tortured poet

Some truths are so unexpected and painful that it takes time to make sense of them. Y/n wondered if she was ever going to be able to process this revelation. For the past weeks, she had been hit, stabbed and broken some bones, but none of that had wounded her as much as Ethan’s betrayal. The brown-eyed boy she had met a year ago, that had earned a spot on her heart, that had a smile that lit up her most stressful days, and that up until now she had trusted with her soul, was standing right in front of her, dressed in black robes and holding the terrorising white mask on his hand. 

“Don’t feel bad, honey. There’s nothing against you, you’re collateral damage.” Wayne said to her. “You weren’t supposed to be here. Ethan asked for you to be left unharmed, and we agreed because you had nothing to do with my son’s death. But you just had to be heroic, hadn’t you? And now you have to die with them.”

“If you promise not to say anything—“ Ethan started

“No. We can’t trust her not to say anything. She dies.” His father cut him off. Ethan was too scared to contradict him.

Y/n couldn’t meet his eyes, even thought she noticed him trying to get her attention. Her heart was damaged enough, and looking into his soft eyes would only make her fall apart. She was above showing them how deeply they had destroyed her. It was when Quinn launched herself at Sam that Ethan took the opportunity to get close to Y/N.

“I’m sorry Y/N/N.” Ethan whispered. The nickname made her stomach turn, despite it all, she loved her name on his lips. “I never meant for this to happen.”

“Stay the fuck away from her.” Sam attacked him, stabbing him two times before Y/N pulled her off Ethan’s wounded frame.

“Let’s go, Sam.” She dragged her towards the stairs. They climbed up a balcony, but they had to slither across a railing to get to the emergency door. Sam managed to do it quickly, but Y/n was shaking so badly that she slipped. 

“Shit.” Sam tried to help her, but Quinn found her. “Tara, can you reach her?”

“She’s too far away” she cried

“It’s okay, Sam. Let me go.” Sam lent her a knife before letting go. 

Y/n fell on top of Ethan, who had been waiting below. “It’s okay, I got you. I won’t let anything happen to you.” 

The girl didn’t know what to do. The knife was on her hand, she could reach and stab him before he could see it coming. Better safe than sorry, they say. But she couldn’t, didn’t matter how many times the sane part of her screamed do it, she couldn’t. She loved him too much. “I hate you.” She cried.

“You don’t, you love me as much as I love you. And I’m so fucking sorry. I’m going to get you out of here. I promise, Y/N/N.” His voice was so soft and sincere, it made her ache even more.

“Son, we had a deal” Wayne’s voice broke their little moment. “She was off the list if she didn’t find out.”

“I won’t do it.” He shook his head. 

“I’ll do it for you, then.” He took one step closer to Y/N, but Ethan got in his way. “You fool. You’d rather defend some girl than your own family?”

“She’s not some girl. She’s shown me more love in these past months than you in my whole fucking life. I don’t want to be your puppet anymore. I choose her.”

“Then you die with her.” And then, before Ethan could react, he stabbed his own son. Y/N’s scream resonated through the whole shrine. But she got into action fast, and slit Wayne’s throat. Just for precaution, she stabbed him on the chest multiple times. 

“Fuck” she collapsed to the ground. She stared at the lifeless body in shock. Her body had moved on its own completely, giving her brain no chance to act rational. A whimper caught her attention, and she used the little strength she had left to crawl to Ethan’s injured body. “Please hold on, Eth.” She begged as she called the ambulance.

“I can’t. It hurts.” He croaked. 

“Yes, you can. Please, for me.” She put pressure on his wounds while she talked on the phone. “They’ll be here soon. Meanwhile you’re going to listen to me, okay? You disappointed me.”

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, tears falling down his bloody cheeks. 

“And if you’re really sorry, then you are going to hold the fuck on so you can make it up to me, okay? You’re going to the hospital, get better and then you’re going to pay whatever time they give you. I promise you I’ll be there through all of it. Because I believe that you’re good, and that you really regret what you did.” 

“I’m tired, Y/N/N” his eyes clouded with tears. 

Y/n shook her head. Her throat felt like it was being squeezed. “No, no. Just a little bit longer.” She whispered desperately. His eyes fell shut. “No. Eth!”

“Y/N/N… he’s gone.” Tara’s voice said behind her. 

“No, no. He’s just passed out.” She denied. The sound of sirens getting close made her stand up. She ran to the entrance and started screaming at them to hurry up. 

“We’ve got no pulse.” One of them said, and Y/N’s world crumbled down. Her legs gave up, and Tara and Sam dragged her outside. 

“No… he can’t have…” she hugged Sam’s legs like a little kid. Her eyes then caught sight of her crimson covered hands and instantly step aside to throw up. She frantically tried to erase his blood from her hands, not caring about the way she was damaging her skin.

“Stop, Y/n. You’re hurting yourself.” Sam said, grabbing her wrists.

Y/n just let out a painful sob “He was my best friend. He saved me. He told me he loved me, and now I don’t have him anymore.”

Sam felt conflicted, feeling bad for her friend, but at the same time she couldn’t forget that Ethan was part of all the torture. But before she could come up with something to say, the doors opened.

Y/N expected to see Ethan’s body being carried inside a black bag. But no, he was being pushed on a stroller to the back of an ambulance. “What’s going on?” Sam asked for her. 

“We did CPR, his pulse is very weak. But it’s there.” One medic quickly answered. 

“I’m going with him.” Y/n said instantly. He sat next to him and grabbed his. “You’re so strong, Eth. I’m going to need you to hold on for a little bit. Don’t give me hope for nothing, okay?”

“Girlfriend?” One of the medics asked with a pitiful smile.

She blushed. “Best friend... is he going to be okay?” The fear in her voice broke every heart on that ambulance.

“I can’t assure you, honey. He’s in critical condition, and he needs to be checked in the hospital before I can give you a definite answer.”

Y/N’s shoulders sank and her grip tightened. He had to get better, there were so many things left to talk. He had so much life ahead of him. She didn’t know what was going to happen if he did recover. What she did know was that whatever the future had in store for him, she would be right there next to him. 

After agonizing hours of waiting, Ethan got out of the surgery room. Everything was successful, and he was expected to do a full recovery. Ethan, however, thought the worst was yet to come. He had to face the consequences of his actions. How was he going to be able to look Y/N in the eyes after everything he had done? 

Maybe he was getting ahead of himself. After all, why would she go visit him to the hosp—“Mr. Landry, you have a visitor.” The nurse stepped aside, and Y/N walked into the room. Her eyes were swollen, red spots on her face and he could see dry tears on her cheeks. “Ten minutes max. He needs to rest.”

“Thank you very much.” She smiled politely. When she turned her head towards Ethan, her eyes filled with tears. 

“I’m so sorry, Y/N/N.” His voice broke. “And thank you, I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

“You died… you- it felt like decades” She sobbed, and couldn’t help walking to him and burying her head on his chest. “I lost you for minutes. I really thought I’d lost you, and I didn’t get to tell you I love you.” He tried to move his arm to reach her, but every move hurt. “Shit. Sorry, I’m crushing you and you just got out of surgery. You were stabbed, multiple times. Are you tired? I can come back later. You must need to re-“

“I love you, too.” He interrupted her adorable mumbling. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me. And I’m so sorry for everything. I know words aren’t enough to mend the way I betrayed your trust, and I promise I’m going to take this second chance to show you I truly regret it. I’m probably  going to prison, I don’t know for how long… but if you wait for me… although I guess that’s not fair to ask.”

“Ethan, I would wait forever.” She cupped his face softly. “And you’ve already shown me, the moment you stepped to take those stabs for me. I believe you, Eth.”

He tried to shake his tears, not used to showing vulnerability, but it was impossible. He had hurt her, betrayed her and scared her, and yet there she was, swearing she would stay by his side no matter what his actions would lead his life to. 

But life somehow granted him with a second chance, and he’d be fool not to take it. He was determined to redeem himself. 

Painful and exhausting were the months that lead to the trial. Ethan woke up everyday to plead his case, in full honesty. He had admitted to helping his father and sister to perpetuate the plan, and that he wanted to get out of it but was terrified of confronting his dad. He had talked to psychologists countless times, and went back to his house with bloodshot eyes and heart bruised. He couldn’t even find a bit of peace in his sleep, the nightmares tortured him the minute he’d close his eyes. He dreamt of his father making him torture Y/n until her eyes turned lifeless. He had to call her every time, to make sure she was okay.

The only positive aspects was that at least they gave him the option to stay home during the trial. And Y/n helped him through it all. At the beginning, the court wasn’t sure if letting Ethan interact with a victim was a good idea, but seeing the deep relationship Y/N and Ethan had, they finally gave them permission to see each other. They thought it was actually beneficial to Ethan’s mental health. And they were right, Ethan didn’t know if he could’ve survive the whole trial without Y/n’s comforting presence. 

“Everything’s going to be okay, Eth.” She said softly, running her fingers through his curly grown hair. 

Today was the final day. The judge was going to give the sentence and decide Ethan’s future. Y/N was fully positive everything’s going to turn out well, Ethan on the other hand was shaking with fear and dread. 

“I’m scared, Y/N/N.” He whispered. And his cracked voice made her heart ache. “No matter what happens, I want to thank you for everything. I don’t deserve your kindness, but I appreciate it more than anything else.”

“We’ve talked about this, and I’ll keep saying it—I’ve already forgiven you. You took a damn knife for me, and that I’ll never forget. I love you, so much. And I have a feeling that everything’s going to go well. And prepare yourself, because I’m taking you on a date after this, okay?”

“Okay” he smiled. He raised his head and placed a kiss on her jaw. “I love you.”

The door opened and the judge went in. Y/N grabbed Ethan’s hand under the table and held on tight, praying with all her strength.

“Please rise.” The authoritative voice sent shivers down both teenager’s bodies as they stood still. “This Court has carefully considered the evidence presented, the testimonies heard, and the submissions made by both the prosecution and the defense throughout this proceeding. It is the solemn duty of this Court to deliver justice not only in accordance with the law, but with fairness, proportionality, and humanity.

