Forgotten Promises (The Promises Series Book 2) (23 page)

We were at lunch one day in middle school. I’d never really had a crush on anyone before, but I’d stupidly confided in my so-called best friend that I thought Corry Spencer and Billy Greenwood were cute. Em in her infinite wisdom had told Billy that I liked him, and what happened next defined what has until recently become my high school career when it comes to interacting with others.

Em noticed Billy making his way over to our lunch table first and kicked my leg, nodding in his direction. I looked up, and his eyes were zeroed in on me. He waved and I looked around, certain he was making his way over to someone else, but no, the salutation was for me. Before I could stop myself I gave one of those awkward finger wiggle waves that you see all the airheads do in movies. He straddled the bench right next to me, never shifting his gaze, and I could feel myself turning beet red. Em jabbed me in the back, prompting me to say hello, and I was greeted by a huge toothy sparkling white grin. Seriously, this kid could have done toothpaste commercials. I almost expected a little light to flash in his teeth and make a ping sound.

He didn’t say anything right away, and it threw me. I picked up my Coke to busy myself, to avoid sitting and staring at him like a moron. He leaned in close, too close as it turned out, and asked if I wanted to go to the movies with him. His timing sucked, or maybe it was mine, because I’d just taken a huge gulp of soda. He took me by complete surprise, and I think I gasped but that’s a lot harder than it sounds with your mouth full. The drink hit the back of my throat and I immediately choked. I threw my hand over my mouth to do damage control, but the soda needed out. It sprayed through my nose and the fizzy burn it caused made me open my mouth, which my fingers did a poor job of guarding. Coke spilled out all over me. If anyone around us thought he looked horrified at it, they hadn’t seen anything yet. I coughed and spluttered, gasping for air while trying to say sorry. I remember thinking ‘thank god it didn’t spray him’.

Em began slapping my back to try and help me—at least that’s what she told me later—and it thrust me forward abruptly. That’s when it happened. It was like time slowed down, and everyone turned to see what the commotion was right as my retainer propelled from my mouth in a trajectory set for Billy Greenwood’s lap. I watched in utter disbelief as it landed in his crotch, covered in my saliva and Coke. He fished it up on instinct, then his face pinched and contorted as he realized what he was holding. The whole table began laughing as he dropped it like it was infected with Anthrax, and it landed in someone’s Cesar salad. He stood up and told me that he’d just remembered he couldn’t take me to the movies because he forgot about an assignment that he had to hand in and then bolted from the cafeteria. Em was trying to console me while also trying to calm her own hysterics. The whole incident pretty much put me off talking to anyone at school for months. After that I did my best to blend into the background
.

I can still see her in my mind’s eye, trying not to laugh, and it warms my heart and then breaks it a little.

I miss her.

I round the corner to see a semicircle of girls gathered around where Ethan’s waiting at my locker. Casey and Brie stand on either side of him, like super tiny pissed off bodyguards; the girls are all clamoring for his attention and offering up condolences about his dad. They’re not doing anything wrong but Brie looks like she’s about to cut someone when a girl with long red hair leans in and whispers something into Ethan’s ear. His face pales and then he notices me, noticing him. His expression flashes from relief to alarm at seeing me in less than a second. My step falters and then the redhead turns and my stomach flips. I paste on a fake ass grin and carry on with my approach. Della looks like a cat with the cream as she watches me approach. She flips her hair and turns to say something to the girl beside her before they both look over at me and then let out a laugh. Ethan pushes past her and she teeters on her high heels and stumbles against her friend as he moves her out of his path. He emerges through the small crowd and picks me up mid-stride, twirling me around before placing a kiss on my nose and popping me back on the ground. I’m in no doubt that this is his attempt at quashing the rumors Della has been working hard to circulate in our absence. But I love him for it.

“Morning, Princess. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“More like a sight to make your eyes sore,” Della says behind her hand, loud enough for the whole crowd to hear. There are a few sniggers and then a hush. I look over to see Casey holding Brie back. Their eyes meet mine and I know instantly they are waiting for me to respond, as are the rest of them.

I don’t want to rise to the bait, so instead I ignore them and Ethan squeezes my hand and smiles. I open my locker as Della sashays around the students loitering in the hall and advances in our direction with half of the group hot on her heels. She passes by and flashes me a huge smug smile.

“See you around, superstar,” she drawls to Ethan before dropping her voice to a whisper.

“Later loser,” she chortles and I have to suppress my inner twelve-year-old to not stick my foot out and send the bitch tumbling on her ass.

“Oh, by the way Ethan, I think I have a pair of your shades. You left them in my bedroom the last time you were there,” she calls over her shoulder and I can feel the red mist descend over me.

