Two weeks later, I still hadn’t received a full on the mouth kiss from Ethan yet. I could understand wanting to take it slow, but now this was getting kind of ridiculous.
Every evening ended with a soft, lingering touch, then just a peck on the cheek.
I wasn’t complaining though, it felt great to have him by my side again. There were no more worries about whether he was hiding anything, like another secret bet or something. I had to trust him in order for us to move forward.
My family, along with Hope, Ethan’s mom, and grandmother went to the state finals with him for soccer. Even though we were broken up for that time, like for three whole months, I still secretly sneaked to his games and practices. I watched from afar and marveled at his abilities, but I couldn’t let him know that I still cared.
That I still wanted him.
That I still loved him.
But now, I could scream my head off for the man that was running down the
After the state final, mine and Morgan’s official we are back together celebration, our graduation rolled around quick.I couldn’t believe that in less than one hour we would all be high school graduates.Morgan bounced out of her house with her graduation robe flowing out behind her. If she didn’t hurry, we were going to be late commencement.I guess that would have to be partly my fault since I kept her a bit longer in my bed than I should’ve.What could I say? This part of the make-up was good…like really, really good. It felt great to have Morgan at my side day and night.The sound of my horn giving a short honk startled her. She jumped and jogged faster to the car.“I’m coming.” Morgan plopped down in the passenger seat and slammed the door closed.I smiled and looked at the clock. “You said those exact words about an hour ago.” My hand skimmed across her arm and gooseb
I couldn’t believe it had been ten days since we graduated.Ten days since we left it all behind and never looked back. We rode off into the sunset and lived like a king and queen.Okay, not really. We didn’t go anywhere except for a few parties and the special getaway that Ethan had planned for our graduation night. One in which I fell in love with him ten times over.After stopping in at a few get-togethers graduation night, Ethan took me a bed and breakfast a short distance out of town. Without me knowing, he had Clarissa gather up a bag for me so that I would have what I needed for the night and the following day. My sister decided to pack Victoria's Secret negligee, stockings, and stilettos, instead of my usual shorts and t-shirt for nighttime wear.Did I wear them?Hmm, let’s just say they didn’t stay on too long.Anyhow, Ethan had been acting kind of weird the past week. He hasn’t told me anything that wa
An hour later, me and Hope packed up two more boxes in her room. I think we spent more time playing around, dancing to her favorite songs than we did any actual work.I heard a soft knock on the door, and Ethan poked his head in. “I have to get Morgan back home.”Really? I didn’t know I had a curfew. Maybe this was his way of getting rid of me?“Aw, c’mon. We were having fun. I won’t get to see Morgan much longer.” Hope flopped down across her bed. She put on her best pouty face, hoping to get her own way.“You’ll see her tomorrow. Maybe.” Ethan would say anything to put a smile on his sister’s face.“Okay.” Hope bounced back up, put her arm around my waist, and led me back down to the living room.I gave her a quick hug and kiss, a promise to come back tomorrow, then followed Ethan out.The ride back home was…quiet. Like Ethan didn’t even turn
It’s been over a month since Ethan and his family made the big move to Florida. We talk every day and video chat at least three times a week. He sent me pictures of him and Hope at the beach. His hair had gotten longer, and the constant sun exposure brought out all kinds of highlights. With his dark tan, good looks, and perfect body he could be a model for some vacation guide or something. I mean really, once someone would see Ethan on the front cover, they would want to go the Keys that minute.He told me Hope has already made some friends, and that he found a new love. But once he saw my hurt expression, he had to backtrack on what he just told me. He loves trying to surf and is even taking lessons from one of their new neighbors.I told him I’m doing well, but that’s a lie, and he probably knew it. I’m sure he could see and hear the pain every time he talked to me.I couldn’t help it, I just wanted him to come back home, but I kn
“Ethan, it’s almost dinner time,” I called out from the balcony that looked over our own private section of the beach. I was staying at Christine’s house, Ethan’s grandmother. Like she’d said back in Pennsylvania, she had a big house with a bedroom just for me if I wanted anywhere to stay. What I didn’t know at that time was that Ms. Christine was quite wealthy. It seemed she and her late husband had bought up a lot of oceanfront property way back in the day before Key West became a tourist site. Then, as the years progressed she sold off several plots of land to developers but kept some of it for her own personal oasis. Now, she has a six-bedroom house on five acres that looks out into the deep, dark blue ocean. I’d been in Key West with all of them for over six months now. Clarissa came to help me pack the night before my flight left. We’d put almost all of my summer clothes, laptop, and the basic necessities that I would need into two suitcases. I said goodbye to