It has been established that the defendant played a role in the planning of a grave and violent crime — a murder orchestrated by his own father.” 

Ethan stared down at the floor, and Y/N, though she tried not to show it, felt scared for the first time in weeks. Maybe her gut feeling was wrong, maybe they were going to take Ethan away from her. He deserved a second chance, so she kept praying harder. 

“However,” the lovers looked up at her with hopeful eyes. “the evidence also clearly demonstrates that the defendant’s involvement was the result of intense psychological manipulation, coercion, and emotional abuse by a parent in a position of power and trust. More importantly, the defendant took steps to withdraw from the plan. He made the conscious decision to protect a potential victim — a person he cared for deeply —“ Ethan squeezed his girl’s hand. “and in doing so, placed himself in harm’s way. That act of courage, which resulted in the defendant suffering injury at the hands of his own father, is not only a testament to his remorse, but to his character and the weight of conscience he carried.

The law recognizes that punishment must reflect both accountability and the possibility of redemption. In this case, the Court finds that the defendant’s moral awakening, active effort to prevent further harm, and full cooperation with authorities warrant extraordinary consideration.

Therefore, having weighed all circumstances, including the psychological pressure under which the defendant acted, his repentance, the life he helped save, and his commitment to rehabilitation—“ Ethan and Y/N held their breaths 

“This Court hereby finds the defendant exempt from criminal penalty. No sentence of imprisonment or restriction shall be imposed. However, the Court strongly recommends that the defendant continue to receive psychological and emotional support, as deemed appropriate, to aid in his recovery and reintegration.

Let this ruling serve not only as a conclusion to these proceedings, but as a recognition that in moments of darkness, a person can still choose the light.

This Court is adjourned.”

Y/N immediately wrapped her arms around Ethan’s shaky body. “You’re free, Eth.” 

The boy couldn’t even hug back. He stood frozen, with a far away look. Was this really happening? Did they actually granted him freedom? 

“Hey… breathe. Look at me.” Y/n’s soothing voice brought him back to reality. She could see the big question dancing in his eyes. “Yes, you’re free. You can start again.” 

“Thank you…” his voice cracked. “Thank you. I can’t think of any more words, just thank you for being everything I need.”

“I need you, too. Always.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Y/n asked confused.

“Of course not!” the ten-year-old scoffed. “My teammates already think i’m a spoiled kid that gets aways with anything because his father is the town’s mayor.” 

“I can talk to the coach, if you want. Tell him to stop making differences between you and the rest of the kids.” she offered.

“Wouldn’t that be worse? I am spoiled and I also have my big sister speaking for me.” 

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them.” Y/n shrugged. “Oh my god a spot!”

“Watch out!” the little boy yelled, and Y/n hit the breaks instantly.

“Holy shit.” Y/n whispered, her whole body stiff. Fingers the shade of paper as they gripped onto the wheel tightly. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” the young man who she almost ran over yelled.

With shaky legs, she exited the car. “I’m so fucking sorry, are you okay?”

“Barely! Are you insane? You almost killed me.” he said, not caring he was raising his voice to the mayor’s daughter. He turned around to check on his little brother, who thankfully had been walking a few steps behind him. 

“I could’ve broken some bones at most, killed you is a big stretch.” she tried for small laugh, but her comment was not appropriate at all. She shouldn’t be taunting Ethan Landry. Hell, she shouldn’t be talking to him at all, but since she almost kill—injured him, there wasn’t much of a choice. “Sorry. It was a joke. A bad one.”

“No, i get it. Even if you had killed me, you’d have gotten away with it. daddy would’ve made sure of that.” he spat bitterly. 

“Woah, calm the fuck down. You should’ve watched where you were walking, too. But I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful” Y/n said, this time looking at the little boy. “Are you okay?” 

“Yes, it wasn’t even that close.” he said with a smile, with she mirrored. 

Looking back at ethan, she spoke again. “See? No harm was done. So let’s move on, okay?”

“Of course, your majesty. Whatever you want.” he said sarcastically 

Y/n sighed in frustration. Ethan was making a unnecessary scene. “Seriously, what’s your problem, Landry?”

“What? I’m just agreeing with what you wanted. Isn’t that what everyone does? Oblige to everything the Y/L/N’s say?” 

“You’ve got some serious problems, Landry. But I don’t have to deal with them.” Y/n turned around to get back into the car, where her little brother was watching the argument with close attention. 

“You’re right about that. Lots of problems, starting with your shitty dad.” he spat

“Oh, you wanna talk about shitty dads? I’ve got a lot to say about yours.” she threw back, and even though Ethan Landry was an asshole, she knew she had gone too far. the boy clenched his jaw, grabbed his bag, his little brother’s hand and walked towards the rink. “Ugh. Me and my stupid mouth.”

“Isn’t their dad…” Milo started. 

“Yeah, in jail.” for drug dealing and theft. 

Wayne Bailey had been arrested precisely six months ago. He used to be a well-respected member of the community, the town's cop. Then, he shocked everyone when he was caught selling drugs to teenagers. When the police searched his car, they did not find only drugs, but also money and objects that he had stolen from other neighbors. 

He was now sentenced to life imprisonment. But Wayne’s crimes did not only cost his freedom, it also costed his family everything. With no one willing to employ Wayne’s ex wife or older son, the Landrys lost their home and were forced to move into a trailer. The whole town turned their backs on the three members of the family, even though they were innocent. No one believed they were oblivious to Wayne’s activities, and so they became the outcasts. 

Thankfully, the owner of the hockey rink—who was Ethan’s mother friend from school—offered Ethan a job there. They weren’t suddenly well-off again, but now they didn’t have to skip meals. Ethan knew they couldn’t always depend on his salary and the money that had saved up, and since there were not any more job offers there, they would have to leave town. For now, they needed to keep holding on.

“I think you should go and say sorry.” Her little brother spoke

“Yeah, I should” she sighed. 

“I don’t know why people are so mean to them. They’re not what their father did.”

Y/n smiled at her brother fondly. “I don’t know either, Milo. Do you talk to Wes?”

Milo frowned “I try to, but he’s very closed off. The other kids, tho…. They’re not so nice.” 

“I think a friend would do him good.”

Milo nodded eagerly. “I’d like to be his friend. He seems cool. But you need to try with Ethan, too.”

Now, that was another thing. Wes was an innocent little kid, Ethan on the other hand, looked like he'd bite your head off if you got close to him.

“Um, I don’t know. He’s kinda rude to me...”

“He’s always on guard, I guess. Can you blame him?  Our father was the one who sent his father to prison, and instead of helping the family he lets everyone exclude them. Besides, I see him with his brother. He seems good. Spends a lot of time working.”

He did have a point. They were left adrift, with no help or given the chance to rebuild their lives. They were denied the right to be heard. 

“You’re so wise, did you know that?” She smiled sweetly. 

“I have my moments.” the little boy smiled back. 

They both entered the rink, and Y/n took a deep breath before going to go look for Ethan. She found him cleaning tables at the buffet. 

“Hey...” She started, making him look at her and roll his eyes. “Don’t give me an attitude, I’m here to apologize.” he continued to ignore her, and she frustratedly sat on the table he was cleaning. 

“i’m working, Y/n. And since this is the only place that welcomes me, I’d like to keep my job.” 

“I’ll help you clean, but please listen to me.” he huffed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Wow, hello biceps, Y/n took in his arm muscles. 

“Well? Are you done ogling me?” he smirked, and shit, the room turned hot—and that was saying something since the rink was cold as hell. 

“Yeah—I mean, no—I mean I was not ogling you.” she cleared her throat, blushing all over. “Anyways. I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for what I said earlier. It was out of line, especially considering Wes was there. That was an asshole thing to say, and I’m not an asshole.” 

Ethan was surprised. Not by the apology, but the sincerity behind it. She was not saying sorry to keep her good girl image, she was genuinely regretful of her words. In return, Ethan spoke with the truth. 

“I’m sorry, too. I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t mean that about your dad, but I shouldn’t have attacked you like that. I misplaced my anger on you, when you were just apologising for almost killing me.” 

She groaned “Oh dear god, I wouldn’t have killed you, drama queen.” that made him laugh, and the action surprised them both. “You laughed.” Y/n gasped.

“I was scoffing, not laughing.” he tried to defend himself.

“No, that was a full wrinkle-in-the-eyes laugh. I made Ethan Landry laugh.”

“I was laughing at your frustration.“

She shrugged “A win is a win.” 

“Talk is over. Let’s clean.” he handed her the cloth. 

“Can I put on some music?”

“Absolutely not.” He refused.

She ignored him. “Taylor Swift it is.” 

“Just turn on your car and kill me already.” He muttered, but her company made his insides flutter. Not that he was ever going to admit it. 

After two hours of doing multiple tasks, Y/n collapsed on a chair. Sweat glistened on her forehead, and she felt disgusting. Her respect for Ethan raised every minute she watched him work his ass off. This sweaty man in front of her was left to take care of his whole family at only 20 years old, in a town where everyone would throw him to the wolves if they had a chance. And here he was, standing on his feet despite everything. 

“I’m sorry.” She said, making him frown. “I’m sorry you’ve been left all alone, and my father did nothing to help.”

Ethan shook his head. “It’s not on you, and please, I don’t want your pity.”

“I’m allowed to feel impotence. It’s not fair what happened to you.”

“I know it’s not fair, but what can I do about it now? I have no choice. I have to work as many hours as I can, I have to support my mom and my brother. Hell, I have to save money so that he can go to college and also save money so we can leave town and settle somewhere else, somewhere we are welcomed and can live in peace.” 

That made her heart swell. “We’re going to make it happen. I’ll help you.”

“No. I told you, I don’t want your pity and I’m not a charity case.” He spat angrily. "And I don't want to be your project. If you're bored, adopt a puppy, I don't know but don't play with me."

