing into the front door after she received my fiftieth text message when she returned. “Damn, you are sooo crazy tan,” I said, feeling a little jealous of the color she had gotten. I was pale and milky white at this point of the year.

             
She flopped onto the couch. “Before I say anything, please tell me you TiVo’d GH for me? I nodded. “Of course.” She had a look of relief on her face, but it quickly changed to a frown when Val finally noticed my leg. “What the hell happened? And, do not leave anything out.”

             
I laughed. “Gee, it’s great to see you too.”

             
“I came over as soon as the Tahoe pulled into my driveway. So spill.”

             
I went on and on about Lake Placid and my torn ACL. I told her all about the stupid challenge and how he’d helped me.

             
Val trailed her finger over the edge of the couch. “Would you just get to the good parts, already? What about Ethan?”

             
I quickly scoured the room. Ethan had been upstairs when she came in.

             
“I think he likes me,” I whispered.

             
She leaned down. “Ohmygod! Did he tell you that? I mean, what did he say?”

             
I’d made a face. “He thought I was in a drug induced state so... I don’t know. He said he came here to be with me. That I made him feel alive again.”

             
A full moment passed, while everything had been silent, eerily quiet. I heard the pitter patter of rain hitting the windows. I heard Ethan’s loud footsteps above us.

             
“Shut up! That has to be the effing sweetest thing I ever heard.”

             
“I know, right?” I said, as I bit down on my lip.

             
Val jumped onto my makeshift bed and sat down next to me. “Did he kiss you?”

             
“No.” I frowned. “Not yet, but I’m working on it.”

             
“What about Jason?” She asked.

             
Another moment passed by while I let the thought of him slip in. Val drummed her fingers on her thigh, waiting.

             
“What about him?”

             
Val’s eyes widened. “Ah, well, last we talked you two were still together.”

             
“We are kind of. Do you believe that he hasn’t even come over to see me? Some lame excuse that he’s busy with his family. Family my ass.”

             
Val leaned toward me with her palms denting into the mattress on the couch. “Rumor has it he might be moving on anyway.”

             
“What?” I asked, as I sat straight up.

             
“Matt told me. Even though he promised Jason not to say anything. Well, it seems Jason is starting to get interested in...get this one...Meghan Brooker.” She slinked back into the pillow and tilted her head back. “Do you believe that?”

             
“Meghan Brooker, yuck. She’s such a scank. Why would he be interested in her?”

             
“Well, everyone knows she puts out on the first date. That might be why.”

             
“He can have her. I am so done with him. Ya know, Ethan said something about Jason, but I never asked him what he meant.”

             
“What did he say?”

             
“Something about the locker room and Jason talking shit about me.”

             
Val rolled her eyes. “Figures.”

             
We both looked into the foyer as loud footsteps barreled down the stairs.

             
“So you girls finished talking?” Ethan asked, as he strolled into the room.

             
“Ethan, I was just telling Val how much you enjoyed our John Hughes marathon.” I tilted my head to look up at him. “You did enjoy it, right?”

             
His eyebrows shot up. “Is that going to be your question of the day?”

             
“That wasn’t a question.”

             
“It was to. You asked me if I enjoyed the movie marathon? It counts.”

             
Darn! I needed to think these questions out more before I just let anything come out.

             
Val looked over at me with a WTF is he talking about look. “Fine, that’s my question.”

             
“I actually enjoyed some of them.” He smiled then tucked his hand in his front pocket and walked into the kitchen. He turned with a wink before a full grim appeared on his face.

             
“What was that?”

             
“What was what?”

             
“Ahh, hello? Question of the day thingy?”

             
“Oh that, it’s just some silly thing we do to get to know each better.”

             
“You two can’t possibly get any effing cuter. Is it working?”

             
“Yeah, it is. I have one problem though,” I said, as she continued to stare at me. “With every question he asks or I ask... I don’t know I just...”

             
“Falling in love,” she exclaimed. “Yay!”

             
“I don’t know if I’d call it that...yet.”

             
“You so are in love with him. I mean look at your face. You’re all hopped up on drugs, but still your face has totally given you away.”

             
I bit down on my nail. “Maybe for me, but I don’t know about him. He hasn’t said anything to me about what he said at the hospital.”

             
She patted my shoulder. “Oh, he will. I have such a good feeling about this.”

             
“And, here I thought you wanted him all to yourself.”

             
“Nah, I knew that wasn’t happening from week one. Besides Matt and I are closer than ever.”

             
I shook my head and laughed. “So all that crazy sex is working out for you?”