My hand clenched at my stomach. “I don’t know if I can do this.” I was used to being in crowds, like when I was in debate back in high school and with all the reports and public speaking, I had to do with several of my courses, but this, this was totally different.Clarissa smoothed out my veil and gave me a hug. “You’re going to be fine. Just focus on Ethan and don’t worry about the other five hundred people in the church.” And with that comment, she gave me her best non-convincing smile.Five. Hundred. People. And that was the attendance at the marriage ceremony, that wasn’t including all the others who would show up for the reception. It seemed Ethan’s grandmother knew half the population here in the Keys, and according to her, as we made out our guest list, you can’t leave so-and-so out of the invitations, that would be a recipe for disaster.So, since she was footing most of the expenses,
There was a straight line in the carpeting from me pacing back and forth between the window and the door. The photographer got pulled away by Hope over an hour ago, which meant I would be front and center in less than thirty minutes. I wasn’t worried or even nervous about getting married, I knew Morgan was the one and only, but I was terrified of making a fool out of myself in front of all those in attendance. Sure, I was a cocky, confident ass in high school, but picturing myself becoming a mumbling idiot in front of five hundred people, some of whom I’ve never met, well, that’s got me anxious as fuck.So far over the past year of all of us living in The Keys, life has been more than great, it’s been the best time of my life. College was going well, my mom finally became the woman I knew that was hiding away from us for so long, Ms. Christine was more than I ever expected in a grandmother and kept all of us in line, Hope had friends, was high honors i
August 15It was the last day of summer vacation. The last day that I had to worry about ever going back to the first day of school.Well, that was until I started college, but it would be so different then.I wouldn’t have to worry about the Hawks and the Hawkettes and who they were torturing this year. Not that they’d ever done anything to me in the past, I was invisible to them, and that’s the way I liked it. I stayed under the radar, got done what I needed to get done, then got the hell away from the school.I only participated in the debate club, because, well, that was one place I wouldn’t have to worry about any of the elite ever showing up, the soccer stars of the school and the band of um, what would be the right word to describe them…hoes that followed them around. None of them would ever be caught in such a club, as none of them knew much about anything that didn’t d
There was a straight line in the carpeting from me pacing back and forth between the window and the door. The photographer got pulled away by Hope over an hour ago, which meant I would be front and center in less than thirty minutes. I wasn’t worried or even nervous about getting married, I knew Morgan was the one and only, but I was terrified of making a fool out of myself in front of all those in attendance. Sure, I was a cocky, confident ass in high school, but picturing myself becoming a mumbling idiot in front of five hundred people, some of whom I’ve never met, well, that’s got me anxious as fuck.So far over the past year of all of us living in The Keys, life has been more than great, it’s been the best time of my life. College was going well, my mom finally became the woman I knew that was hiding away from us for so long, Ms. Christine was more than I ever expected in a grandmother and kept all of us in line, Hope had friends, was high honors i
My hand clenched at my stomach. “I don’t know if I can do this.” I was used to being in crowds, like when I was in debate back in high school and with all the reports and public speaking, I had to do with several of my courses, but this, this was totally different.Clarissa smoothed out my veil and gave me a hug. “You’re going to be fine. Just focus on Ethan and don’t worry about the other five hundred people in the church.” And with that comment, she gave me her best non-convincing smile.Five. Hundred. People. And that was the attendance at the marriage ceremony, that wasn’t including all the others who would show up for the reception. It seemed Ethan’s grandmother knew half the population here in the Keys, and according to her, as we made out our guest list, you can’t leave so-and-so out of the invitations, that would be a recipe for disaster.So, since she was footing most of the expenses,
“Ethan, it’s almost dinner time,” I called out from the balcony that looked over our own private section of the beach. I was staying at Christine’s house, Ethan’s grandmother. Like she’d said back in Pennsylvania, she had a big house with a bedroom just for me if I wanted anywhere to stay. What I didn’t know at that time was that Ms. Christine was quite wealthy. It seemed she and her late husband had bought up a lot of oceanfront property way back in the day before Key West became a tourist site. Then, as the years progressed she sold off several plots of land to developers but kept some of it for her own personal oasis. Now, she has a six-bedroom house on five acres that looks out into the deep, dark blue ocean. I’d been in Key West with all of them for over six months now. Clarissa came to help me pack the night before my flight left. We’d put almost all of my summer clothes, laptop, and the basic necessities that I would need into two suitcases. I said goodbye to