Ethan tried to walk away, but she grabbed his arm. “Don’t be stubborn, Ethan. And you don't need to keep your guard up with me anymore. Listen to me, you’re not a charity case. You are a person whose life turned, unfairly, into hell. I want to help you, Ethan. Let me. If you don’t do it for yourself, think about Wes and your mother.”

“How are you going to help, Y/n? You’re the mayor’s daughter, but do you have any kind of power?”

“I don’t know, to be honest. But I want to try. I’m going to talk to my father, and if it doesn’t work, then we’ll see. But you don’t have to do everything on your own.”

He stared down at her in awe, but before he could express his gratitude, both their siblings came running towards them in between giggles. Ethan’s heart warmed at that, at seeing his brother be a kid so freely, having his first friend. How were those two people related to the man who had turned his back on his family? 

“Hey, little monsters. How was practice?” Y/n asked

“Wes did a hat trick! He’s so cool.” Milo beamed and Wes blushed.

“Good job!” They high-fived “We should celebrate. Let’s go have lunch, it’s on me.” She said. 

“Can we, Eth?” Wes asked, brown eyes filled with hope. 

The older brother turned to look at the girl, and seeing her expectant smile, he couldn’t deny it. “Let’s go.”

Having lunch with the two Landry brothers became a routine. Everyday after practice they made their way to the buffet and talked for hours. Ethan was warming up to Y/n, she guessed it took time to detached her from his father, but it was happening. They hadn’t been seen together in public, she was sure everyone was going to make a big deal out of it, and Ethan didn’t need that. She didn’t want to scare him off, because she happened to really really like the boy. Much more than she could’ve ever imagined. Turns out, though, he was afraid Y/n was ashamed of him, and that’s why she didn't suggest they went out to a public restaurant.

The doubt was consuming him, and one day he just exploded. “Are you ashamed of me?” He asked while they cleaned. That’s another habit Y/n had taken. She loved to help him work. 

Y/n froze. “What?! No. Where’s this coming from?”

“I just… we always have lunch in private, where no one can see us. I can’t help wondering…”

“No. Absolutely not, why would I be ashamed?” She asked confused.

“I’m the son of a thief and a drug addict. Everyone things that I'm a drunk because I drank too much one time, after my father was sentenced to a life in prison. Everyone thinks I'm violent because I punched one guy who was talking shit about my family. I’m the boy who lives in a trailer. Everyone in this town avoids me like the plague.” 

“You’re also the man who works countless hours to support his family. You’re the man who is raising his own brother. You’re the man who steps out of his trailer, proudly, to go to work on a town that it’s too judgmental for their own good. Ethan, if there’s something I don’t feel about you is shame.”

Ethan was left speechless. A few seconds later, he wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you.”

She enjoyed his embrace and smiled happily. “You’re welcome. Now, let’s go have lunch on an actual restaurant.”

The whispers and stares were harsh and not subtle at all, but neither Ethan or Y/n cared. Y/n couldn’t tear her gaze away from Ethan, the way he was with his brother, all soft smiles and gentle. Sweet. She had the greatest urge to take her camera and capture the moment, but that would be weird.

“You have drool on your chin.” Her brother whispered

Y/n snapped out of it. “Shut it.”

“Someone has a crush.” He sang under his breath, and she kicked him under the table. “You would look cute together.”

“It’s never going to happen. He hates our family.”

“What are you two whispering over there?” Ethan asked.

“Nothing.” Y/n said quickly, blood rushing into her cheeks, while her brother replied “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Smartass.” Ethan teased the little boy.

“How dare you speak to him like that.” Hannah, a middle aged woman said. 

“It was just teasing” Y/n intervened. “It’s okay.” 

“No one should speak to the mayor’s son like that. Especially not someone like you.” the lady scrunched her nose, as if she had smelled something rotten. 

“With all due respect, this conversation doesn’t concern you, Miss. We’re all friends teasing each other.” Y/n tried to tell her off without coming across as rude. After all, she was still the mayor’s daughter, and every action of her could damage her father’s image. 

“Friends with him? A delinquent? A drunk?” the woman said horrified. 

And politeness begone. “Okay, well, I’ve ran out of patience.” she stood up to face Hannah. “I don’t know what made you think you had the right to question my personal life, but mind your own business. Last time I heard, you, your husband and his secretary have quite a situation to deal with. So go solve that and leave us alone.” The woman’s eyes widened. “Oh, and if I ever hear you insult Ethan or his family again, I’ll make sure you regret it. Understood?” 

“But-“

“Understood?” she repeated firmly. The lady gave a quick nod and walked away. When Y/n turned around she found the three boys staring at her with open mouths. 

“Dad’s so going to kill you.” Milo said. 

Next thing she knew, Wes jumped out of his seat and locked his arms around her. “No one’s ever stood up for us like that. Thank you.” 

A lump formed in her throat. Whatever lecture was waiting for her back at home, she could deal. It was more than worth it. 

“Thank you.” Ethan said softly, eyes all shiny. 

So, so worth it. 

She hung onto that thought when Milo and her entered the house and their father was waiting with his jaw clenched and crossed arms. “Milo, to your room.”

“No, I’m staying.” the little boy said stubbornly.

“Your room. Now.” The mayor said with impatience.

Y/n sighed. “It’s okay, Milo. Go.”

“Explain yourself.” Her father demanded once Milo was out of sight. 

“Wow. The rumors flew faster than the one of Mr. Smith’s affair with his secretary.” She let out a humorless laugh.

“How could you speak to Hannah like that?” 

“She was shit talking to my friend. I was polite at first, but she somehow got the impression it was okay to tell me who I should hang with.”

“Your friend? You mean Ethan Bailey? The son of the person who stole from us?” His voice started to rise.

“It’s Ethan Landry now, dad. He changed his last name because his father disappointed him more than he did you.”

“Jesus Christ, I can’t believe you’re defending that boy! You’re out of your mind. And I forbid you of talking to him ever again.”

“Well, too bad. Because I’m going to keep seeing him. Because guess what? I like him. I really like him, and Milo likes him too.” 

“If I hear you got close to him again, I’ll—“

“You’ll what?” She yelled. “Disown me? Kick me out? Do it!”

“I will not have a daughter who befriends a criminal family.” He said sternly.

“Would you just hear me for one second? Let me tell you his side of the story.” She pleaded.

“I know all I need to know about that family.”

“You’re just as empty headed as the rest of this town.” She scoffed and stormed out.

Her father stopped acknowledging her presence. The only good thing? Milo was giving him the same attitude, which was quite entertaining. But the silent treatment was too much, so she decided to go for a run. She felt both disappointed and angered. That was it? Was her father going to ignore her existence until she stopped seeing Ethan? She knew one thing—she was not giving up without a fight.

The sound of a motorbike stopping next to her pulled her out her thoughts. Y/n’s eyes widened as she recognized the driver. “Ethan?”

“Hi. I’ve been calling your name for almost two blocks.” He said while taking off his helmet. His brown strands of hair were pointing at different directions, and she thought it made him look frustratingly beautiful. And him riding a motorbike? Magazine cover worth it. 

“You look so good.” She couldn’t help blurt out. 

Ethan smiled smugly. “Thanks. Wanna go for a ride?” Y/n nodded excitedly, and Ethan put a helmet on her. “Hold on tight.”

Didn’t need to tell her twice. The wind blowing, adrenaline running through her veins and Ethan’s warm and hard body plastered against her front, she wanted to stay on the bike forever. They stopped by a hill, and stayed silent as they watched the sunset.

“You looked lost in thoughts before, did something happen?” Ethan asked.

“My father refuses to speak to me.”

“Because of me.” Ethan affirmed.

“Because of him.” She corrected.

“Because of something that involves me.” Ethan sighed. “This is stupid, Y/N. I don’t want you to get into a fight with your dad because of this. Let’s just forget it and go back to what we were months before.”

“No” Y/n said without hesitation. 

“Y/n/n…”

“Ethan, I’m not giving up because he’s giving me the silent treatment. Seriously, what do you take me for?” She scoffed. “If you thought it was going to be easy, then you’re more of an idiot than you look.”

He let out a laugh. “What am I going to do with you?”

“I have so many suggestions.” 

He looked down at her and smirked. “Don’t let the wine moms hear you. They’re going to think I’ve corrupted you.”

“But you have corrupted me, Landry. Making me ride a bike, throwing suggestive comments, making out against a bike…”

“We’ve not mad-“ he was cut off by her lips on his. It was just a short peck, letting him decide if he wanted to continue this or if she had made the wrong move. But she only had to wonder for two seconds before he kissed her back with passion. Y/n’s fingers tangled on his short strands while his hand explored her back and waist. When they pulled back, they smiled at each other. “Wow.”

“Thanks, I’ve received praises before.” And he actually growled at that, which made her burst out laughing. “Did you just growl?!”

“What have you done to me? You’ve gotten me growling like a possessive asshole, smiling, laughing, having so much fun. And you make me feel… lighter. I don’t feel the usual pressure, and it’s stupid, but you got me feeling hopeful.”

“You’re crazy if you think that after that, there’s any chance I’ll quit trying to help you. My father is not a bad person, and I know that sooner or later I’ll show him the truth.”

“You don’t know how thankful I am you almost killed me in that parking lot.”

“Always the same damn discussion.” She rolled her eyes, and he smiled fondly.

“I don’t know if it’s too soon to say it, but I love you, Y/n/n” he caressed her cheek. “Everything is so much better since you’re in my life.” 

“I love you so much. I promise I’ll give you everything you deserve.”

Ethan stopped his bike one block away from Y/n’s house. The ear-splitting sound of the vehicle made some heads turn and they could see some people peeking through their windows. 

“Jesus christ, it’s like they’ve no life whatsoever.” Ethan mumbled. 

“It’s a small town, they really don’t. They say they want what’s best for me. Judgmental creeps. Wanna give them a scene?” she whispered in his ear. 