             
She grinned. “You’re just jealous, Virgin Mary,” she teased. I really wasn’t jealous that I’d never had sex before. In fact, I was never so happy about my choice with Jason.

             
After Val finished watching a few General Hospital episodes that I taped she left.  I flicked through at least fifty channels before I found Full House. I quickly glanced around before I hit the select button. The garage door slammed and my mom walked in a few minutes later.

             
“Was that Val I saw leaving?” My mom asked walking in with a tray of food.

             
“Seriously, Mom, I think I can handle solid foods.”

             
Even though her homemade potato soup had been one of my favorites, I was absolutely sick of it. I’d eaten it for the last three days for dinner. She left a huge container in the fridge before she left and Ethan heated it up every time I was hungry.

             
She placed the tray down on my lap. “We could order a pizza I suppose, but I’ve been dying for this since I left.”

             
I placed it down next to me. “You eat the soup. I’ll order the pizza.”

             
She grabbed the tray and sat on the big comfy chair. Pixie followed, sniffing her nose up in the air. She gave a little shove to the dog, “No Pixie.” Then she looked up. “Ethan said everything went great. I’m sorry that Gran couldn’t come over. She hasn’t been feeling well.” She grabbed her bag. “I called around and found a great therapy center five minutes away.”  She said, as she yanked her phone from her purse and tapped something in, then placed it down on the table.

             
“Where is Ethan?” I asked, trying to sound like it was no big deal.

             
“In the shower. I think he has a date tonight.”

             
I thought I was going to throw up right there on the couch. I cleared my throat. “With who?”

             
She shrugged. “I don’t know. He told me some girl was picking him up.”

             
Shock and disappointment rushed through me. Feeling like a thousand pin pricks piercing my skin all at the same time. How could he after everything he told me? After spending three whole days together. We played Xbox, and watched movie after movie right next to each other.  Once, I even swore that he wanted to hold my hand, but instead he tucked it under the blanket too quickly. Jealousy and anger flooded every ounce of my body. I wanted to scream and yell, but I couldn’t. Not out loud anyway. I had thought we were making some progress. I guess I’d thought wrong.

             
Half an hour later the doorbell rang. Ethan had come out of the kitchen looking even better than before. If that were even possible. Ethan shrugged on his jacket. “Hey, I’m going out for a bit,” he said, as he walked over to me.

             
I started to stand as he got closer. His body only inches from mine and then there was a sudden awkwardness between us. I could smell the woodsy scent of his too familiar cologne. “So go.” I said, as I narrowed my eyes in disbelief.

             
He nodded and started to walk away. “Wait,” I yelled out. “You haven’t asked me your question today.” I needed something--anything to keep him here.

             
He smiled his heartbreaking smile. “Don’t have one yet. Later, though.”

             
I heard her voice when he answered the door. I couldn’t believe she’d been at my house to pick Ethan up.  I felt immediately infuriated and dumb all in one quick moment. I was so stupid to believe him. So stupid to think that he’d want me over slutty Heather Flowers. Of course, maybe, just maybe I heard what I wanted to hear and I got it all completely wrong. As I heard the click of the door close shut, I sank back into the couch and cried. My heart was officially broken.

             
I ate almost the entire pizza myself with a little help from Austin now that he was home. I couldn’t focus on the television or anything else for that matter. The rest of the night was full of paranoia about what Ethan and Heather had be doing. I just sat there stewing under warm blankets, and cuddled Pixie, my only faithful little friend. So, of course, I’d been wide awake when he strolled in after eleven o’clock. I rolled over facing the opposite way of the entry to the room not wanting to let him know that I had been awake and waiting.

             
I heard his footsteps as he came closer to the couch. “Sophie, you awake?”

             
I wanted to roll over, but I didn’t. I pretended to be asleep. I heard his heavy breathing as he sat down in the chair across the room. “I have a question so...if you’re awake. I need to ask you my question, right now.” I couldn’t help but notice the emphasis on the word need and now as he said it.

             
I waited for a count of one hundred before I rolled over onto the other side. “What?”

             
He smiled and look relieved. “You are awake.”

             
“Just ask your question, Ethan? And, you smell like alcohol again.”

             
“Where’s your Mum?”

             
“That’s your question? She’s asleep upstairs. Now go away.”

             
“I need to know if you’re still with Jason?”

             
Different answers ran through my head as he continued to stare at the carpet. Should I say yes? Should I say no? I didn’t know how to answer this one in fear that if I said yes, he’d go back to her, or if I’d say no he’d stay with her anyway.

             
“Why?”

             
“Not your turn. Answer the question and remember...brutal honesty.”