It’s been over a month since Ethan and his family made the big move to Florida. We talk every day and video chat at least three times a week. He sent me pictures of him and Hope at the beach. His hair had gotten longer, and the constant sun exposure brought out all kinds of highlights. With his dark tan, good looks, and perfect body he could be a model for some vacation guide or something. I mean really, once someone would see Ethan on the front cover, they would want to go the Keys that minute.He told me Hope has already made some friends, and that he found a new love. But once he saw my hurt expression, he had to backtrack on what he just told me. He loves trying to surf and is even taking lessons from one of their new neighbors.I told him I’m doing well, but that’s a lie, and he probably knew it. I’m sure he could see and hear the pain every time he talked to me.I couldn’t help it, I just wanted him to come back home, but I kn
An hour later, me and Hope packed up two more boxes in her room. I think we spent more time playing around, dancing to her favorite songs than we did any actual work.I heard a soft knock on the door, and Ethan poked his head in. “I have to get Morgan back home.”Really? I didn’t know I had a curfew. Maybe this was his way of getting rid of me?“Aw, c’mon. We were having fun. I won’t get to see Morgan much longer.” Hope flopped down across her bed. She put on her best pouty face, hoping to get her own way.“You’ll see her tomorrow. Maybe.” Ethan would say anything to put a smile on his sister’s face.“Okay.” Hope bounced back up, put her arm around my waist, and led me back down to the living room.I gave her a quick hug and kiss, a promise to come back tomorrow, then followed Ethan out.The ride back home was…quiet. Like Ethan didn’t even turn
I couldn’t believe it had been ten days since we graduated.Ten days since we left it all behind and never looked back. We rode off into the sunset and lived like a king and queen.Okay, not really. We didn’t go anywhere except for a few parties and the special getaway that Ethan had planned for our graduation night. One in which I fell in love with him ten times over.After stopping in at a few get-togethers graduation night, Ethan took me a bed and breakfast a short distance out of town. Without me knowing, he had Clarissa gather up a bag for me so that I would have what I needed for the night and the following day. My sister decided to pack Victoria's Secret negligee, stockings, and stilettos, instead of my usual shorts and t-shirt for nighttime wear.Did I wear them?Hmm, let’s just say they didn’t stay on too long.Anyhow, Ethan had been acting kind of weird the past week. He hasn’t told me anything that wa
After the state final, mine and Morgan’s official we are back together celebration, our graduation rolled around quick.I couldn’t believe that in less than one hour we would all be high school graduates.Morgan bounced out of her house with her graduation robe flowing out behind her. If she didn’t hurry, we were going to be late commencement.I guess that would have to be partly my fault since I kept her a bit longer in my bed than I should’ve.What could I say? This part of the make-up was good…like really, really good. It felt great to have Morgan at my side day and night.The sound of my horn giving a short honk startled her. She jumped and jogged faster to the car.“I’m coming.” Morgan plopped down in the passenger seat and slammed the door closed.I smiled and looked at the clock. “You said those exact words about an hour ago.” My hand skimmed across her arm and gooseb
Two weeks later, I still hadn’t received a full on the mouth kiss from Ethan yet. I could understand wanting to take it slow, but now this was getting kind of ridiculous.Every evening ended with a soft, lingering touch, then just a peck on the cheek.I wasn’t complaining though, it felt great to have him by my side again. There were no more worries about whether he was hiding anything, like another secret bet or something. I had to trust him in order for us to move forward.My family, along with Hope, Ethan’s mom, and grandmother went to the state finals with him for soccer. Even though we were broken up for that time, like for three whole months, I still secretly sneaked to his games and practices. I watched from afar and marveled at his abilities, but I couldn’t let him know that I still cared.That I still wanted him.That I still loved him.But now, I could scream my head off for the man that was running down the
Ethan and I sat in the parking lot for almost an hour. We talked about everything and anything. Even though I really didn’t want to, I just didn’t want to relieve what had happened and wanted to try and move on, but I got to hear Ethan’s side of the story.He started at the beginning of the year before he got to know me and how his past captains of the soccer team had made him the designated person for ‘the challenge.’ I happened to be Clarissa’s little sister, Matt had wanted to take one last jab at her, and I had to suffer the consequences of his desire to torture.It seemed Matt and Ethan never got along, even when they played on the same team. He was as big of a bully as he still was now.Ethan revealed that he was never a fan of the shit that they did to girls, but never gave it a second thought because it never affected him directly.No matter the circumstance, it was still so wrong to do to any girl.Fortu