“If you keep whispering in my ear, they’ll definitely see something that’ll haunt them for the rest of their lives.” 

Y/n bursted out laughing, and Ethan smiled. He turned his head to press his lips against hers. 

What a mess she’s got herself into.

Stay away from her. 

His poor father, what must he be thinking?

Were some of the words the neighbors spoke, but it was just white noise to the newly established couple.  

A throat was cleared, and Y/n pulled away, recognising it. Her dad was standing stone faced before them. She felt Ethan’s heart pumping wildly under her palm. 

“Dad.” 

“Inside. Both of you.” he said sternly. The two followed like little kids. “How do I know you’re not using my daughter to clear your image?” He went straight to the point when they entered the living room. 

“I was the one who approached him.” Y/n argued

“Are you his spokeswoman? Is he mute?” She shook her head. “Then let him speak. I was asking him.”

For the first time in his life, Ethan’s hands shook with nervousness. Y/n’s dad already hated him, and though he wasn’t the mayor's biggest fan, he wanted to be in good terms with him. For his and Y/n’s relationship.

“Sir, I know you don’t have the best image of me.” Even though you did nothing wrong, Y/n whispered under her breath. “And I know you don’t trust my words. But I won’t ever do anything to hurt the one person who believed in me, who is selflessly trying to make my life better, even if it costs her relationship with his father. I can keep working endless shifts, keep living on a trailer, but I know that my life would be truly miserable without her.” 

How can he say such sweet things so easily? She wondered, eyes clouded with tears. Her father nodded, not even a minuscule expression on his face. Damn, if that didn’t bring him to his knees it was a lost case.

“Dad, I love you. I know we’re having some differences right now. But I want you to know that you’re not changing my mind about Ethan. I know the kind of person he, his mother and his brother are, and it’s nothing like the people in town say. I love him, dad, and I hope you’re willing to get to know him, too.”

“Alright.”

“Alright?” She said loudly than expected. “Sorry, too loud. But what do you mean by that?”

“We talked to Wayne. He said he did his shady business far away from his house, not wanting to get his family involved. We also corroborated with his partners, and there weren’t any inconsistencies. Which means that I let my mind be clouded by what the town said, and that’s a huge mistake on my part. I should have asked more questions.”

“You and the police.” Y/n corrected

“Yes. And action is going to be taken. We’ll start by giving Ethan’s mother back her job.” 

“Really?” Ethan’s voice cracked, Y/n’s hand took his and she kissed it.

“Yes. And I know it looks like I’m buying your forgiveness, but it’s a repair for all the months that I've left you stranded.” He gave Ethan some keys. “It’s from the house a couple of blocks away. I couldn’t get back your old one, but this one is much nicer.”

“You bought us a house?” He asked in disbelief. 

“Yes, your brother and mother need a nice place to stay. Especially now that you’re going away.”

Both teenager’s face fell. “You’re sending him away? That’s your condition?” Y/n asked disappointed. 

“No, it’s not a condition. But I’d be surprised if he rejected the opportunity to study at NYU with you.”

She launched herself at her father. “I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me. Thank you. Thank you so much.” 

“Ethan? What do you say?” The mayor asked him, seeing as he was left speechless. 

Ethan silently stood up and made his way to him. “Yes. Of course, yes. To everything.”

“There is one condition, though.” 

“Dad, don’t ruin it.” She sighed. “You’re in no position to ask for demands”

“I think I forgot to teach you to listen to people before you judge.” Y/n raised an eyebrow. Her father grimaced. “Right. I see the hypocrisy in my words. The point is, my condition is that you take care of her.”

“Always. You can trust me on that.” Ethan replied with no doubt.

“I do. All I want for my daughter is to be loved like you love her.” The couple smiled at each other. “I’d really appreciate if you didn’t take her on rides, thought.”

“But he looks so hot driving the bike.” 

Her father shuddered. “I’m not ready for this. I’m leaving.”

“The old trick.” She smiled smugly

“So we can make it official now, huh?” He hugged her by the waist.

“Ethan Landry, you’re crazy if you think my father’s blessing was going to stop me from parading your pretty face around town.”

Ethan bent down to kiss her “Parading me? I think it’s the other way around.” 

“No, you’re the pretty one. I’m the smart one.” 

“Fine, I’ll take it.” He laughed. “I love you so much.”

it was y/n who took the courage to say something. “eth… do you want my lunch? i know you love my sandwiches.” she said, seeing as he hadn’t taken one bite from his food.

ethan finally looked up from his plate and sent her a small smile, “no, thanks y/n/n. i don’t think i’ll be able to digest anything.”

the rest of the group was shocked. the reason why no one spoke to ethan before a match was because his mood hung from a thread, and any unfortunate comment made him snap.

with y/n, he was like a puppy. looked at her with soft eyes and would rather bite his tongue than bark at her.

“you’ll do amazing, eth.” she squeezed his hand.

“the rival team is really good…”

“and so is our team.” she said confidently. “look, you haven’t lost a game all season.”

“yet.” ethan added.

“there’s nothing wrong with losing sometimes. it happens, you’re good, but you’re not robots, okay? what’s important is what you do after that. do you sit and just wallow? or do you go through what you did wrong and try to make it better?”

ethan finally cracked a genuine smile. “have you ever thought about being a coach?”

y/n made a horrified face “god, no. i adore you, but dealing with more than one hockey player? i’d rather be burned alive.”

“fair enough.” he laughed and then he opened his arms to hug her. “thank you, y/n/n. you’re amazing, did you know that?” he said in awe, and her heart stuttered.

the group exchanged glances once again, they all wondered the same thing; when were those two finally going to admit their crush on each other?

“it’s nothing. feel better?” she asked softly.

“much.” ethan squeezed her tighter. “i guess i should head to training. i’ll see you all tonight.”

“and get some rest!” he heard y/n yell behind him as he walked away. he wasn’t able to stop smiling all the way to the field.

ethan’s optimistic and confident self surprised the whole team. usually, he was ripping his hair out before games. today, he spoke encouraging words and acted all smiley.

“okay. i’m just gonna say it, what is wrong with you today?” one of his teammates asked.

“nothing. i just have a good feeling about today.” ethan shrugged.

“does this confidence come from your little talk with y/n today?” chad asked

“she’s just good with words, you know?” he said, not noticing how dreamy his voice sounded. the team exchanged smirks.

“we are always trying to build up your confidence and you just roll your eyes.” his teammate said, completely offended.

“do you have a sweet soft voice, a stunning smile and give incredible hugs?” ethan asked.

his friend scoffed “yes, in fact, i do.” and ethan rolled his eyes. “i do! the only difference is that i’m not the one you’re smitten with.”

“i’m not smitten with y/n!”

“oh please, you have a crush the size of the football field.”

“i don’t!” ethan got defensive.

“landry! there’s a girl asking for you outside. i think her name was y/n” the coach said

ethan squealed and his friend gave him the look. “oh, shut up” the quarterback spat harshly before making his way to the hallway, heart pounding madly.

ethan smiled widely when he saw her standing there wearing his jersey. “hey.”

“hi, eth. sorry if i interrupted your pre-game routine.”

he shook his head, unable to erase his smile “you just made it better.”

y/n put her hands in her pockets and balanced on her feet, nervous. “i wanted to see how you were doing. you seemed extra stressed today.”

his heart melted. “i’m okay now. talking to you really helped me.”

“i’m glad i helped. and everything i said, i really meant it. you’re amazing, in and out of the field. we all trust you, no matter the outcome. that’s why we chose you as our friend, and why the coach named you captain. you need to trust yourself as much as we all trust you.”

“well, if my personal cheerleader has so much faith in me i should too.” he joked.

y/n laughed. “okay, i see you’re doing good so i should go back with the rest.”

“thank you for checking on me. i appreciate that.” he said softly, pulling her into a hug.

“good luck, eth.” she said, and without thinking, she pressed her lips against his cheek for a kiss.

both of them took a step back from each other, completely taken aback by the action. blood rushed into their cheeks, turning them scarlet.

“you missed.” ethan blurted out. y/n’s eyes widened a bit, before she started laughing. “and you’re laughing at me. great.”

“i’m sorry.“ she said, once her laughter subsided. “let me try again.”

and then their lips moulded together in an awaited kiss. “mm i think i can miss this game.” he said between kisses.

“i’m sure the coach can let you miss a game for a make out session.” she said sarcastically

“well, winning you is like winning the super bowl. he might get it.” he smirked.

“flirt.” y/n pecked his lips. “i’ll see you after the game. wanna chill at my house?”

“ethan landry if you don’t start paying attention-“ her poor attempt at pretending to be intimidating made him smile, she was so adorable.

“too much aristotle for today, let’s talk about something else.” ethan gave her his most charming smile.

“since i started tutoring you two months ago you’ve said that exact same sentence…” y/n made a deep thinking expression. “every. single. session.”

“and you oblige…” he copied her expression. “every single session”

“maybe you need a tutor with a firmer hand.” she joked.

“hey, if you want to punish me for being a bad student, i’m all for it.” he smirked mischievously

“if you want it, then it’s not a punishment. also, is that a kink of yours?” y/n smirked.

ethan gasped, and covered his mouth in an overdramatic way. “what a scandalous question! where’s the shy girl that walked into this very library two months ago?!”

y/n rolled her eyes and a small laugh escaped her mouth. “you’ve corrupted me.”

“let’s drive the conversation somewhere else. too many dirty jokes are going through my mind right now.” he shook his head. “let’s talk about tomorrow’s game.”

she cocked an eyebrow “what about it?”

“well, are you going alone or…?” he asked as if it were obvious

y/n laughed. “i’m not going with anyone.”

ethan tried his best to hide how relieved he was by that. “okay, cool. i can ask my sister to save a seat for you.”

“sorry, let me rephrase my sentence. i’m not going, period.” she said again.

ethan looked both betrayed and appalled as he exclaimed “but it’s a very important game!”

“eth, i adore you but i truly don’t care about football.”

butterflies fluttered all over his stomach at her words and his heart did cartwheels on his chest. “please come to my game, y/n/n.” his big brown eyes were pleading and she was left defenseless.

puppy brown eyes were the strongest weapon ever created, and when they came with a face like ethan’s, there was no other option but to surrender.

“ugh, fine! i’ll go.” y/n groaned and ethan started cheering loudly, causing the librarian to shush him.

“sorry, ma’am. she just gave me the best news ever and i got excited, i’ll stay quiet now. i’m sorry to disturb you.”

the librarian’s angry expression turned soft and gave the football player a ‘don’t worry’ smile. well, at least y/n wasn’t the only victim of his dangerous charm.

the worst thing was that he didn’t even do it on purpose, he just naturally exuded sweetness and you could tell he didn’t held a single malicious bone in his body.

y/n’s feelings towards him were so intense and overwhelming she didn’t know what to do with them. especially with the big question hanging over in the air—after she was done tutoring him, will he still acknowledge her?

“in all seriousness,” ethan started as they exited the library and made their way to his car “you don’t have to come to the game. i mean, i want you there but not at the expense of your comfort.”

god, he made her swoon. he was the sweetest guy she had ever met. y/n felt like she was back in high school, experimenting her first crush. “i’ll be there, i swear.”

“scout’s honor?”

“scout’s honor.” she affirmed.

he smiled, satisfied. “need a ride home?” he twirled the keys on his finger, and y/n didn’t know why, but she found it insanely sexy.

“no, thanks. i feel like walking.” she smiled. “see you tomorrow. break a leg.”

“leave my legs in peace, please. i kinda need them for the match” he said, making her laugh. heat spread through his body at the sound, ethan was so gone for her. “see you tomorrow.”

and in an act of bravery, he crouched down and pressed a soft kiss on her cheek. both teenagers went home smiling as if they had won the lottery.

y/n’s hands trembled as she followed the mass of people wearing blackmore’s football jersey. her reflects were quick enough to grab a seat near the field, and soon enough the benches were full.

she looked around the open space, seeing people talking animatedly with each other and socializing while she sat there alone, with her sweaty hands rubbing against the fabric of her emerald green jeans. she felt out of place, and the scene made her realize just how lonely she was. so immersed in getting good grades, she’d forgotten to… live. to truly let herself enjoy college in all aspects.

the only friend she had made so far was because of tutoring. if it hadn’t been because ethan was awful at literature, she would be friendless. so she sucked it up and locked away the urge to go back home. ethan wanted her there, and she didn’t want to disappoint her only friend. if this was important to him, then the bench was were she needed to be at the moment.

a hand on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts, and when she turned her head to the side, a bit startled, finding two green eyes and bright orange hair.

“sorry! didn’t mean to scare you. y/n, right?” the gorgeous red-head asked.

shooting her eyebrows up in surprise, y/n nodded. “yes… do we know each other?”

“yes, well, no. we’ve never met, but my brother talks about you non-stop.” she smiled sweetly. “i’m quinn.”

ethan’s sister, her brain screamed, and she tried to keep her cool “oh, hi. nice to meet you.”

“ethan said, well, more like hoped, you were coming. he mentioned this was not your scene, so we saved you a seat with us so you wouldn’t be alone.”

y/n blushed and her heart melted at the thoughtfulness. she didn’t know who quinn meant by ‘we’, but she was grateful nonetheless.

ethan’s friends greeted her like she was one of their own, and they mentioned countless times how ethan would talk their ears off about her.

“there’s ethan!” tara told her, pointing at the tall man with the number 13 on his back.

ethan was always beautiful, but when he was in his element the word ‘beautiful’ felt short. she couldn’t find the words to explain just how mesmerizing ethan was in his football gear and with a cheshire cat smile on his tailored face.

the people in the stands cheered for the quarterback, and y/n joined in once the shyness faded away. then ethan caught her eye, and if he was glowing before that, now his joy was blinding.

he jogged towards her, wanting to talk to her before the game started. her heart beating faster and faster with every step he made. and when ethan reached her, they both stared at each other with love sick smiles and cheek pinks accentuated by the twinkling lights.

“you came.” he said in a mix of relief and gratefulness

“of course i did, you wanted me here, didn’t you?”

“more than anything else.” he replied sweetly. but then the coach started to yell at him to get back to the field. “sorry, gotta go. but thank you for coming, i’ll see you at the after party”

he ran back to his teammates, who greeted him with whistles and playful shoves which made ethan turn ever redder. but he didn’t care about his friends’ teasing, he was on cloud nine and he was determined to make this game the best he’s ever played. for y/n.

the stands of blackmore university erupted in cheers the second the board indicated the end of the final game of the season. the team lifted the star player of the game over their heads as they screamed in victory.

once his feet hit the floor again, ethan turned his head towards his people, to find them hugging each other enthusiastically. even y/n was embraced by his friends and that filled his heart with happiness.

“let’s go, captain. we gotta shower, then you can meet your girl.”

my girl, he replayed those words in his head. yes, that sounded just right, and he only hoped y/n agreed.

it was a little over an hour later when the team finally arrived at the party, greeted with applauses and pats on the back. the quarterback’s brown eyes scanned the crowded room, wanting to find the person he had been longing for two months exactly. he was going to do it. tonight, he was pouring his heart out.

“woah!” the boy exclaimed at the same time a familiar voice said “sorry”. they both smiled instantly when they realized they’d bumped into each other. “hi!” they said, and then laughed.

“you were amazing, ethan! my heart suffered a lot every time you were tackled, but it was quite a match.”

“thanks, y/n. i’m really happy you were there, wasn’t sure you’d show up.”

“you know i could never say no to you, ethan.” she said softly

ethan flushed and felt the courage rushing through his veins “y/n i’ve been meaning to tell you… i know we only met two months ago but-“

“ethan! the man of the hour. great game, bro!” one of his classmates interrupted, and just like that the moment was lost.

“thanks, bro.” ethan forced a smile. then took a quick look at y/n, who was standing awkwardly. “if you excuse me, we’re going to get some fresh air.” the classmate nodded and left, leaving the two of them alone again. but the courage had vanished as well as the little speech ethan had in mind. “i’m sorry about that.”

“hey, no. i get it.” she seemed sincere so ethan relaxed a bit. “what were you saying?” she asked

ethan shook his head. “i don’t want to get interrupted again, let’s go outside.”

but just when they thought they could sneak out, one of his teammates caught sight of him and yelled his name, causing the attention to fall on them.

ethan sighed in frustration, but dragged his feet towards the circle of people nonetheless, he was too good to say no. maybe that was one of his flaws.

"join us, landry" chad said

ethan and y/n sat and the boy shoot her an apologetic smile. in response, she sneakily placed her hand above his and squeezed in reasurance. "what were you doing?" ethan asked the group

"marry, kiss or kill." one of the cheerleaders answered. y/n definitely didn't like the way she smiled all flirty at ethan. "lucy, your tutor and me."

wow, dignity left the chat, y/n thought as a wave of embarrassment rushed through her body.

"where are we? in high school?" ethan rolled his eyes. "i'm not answering."

"come on, it's just a game" the blond insisted

"let's play something else" chad intervened, trying to save his friend.

"guess he didn't want to hurt his tutor's feelings" one of the cheerleaders said not to discreetly, and her friends giggled.

now y/n remembered why this wasn't her scene.

"let's play spin the bottle!" she heard tara said, but y/n was trying really hard not to show how the words had hurt. was it so crazy to think ethan could see her as more than his tutor or friend?

on the other hand, ethan was not going to let those girls humiliate y/n. besides, he wasn't ashamed to show how down bad he was for her. "you guys play, y/n and i are going outside. we have some things to talk about." ethan said with a suggestive smirk and chad whistled, making y/n's cheeks turn a deep shade of pink. she couldn't lie and say the glares she didn't feel satisfied at the glares the cheerleader threw her when ethan entwined their fingers.

"fucking finally" he said contently, sitting in a hammock. "been wanting to get you alone since i saw you standing in that bench."

she pressed her lips together, trying not to smile too wide "well, i was enjoying the view there."

"oh, yeah? what view?"

"football players in their uniforms"

ethan frown in displeasure "players? the 's' should be left out"

"it wouldn't be grammatically correct then." she teased

"hmm" he clenched his jaw

y/n laughed "i'm just messing with you, idiot." then took a deep breath before admitting, "i only have eyes for you, ever since i walked into that library two months ago, there's only been you."

he smiled like the love sick puppy y/n had turned him into and leaned down until the tip of their noses brushed. "i have been pretty obvious, but i want to be clear--i'm crazy about you. knew i wanted you since the very first day. be my girlfriend, y/n/n."

her eyes shone like fireworks. "yes, yes, yes."

"woah, okay, someone's eager." ethan teased her

"shut the fuck up."

"this is the part where i say 'make me', right? and then you kiss the fuck out of me."

"god, you're insufferable. you're lucky i like you so damn much."

"i like you, too. please put me out of my misery and kiss me." he pouted adorably.

"first you gotta answer the question"

"what?" he asked confused

"are you going to marry, kiss or kill me, landry?" she smiled

after long, exhausting hours of driving, y/n arrived to the minuscule town where she was going to hide for undefined amount of time. according to her publicist, disappearing from the public eye was the best choice, primarily for her mental health.

the two grammy award winner fell victim to the manipulation of another famous singer who, using his power as a big figure in the industry, twisted a story and went as far as editing conversations and calls to paint y/n as a villain.

and it had worked like a charm. at the moment, y/n’s name was trend on every platform and the hateful comments outlawed the positive ones, that were practically non-existent. people who already disliked her took the situation as an opportunity to unleash their hatred and some of their fans even turned their backs on her.

the castle y/n had built crumbled overnight, and so she decided to hide in the town her grandparents grew up in and try to pretend she was a normal person and her career and future weren’t slipping through her fingers like sand.

y/n stood right next to the car as her eyes inspected the house from outside. the flowers on the front garden were very much alive, the grass was perfectly cut, the windows were practically glowing. there was no aspect of the house that indicated it had been uninhabited for the last five years, and it sent y/n in a spiral because why was the place in such good conditions?

“y/n?” a boyish voice pulled her out of thoughts.

the girl went stiff and adjusted her sunglasses. “um, no?” she turned around to find a boy her age and a brown and white horse by his side.

amusement filled his eyes. “you are not sure if you’re y/n?” he asked, evidently trying to hold his laugh. “what’s with the big glasses and the bandeau?”

the pop-star instinctively ran her hand over the silk cloth. “i’m undercover.”

“in a vuitton bandeau and driving a benz? hate to break it to you, but that’s not how you go undercover. does your team hate you or something?”

“wouldn’t be surprised.” she muttered under her breath. “anyways, how do you know my name, smartass?”

“i’m ethan landry, nice to meet you.” he extended his hand for a shake and his calloused fingers met hers. to his surprise, they were calloused as well, and then he remembered that y/n played way too many instruments so it made sense. “my parents are friends of yours, they asked me to check if you’d arrived safely and to help you settle.”

“oh, that’s nice of you. thank you.” y/n smiled gently.

“no problem at all. at your service, ma’am.” he jokingly tipped his cowboy hat.

y/n laughed. “nice hat, want to exchange?”

ethan scoffed. “get that overpriced thing away from me, i’d rather stay true to my roots.”

“whatever, cowboy. are you going to introduce me to this gorgeous creature?” she eyed the horse with soft eyes.

“i already told you, my name’s ethan.” he winked, making her roll her eyes. but the boy was charming, there was not denying that. “this is my horse, pegasus, and his favourite song of yours is white horse.”

her shoulders shook with laughter and ethan’s heart skipped a beat. that sound was as angelic as her voice. but he quickly locked those thoughts away, he could not go there. she was not only here for a short period of time, she was also beyond untouchable.

“hi, pegasus. aren’t you the cutest horse ever? yes, you are.” she baby-talked the gigantic animal while petting him. “i love your name.” the horse made a sound and the next thing she knew, he licked the side of her face. “aww! it’s nice to meet you too. you’re as charming as your owner, huh?”

“thanks for the compliment but i’m not going to lick your face.” ethan joked, but he was screaming from the inside.

y/n sighed, feigning disappointment. “well, i tried.”

they got to know each other a bit more as ethan helped her get settled in the house, which he knew like the back of his hand because he was the reason why the house looked good as new. her parents payed him to clean the house and take care of the garden.

“well, i’ll leave you to start getting familiar with your new home for the time being. i wrote down my number and sticked it to the fridge. you can call me or text me any time, i live five minutes away so it’s no inconvenience for me. don’t hesitate to reach out, okay? whether you need help with something or if you need a friend to talk to.”

a friend. that sounded so nice. her so called friends from the city let go of her hand as soon as the drama unfolded, not giving her a chance to explain. they didn’t even ask what happened, they just disappeared. they discarded her once her reputation went down the drain.

“hey…” he said softly. she met his gaze and the look in her eyes splitter his heart. he lived in a small town and even though he wasn’t on the phone that much, he didn’t live under a rock. ethan knew the reason behind her escapade, and because of his parents’ friendship with y/n’s family, he knew all those things the singer said about her were fabricated and far from real. “the truth will come out. it always does. you’re allowed to feel sad, and angry, and whatever you’re feeling, but don’t let them bring you down.”

“they already did. my career might be over, everyone hates me, the record is thinking about letting me go because i don’t bring them a good image anymore, i have no friends left. they made me ran away from my home, ethan. i can’t even defend myself because they’re so filled of hatred that they won’t hear my side of the story.”

“so you don’t play the part of the victim, even though you are one. you gather all the awful things they’re saying about you and laugh it off. make it your brand. they can’t use it against you if you embrace the hate.” he said all of those things, and he truly believed it. but at the same time, he had the urge to bring him into his arms and secure her from the outside world.

she pressed her lips in a thin line “that sounds great, ethan. but i don’t know if i can do that.”

he nodded in understanding “and that’s normal. the wounds are still raw, but you’ll get there eventually, because you cannot let them win.”

“you’re kinda wise, cowboy.” she finally smiled.

“thank you, super star. maybe in your next album you can mention a hot cowboy who helped you see reason.”

“oh, do you know any hot cowboys? introduce me please.” she teased him.

ethan gritted his teeth. he did not like the image of her with someone else at all. he had met her two hours ago and he was already having possessive thoughts. ethan was definitely not going to survive y/n. he feared she already had him under her spell. after all, her funny comebacks and soft heart were impossible to resist.

“nah. you already have the best combo in town, the hottest, most charming cowboy—me—, and his sweet sidekick—pegasus.”

y/n shook her head in amusement “you’re so full of yourself.” but she couldn’t deny that she agreed with him.

“more like aware of myself.”

“i don’t know how that hat fits in that big head of yours.”

“it’s custom made, darling.” he winked.

“and pretty ugly, too. here, let me help.” she took off her bandeau and wrapped it around his hat. “now you’re a fancy cowboy.”

“i’m going to be the town’s biggest disappointment.” yet, he didn’t take it off. “i really have to go, but let’s do something tomorrow, okay? maybe i can show you around town.”

she smiled like the cheshire cat. “can i ride a horse?”

“sure, we can borrow my sisters’”

“yay! can’t wait. see you tomorrow, ethan.”

“it’s fancy cowboy for you, super star.” he winked and then left the house.

as she watched both pegasus and ethan disappear from her sight, she realized it had been months since the last time she had smiled so genuinely. and even though she had been in this town for a couple of hours, she already decided it was the best decision she could’ve made.

as soon as ethan caught sight of y/n standing in the porch, he smiled like a little kid. she was adorable, with a basket in hand, short overalls and cowboy boots and excitement lighting up her face.

“dressed for the occasion, i see.” ethan said.

“like it?” she asked, doing a little turn.

“you look gorgeous, y/n.” he answered softly making the singer blush. “though, there’s something missing to complete the outfit.” her curious eyes met his, and he simply smiled as he took a cowboy hat from his bag. he put it on y/n’s head and hummed in content. “now we’re talking.”

“i love it! thank you so much!” y/n didn’t even think before jumping and throwing her arms around his slim waist.

“you’re very welcome.” he murmured, hugging her back. her figure felt so perfect against his, like puzzle pieces. “what’s on the basket?”

“i made cupcakes, a cheesecake and sandwiches. i was thinking we could stop to have a little picnic.”

“that sounds very nice. i know a spot by the lake.“

y/n admired her surroundings. the sun reflecting on the lake, the green grass, the quietness, the tall trees, the animals living so freely. she felt so at ease, not needing to be in high alert for invasive paparazzis or overstepping fans.

“a penny for your thoughts?” ethan asked, curious about what thoughts had her smiling so big.

“it feels so good not being under scrutiny. no hunters with cellphones at sight, i feel so fucking light.”

“you don’t miss the city?” he asked curiously.

“not even a bit.” she answered truthfully. “when the drama began, i realized i have nothing there.“

“what about your friends? boyfriend? girlfriend?”

“no boyfriend or girlfriend.” thank god, ethan screamed internally. “and all my supposed friends turned into smoke. being friends with a liar is not good for their image, and that’s the whole reason why they hung out with me i now realize.”

“fuckers.” he spat angrily. “when your next album breaks all the records they’re going to came back with their tails between their legs and you’re going to laugh at their faces.”

how could someone she had met less than a day ago make her feel so much? “you’re setting the bar too high for my next album. what if it ends up sucking and you have to eat your words?”

he shrugged “easy, you just have to work your ass off so my ego isn’t hurt by not being right.”

“working hard is the way of making a good album? damn, i would’ve never thought of doing that!” they exclaimed sarcastically.

“lucky you met me, then.”

jokes aside, y/n really was lucky. the soft spot on her heart was slowly becoming reserved for him. feelings were already blooming and there’s nothing she could do to stop it.

she really liked how funny he was and god, she was part of hollywood yet she had never encountered someone more breathtakingly beautiful than ethan landry. but the way he constantly made her believe that she could truly get her reputation back? the way he truly had faith in her? that’s what made her certain he was the best of the best.

“would you…” he started the question, then hesitated. y/n raised her eyebrows, urging him to keep going. “would you consider leaving the city to move here?”

“right now? i would say yes, i’d really consider it. but that’s because in l.a everyone is going to shove a camera in my face and ask questions and i wouldn’t be able to go out without hate being thrown at me.”

ethan nodded. “yeah, that makes sense.”

“i guess time will tell.”

“maybe i’ll have to make sure to give you endless reason to stay.”

she had a feeling it wouldn’t take too much work. besides, him living there was enough reason to make her stay.

six months had gone by. everyone wondered where y/n was, if she was going to drop new music, if she was going to show her face, activate her social media again, if she was going to address the drama and explain her side of the story in detail. everyone speculated that she was drowning in her own misery—which they agreed she deserved for being a liar and manipulator—, they had no idea she was going better than she ever had. or that she had just finished writing her comeback album.

“this is amazing, y/n.” ethan said when he finished reading one of the songs. “everyone’s going to love it.”

they were currently sitting in y/n’s living room, just right by the fireplace. they had brought down her mattress and made a fort with the covers and pillows. ethan had begged her to show some of the songs, and she accepted. she was not showing him the ones she had written about him, though.

“i don’t know about that.” she shook her head. “anyways, i’m not doing it to be liked again. i guess the only reason i’m dropping this album is because i don’t want to keep my side of the story to myself. if i want to close this chapter of my life, everything needs to be let out. and i also want my remaining fans to know.”

“you don’t want your career back? you deserve it. you’ve worked so hard to get the spot you had before that jealous prick ruined it.” ethan spat with hatred. honestly, at this point he was more angered by the whole thing than her. it made her heart melt, the way he cared about her.

“i do want my career back, but i don’t want it to be the center of my world anymore. i’ve found other things that brings me joy, too. i don’t want to let go of them.”

ethan pushed himself up on one elbow and looked down at her. “and… what are those things?” he asked hope invading his chest.

“picnics next to the lake, taking care of farm animals, riding horses while watching the sunset, just… enjoying my life with no pressure.“ she spoke, then shoot her gaze up, meeting his. “but mostly, i enjoy doing those things with you. having you in this house, making dinner with you, baking, making forts, dancing around the kitchen… you make me want to leave my old life behind.”

ethan smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “there’s nothing i’d love more than for you to stay here with me, but i’d never ask you to give your career up.”

“i know. i know you wouldn’t, and that’s why i like you so much. you’ve been supportive since the beginning. you’re the main reason this album is going to exist. not only because you were my muse, but also because you gave me the strength to want to get my career back.”

“y-your muse? what are you talking about?”

“i only showed you two songs, the album is going to have around sixteen songs. those i showed you are about the drama, but… the concept is going to be about how finding love got me through the drama.”

“finding love? you…?” he would’ve been embarrassed of his high pitched voice if he weren’t so shocked by her choice of word.

she nodded softly, and eyed him hesitantly, trying to figure out if she’d read the signs wrong. next thing y/n knew was ethan rolling on top of her and his soft lips pressing against hers. “i love you. i love you. i love you.”

“i love you, too.” she kissed him back. “eth?” he hummed. “what do you think about the basement?” she asked, making him blink in confusion.

“the basement?”

“yeah, do you think it would be a cool place to build my little recording room?”

his jaw fell open. “what are you saying?”

she traces his face features with her fingertips “i’m saying that i’m moving here. and there’s no way i’m driving to L.A everyday to record the album, i would get too tired and i’d miss you too much.”

“we could move to your apartment until you finish.” he suggested.

“you would move to the city for me?” she asked, getting a bit emotional.

his eyes sparkled. “i would do anything for you.”

“you’re so fucking sweet, but you don’t need to move. i really want to move here, for good. i would probably have to drive a few times a month for important meetings or for interviews, but this is my home. both you and this town.”

he had no words, he simply kissed her softly and then hid his warm face on the crook of her neck. after a long, peaceful silence, he finally asked. “can i read those love songs?”

y/n smiled. “why don’t i play them for you?”

“this is the best day of my fucking life. don’t move, i’ll get your guitar.” he quickly got off her and ran up the stairs like an over-excited puppy.

y/n’s legs bounced nervously as she watched the team fighting to gain possession of the puck and failing miserably because the rivals managed to score once again, leaving them 2-1.

“fuck!” she cursed when the intermission started. “i’m going to throw up, i swear”

“calm down, they can still turn it around.” tara tried to be positive, despite being nervous for chad, her boyfriend.

“i just want eth to win this goddamn championship. doing it in his rookie year would be amazing.”

“an ethan fan? he’s great. he played a huge part on the team making it to the playoffs, so his rookie year will still be amazing no matter what.” the guy that sat beside her said.

y/n turned to face him, a proud smile on her face. “i’m his biggest fan actually.” she said, which was true. she was, always had and always will be her best friend’s number one fan. “and you’re right, his rookie year is one of the best. still want him to get the stanley cup tho.”

“you and me both. but your friend is right, we still have 30 minutes to turn it around.”

“keeping my fingers crossed.” she showed him her crossed fingers and he did the same.

“okay, i just gotta say it. do i know you? you seem really familiar but i can’t put my finger on it.”

y/n blushed under his scrutiny. “um, i’m y/n. ethan’s childhood best friend.”

“oh! that’s where i know you from. his instagram. my boyfriend is always stalking his social media, he’s got a big fat crush.” they both chuckled. “it’s nice to meet you.”

“you too!”

ethan, who was watching the scene from a couple of feet away, clenched his jaw. his urge to call security to ask them to not-so-gently scort the stranger—who was shamelessly flirting with his girl—outside was almost uncontrollable.

“you need to calm down.” chad said. “they’re just talking.”

“they’re laughing, chad. he’s making her laugh at my game.” ethan growled.

“okay. you’re actually growling, you’ve gone ins- oh dear god.” chad’s panicked voice made him unglue his eyes from the stands. his friend was looking up at something, and ethan raised his head to see what made him act that way.

there, on the screen of the arena, were the shocked faces of y/n and the stranger. the letters on top read ‘kiss cam’.

“um, how do we get out of this?” y/n asked.

he took a deep breath “we can just say no, right? it’s not like they’re going to force us.”

y/n nodded which ethan completely mistook it for her giving consent, and he just saw red. before chad could stop him, he skated towards the stans and hit the glass that separated the seats and the rink with force, startling his best friend and the guy, who were both sitting in the first row.

“um, hi?” y/n asked, confused by ethan’s pissed off face.

“don’t you fucking kiss him.” he said with a frown on his face and glaring at the guy, who quickly raised his hands and yelled “i have a boyfriend!” with a voice so terrified and high that y/n had to bite her lip to not laugh.

the hockey player’s demeanour changed from angry to embarassed “oh… i saw you talk… and you nodded- i thought—“

“—that i was going to kiss him in front of the whole arena.” she finished his sentence. “yeah, i got that. what’s got you so furious, though? you almost scared my new friend to death.”

“well, i- i wasn’t sure you’d be okay kissing a stranger.” he chuckled nervously.

“you thought i was consenting when i nodded, so try again. why were you so pissed, landry? no bullshit.” y/n crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“because i don’t want you kissing someone else.” he admitted, not daring to look her in the eye.

her face softened. “well, i don’t want to kiss anyone but you, so…” she confessed in return.

warmth spread through his cheeks and the nervousness faded when he met her smiling face. “please stand in that fucking chair so i can do what i’ve been wanting for a long long time.”

her body bent over the pixie glass and ethan didn’t have to rise his head too much to meet her lips. the crowd’s cheers were drown by the thundering of their own hearts. y/n’s hands were shaking as she caressed his cheeks once they had to pull apart because of the awkward position.

“now, rookie, you gotta turn this game around, okay?” she kissed his nose before climbing off the seat. “i have faith in you.”

“i’m not stopping until i lift that stanley cup.” he did the soldier motion with his hand, making her laugh. “to have the girl and the cup sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?”

“okay, lover boy, that was quite a half time show.” chad arrived to his side. he looked at the boy sitting next to y/n and frowned. “jesus, you look kinda pale.”

“for a moment i saw my life flashing before my eyes. i thought he was going to kill me.” he answered, stumbling over some words.

“eth? he’s only tough on the ice. outside? he’s a huge teddy bear.” y/n smiled lovingly at her now boyfriend.

the hockey player let out a dramatic gasp “shh, babe. my reputation!”

y/n rolled her eyes. “you’re a dork.”

“but i’m your dork.”

the girl gaged. “get out of my sight.” she waved with her hand, acting disgusted by his cheesiness.

“i love you, too.” he winked before skating away.

today marked twelve months of wondering why—why, of all people, did they have to fall for each other? it marked a whole year of torture for y/n and ethan, a year of having to lock their longing down in a vault everyday, every hour of the day. being forced to have the person you yearn for constantly close to you when you couldn’t have them had to be the cruelest way of living.

it was on days like this, when their parents left them completely alone in the house, that things got heavy. without the two living reminders of why they couldn’t be out of the picture, lines got blurry for the step-siblings.

the two of them were sitting by the coffee table doing their assignments when y/n let out a frustrated groan. “what’s wrong, grumpy?” ethan asked.

“i’m stuck at this equation.”

“let me see.” he slid closer to her and looked down at the notebook over her shoulder. the smell of coconut invaded his senses and he put all of his strength into stopping himself from burying his nose in the crook of her neck and press his lips against her soft skin. she was so irresistible, everything about her made him weak in the knees. “here, you forgot to pass the number to negative.”

“oh… right. sorry. it completely went over my head.” she let out a nervous chuckle. the feeling of his hot breath against the back of her ear made her senses go so wild she felt like her body was shutting down.

“it’s okay, i think you’re just stressed.” ethan said moving back to his place, and y/n was allowed to breathe again.

“yeah, my head feels like exploding” y/n said. now that ethan was fully facing her, he took notice of her flushed cheeks. was it because of him? he shouldn’t hope so, but he really did. “should we make dinner?”

no, ethan almost said. he just wanted to drag her into his lap and kiss the fuck out of her gorgeous face. but unless the gods hear his prayers and their parents broke up, ethan was going to have to settle for recalling in his head things they never did.

having visions about his step-sister wasn’t exactly right, but someone once said: there’s no such thing as bad thoughts, only your actions talk. so, without ever touching her skin, how could he be guilty as sin?

“what are you in the mood for?” y/n asked as they walked to the kitchen.

“pasta?” he suggested.

“yes.” she did a little bounce. “i love your salsa.”

they danced around the kitchen with meticulous steps, making sure they didn’t bump into the other. even one brush could be dangerous when no one was around and they knew it.

“here, try it.” ethan raised a spoon with a bit of salsa. y/n moaned in delight at the taste and ethan’s grip on the spoon tightened. the night barely started and control was already slipping through his fingers. “jesus christ.”

y/n’s eyes met his lust-filled ones and her heart felt like collapsing. “ethan…” her tone was almost begging.

“we should eat in our rooms. separately.” the words rushed out of his mouth as he took a step back. her disappointing eyes pierced his heart, but they just couldn’t. one kiss would never be enough, and doing it regularly was a risk. who knows what their parents would do if they found out, and ethan would rather be miserable with her around than miserable without her.

with one quick nod, y/n served the plates completely defeated. it killed ethan to reject her, but he knew it was the right thing. or so he thought, because once he was alone in the four walls of his bedroom, the what ifs started invading his mind and a pint of regret swarm through his chest.

after an hour of overthinking, he decided they needed to talk. cards needed to be put on the table, and then they could figure out how to go on—which option should they choose, keep on ignoring their feelings or risk everything by not holding back anymore.

ethan was about to knock but his fist froze mid-air when he heard her laboured breaths and then the sound of his name being screamed. on the other side of the door, y/n woke up with her sheets ablaze and sweaty skin.

she’s had fantasies about her and ethan, but none like that one. it all had been innocent, she never dared to cross that line but tonight the tension had been so intense between the two, her brain absorbed it and painted it into a dangerous dream which made her feel guilty and sinful.

“i need to shower.” she muttered, feeling disgusted by herself. but when she opened the door of her room, she crashed into the object of her fatal fantasies. “ethan?” she squealed. “what are you doing here? h-how long—?” but he couldn’t utter a word, and that was her answer. “shit. i’m so sorry, ethan. i’m just- i’m gonna hide in my room for the rest of eternity.”

she turned around and entered her room again, but before she could scold herself for the awkwardness she had caused, the door flew open. suddenly, her front was pressed against a hard chest and full lips collided with hers.

like reflect, her fingers tangled around the soft brunet locks and ethan hummed in content. the kiss started harsh and needy, but soon turned into a sweeter one.

“you’re like a paradox, you know that?” she whispered in a breath. ethan made a questioning sound. “one moment you’re escaping me and then you come to my room and cross the line you’ve been trying so hard to draw.”

ethan grabbed her hand and guided her to the bed. y/n snuggled his side as ethan rubbed her arm affectionately. “i was stupid to think we could keep ignoring the pull between us. today was…”

“definitely intense.” she finished and he agreed. “how do we go on?”

“i want you to be my girlfriend, but we will have to be careful for a while.” ethan said. “we won’t be able to keep it a secret for too long.”

“they’re going to kill us.” y/n sighed, tracing the shape of his lips with her fingertips.

“but what a way to die.” he pressed a kiss on her hand “we’re going to be like romeo and juliet.”

y/n held back a grin “romeo and juliet weren’t killed, they committed suicide.”

“whatever, smartass.” he pinched her side. “for real though. we won’t be able to hide this forever, not if we want a long term relationship. we’ll have to tell them and they’ll probably be furious. are you sure you’re in?”

“i’m all in, ethan. i choose you and me, forever.” she assured him.

“forever sounds amazing.” ethan looked down at her with lovesick eyes.

they stayed in silence for a while, enjoying each other’s warmth. ethan’s fingers were moving against her skin, making her feel relaxed. after a few seconds, she realized he was drawing an specific pattern, and a wide smile broke into her face—ethan was writing ‘mine’ in her upper thigh.

“you’re so sweet you’re going to make my heart explode.” she hugged him tightly, hiding her warm cheeks in his chest.

“hey, now that i have you, i’m not holding back. i’m going to be so sweet to you it’s going to disgust you eventually.”

“i’m a sucker for sweet gestures so bring it on.”

ethan could feel the tension as soon as the two siblings entered the kitchen. y/n’s jaw was clenched while chad had an unapologetic and calm attitude, so ethan guessed he had said something that angered his sister.

“what did you do, chad?” the tall boy sighed, looking at his roommate.

“nothing, really.” chad shrugged.

and if were possible for humans to spit fire, ethan was sure chad would’ve been turned into ashes by now. “nothing?! you scared my project partner away!”

“well, if he can’t handle a bit of sibling pressure, then he’s not for you.” he said, “besides, i told you, you can’t date anyone right now.”

ethan flinched, but the siblings were so immersed in their argument that they didn’t seem to notice his reaction. not that what chad did was right, but if he had managed to drive y/n’s date away, ethan was glad. the less competence, the better. well, if he could even qualify as a competitor, and he wasn’t sure he did.

“ethan? what do you think?” chad’s question pulled him out of his thoughts.

y/n rolled her eyes. “leave him out of it, chad. this is an issue between you and me and i’m going to be very clear. i get you’re worried about ghostface, but you can’t control me. besides, i told you he didn’t even choose me as his partner, it was the professor.”

“but he was damn happy about it, because he wants to kill you? kiss you? both? i don’t know but i didn’t like his vibes.”

“oh my god, you’re so ridiculous!” y/n tilted her head towards the ceiling. she could feel the angry tears starting to cloud her vision.

“chad, maybe you should go.” ethan intervened, seeing the girl’s need to get away from him. he guided his friend towards the door. “could you go to tara’s for a few hours? your sister needs space, you’re suffocating her a bit.”

“i just want her to be safe. we can’t trust anyone.”

“i know you’re doing it because you care, but you can’t react like that. she already has being chased by a psycho killer on her plate, don’t add fighting with her family to it, too. be there for her, but not in an overwhelming way.”

chad’s shoulder slumped and he nodded slowly. “yeah, i can see what you mean. it’s just… i can’t lose her.”

“i get that, truly, i do.” i’m scared of something happening to her, too. he added in his head. “but by behaving like that, you’ll only push her away. now, leave her alone for a few hours and then come back to apologize.”

chad put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and squeezed “take care of her, okay? call if something happens.”

“thank you.” ethan heard her voice from behind her as soon as the front door shut closed. “you’re the only one in this group who doesn’t baby me.”

ethan smiled, and brought her into his arms. “well, everyone has a soft spot for you. especially chad, you’re precious to him.”

“i know, but it’s exhausting.” she sighed against his chest. “he’s scared because of the ghostface thing, but he’s always been like that, over-the-top protective. i’m just a year younger, and he treats me like i’m still fifteen.”

“did he scare your date too much?” ethan pursed his lips.

“i’m 100% partner-less.” y/n let out a small laugh. “and he wasn’t my date, i swear. i have no interest in him.”

ethan tried to hide his relief. “but are you? interested in someone?”

y/n tensed. how was she supposed to dive into that subject when the guy she wanted was standing right in front of her? so close yet so out of reach, or so she thought.

“maybe, but he and i can’t happen. well, at least not without causing drama.”

ethan raised and eyebrow. “because of your overprotective brother? he has to get his head out of his ass, eventually.”

“yeah, but… this would really bother him. i think.” she bounced on her feet nervously. he had to understand who she was talking about, right? “like, he would feel betrayed if something happened with this guy.”

“is he on the football team?” of course he was in the football team, ethan thought. i bet he is popular, charming, outgoing. opposite of me.

“what? no. he’d rather be caught dead than near the football field.” she laughed. “he’s not very sporty, but he does go to the gym, occasionally. not something he likes too much.”

“okay, so not one of chad’s friends.” ethan frowned, who could it be? someone from her class?

“actually, he is.” y/n said with a hesitant smile. “and another thing about him is that even though he is one of the smartest guys i’ve ever met, he can be really really dumb sometimes. painfully clueless.”

ethan blinked rapidly. he opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something, but after a second of hesitation he closed it again. y/n got the sense that maybe ethan had understood who she was talking about, but there was a part of him that wasn’t entirely convinced.

maybe he didn’t want to say it aloud and risk being wrong, ending up like a fool, so she took a step closer to him, until only a few inches separated their faces.

“i like you, ethan.” she finally came clear.

and though ethan had the slight feeling it was him, it still shocked him to the core. he didn’t even dream about the possibility of her returning his feelings, because it just seemed highly unlikely even in fantasies. but for some reason, it was truly happening and he could not find his voice to say it back.

“ethan? please say something because i’m about to throw up here.” her confidence had evaporated as soon as the silence became too long. ethan did the only thing that came to mind, and wrapped her in his arms. with his face hiding in her hair, he smiled widely. “um, is this an ‘i don’t feel that way and i don’t know how to tell you’ hug or an ‘i forgot how to speak but i like you too’ hug?”

ethan laughed. “two. definitely option number two. fuck, your hair smells like coconuts and vanilla.”

“stop smelling my fantastic scented hair and say it back, weirdo. i was truly about to vomit.” she grunted against his shoulder.

he took a small step back and grabbed her face between his hands. “y/n meeks martin, i like you, too. so so bad that it took my brain an embarrassing amount of time to comprehend that you actually feel the same as i do.” he pressed his lips against hers in a soft, long kiss. “you drive me crazy, since that very first night you stayed up with me watching horror movies even though you despise them.”

“i’m the black sheep of the family.” his laugh warmed her heart, and she couldn’t help but smile too. “well, i have to admit i don’t mind seeing them with you. i love it when you tell me fun facts about the movie or the references.”

“oh, really? can you repeat that in front of mindy? while i’m present, please.” he asked with a devilishly smirk.

y/n rolled her eyes. “you’re a child. if you are still alive after we tell chad, then yeah, i can repeat it in front of my sister.”

the tall boy’s eyes widened and he paled a little. “oh, boy. i’m too young to die.”

“and too pretty, let’s not obviate that very important fact.” she pecked his lips.

“but truly, do you think he’s going to hate the idea of us?” ethan asked, worried.

y/n caressed his cheeks with her thumbs. “to be honest, i don’t know. he’s very protective, and the water’s kinda rough right now, but he knows you. he knows how kind and sweet you are, so maybe he’ll be glad i’m dating you. you’re literally one of his favorite people.”

“and maybe that’s why he’ll feel betrayed.” he spoke in an anguished tone.

“everything will be okay, eth. even if he’s bothered by it, he’ll get over it. we’re part of the group and i’m his family, he’s going to see us everyday. he’ll get used to it.”

ethan didn’t seem convinced. “do you really think so?”

y/n nodded with determination. “as much as he is overprotective, he also loves me and want me to be happy. and hell, eth, you make me really happy.”

“would you still like me if i started crying like a baby right now?” he asked, emotion taking over his gaze. having the girl he had liked for months telling him he made her happy made him feel like he had touched the sky with his bare hands.

“see? look at you. chad is not going to be able to hate you. you’re just too damn adorable.” y/n kissed his nose.

“i’m not adorable.” he scoffed. “let’s watch a movie.”

y/n let out an exaggerated groan “nooo let’s make out.”

“sold!” he lifted her in his arms and carefully threw her to the couch.

“adorable.” she muttered between long deep kisses.