“Congratulations, Della! You’re officially a bigger attention-seeking whore in person than you are on Facebook. That’s some achievement! Your folks must be real proud,” I call. It’s catty and immature, but it feels so good to watch her face lose the smug expression she’s always wearing. Her scowl is instant.

“Whatever, geek! If you weren’t such a nerd, maybe you’d have a chance at keeping your boyfriend.”

Ethan’s head whips around and he’s about to respond but I get there first.

“I’m sorry, but I find it hard to take someone seriously when their favorite shade of lip gloss is dick. Spread all the rumors you want, Della, if it makes you feel better. I trust my boyfriend, and nothing you can dream up in that empty head of yours will make me doubt that.”

People are hollering and some idiot jock is chanting ‘catfight’ somewhere in the background. Della looks furious and stutters trying to form a comeback. I ignore her and throw my bag into my locker as Ethan leans down close.

“This may not be the right time…but that was hot! I like you feisty.” He laughs and takes my hand as Brie and Casey stand open-mouthed looking at me.

“What?” I glare at them and ask.

“Nothing,” Brie, answers wide-eyed.

“Damn, I hope someone caught that on camera,” Casey says with a huge grin. “Favorite shade of lip gloss is dick! Oh my god, her face was so mad!”

“I’m not exactly proud of stooping to her level, but I’m sick of her being mean to me for no reason.”

Ethan stays quiet, but his fingers slip through mine as he stands by my side, tucking me under his arm.

“Well, she needed bringing down a peg or two. I’m glad you did it,” Brie tells me before she excitedly—and by excited I mean bouncing on her toes and clapping—announces that her parents have agreed to buy her a new car. It's apparently a graduation present/going away to college present.

“You already have a car?” Casey says, confused, and Brie stops dead.

“Please…it’s almost as old as I am; they wouldn’t buy me a brand new one until I could prove that I can drive it without incident.”

“Um, yeah…but you’ve bumped it parking at least twice a week since you got your license.”

“Hello…that was parking it, not
driving
it. Plus, Daddy doesn’t need to know that.”

Ethan shakes his head; I’m not sure if its’ in amusement or alarm, while Casey and I look at one and other and burst out laughing. The bell sounds just as Brie spots Jackson, and we each make our way to class.

The rest of the day runs smoothly: there’s no drama with Della, Dannii doesn’t acknowledge me and Ethan acts like nothing has happened, and it freaks me out. Monday night he has a hospital appointment which he brushes off with, ‘It went fine’ when he picks me up for school Tuesday morning.
I hate the word fine!
The day pans out much the same as the one before, and Ethan has music practice after school for the rest of the week to catch up on missed time. Wednesday follows suit with the fake
everything is rosy
routine, and I finally can’t take any more by Thursday at lunch time.

“Don’t lie to me—everything is not fine. Please stop saying fine! Ugh.”

“What do you want me to say, Princess? I don’t get it…I don’t know what you’re expecting. If you thought I’d come back to school and be crying in the halls because of my broken home and fucked up life, you’re wrong. It’s never gonna happen. I’m okay!”

I want to scream at how infuriating he’s being. We are in the library, our textbooks open, going over math, and he hasn’t heard a single word I’ve spoken to him in the last half hour. I’m not sure he’s heard a single word I’ve spoken to him this past week. He’s slipped into a robotic, anesthetized version of himself. Yeah, sure, he’s doing an excellent job of being the Mr. Charming everyone expects, but I can see it’s an act.

“I don’t expect anything, it just seems like you’re putting on this phony persona with everyone, including me, and I don’t like it.”

“Baby, I might give the rest of this town what they expect to see, but not you. You’re the only person who gets the real me,” he says with a wink. “So stop worrying your cute little butt about it.”

He drags my chair closer and the noise ricochets around the room like a bomb has just been detonated. He winces and smiles at me as Mrs. Phelps, the librarian, attempts to terrify us with her evil glare, and it works. Ethan squeezes my thighs and leans over to whisper in my ear. “She won’t be able to hear us if you want to take a quick trip behind the stalls in the ancient philosophy section?” He sits back, wearing a huge grin, and it actually looks real and not the artificial ones he’s been shooting people last week.

“Okay,” I utter behind my hand, trying to disguise what I’m saying. It’s not like Mrs. Phelps would be able to lip read from so far away, the woman wears glasses with three-inch thick lenses and still squints when she’s talking to you.

“What? Seriously?” he asks in astonishment. There’s a little hope laced into his voice, and he’s looking at me like he’s waiting for me to shout ‘joke!’

“Seriously, you have no idea how many fantasies I’ve had about fooling around in the library.”

His eyes narrow and he’s studying my face. “You’ve had fantasies about me in the library.”

“No, I said I’d fantasized about fooling around in the library, but I didn’t mention you.”

“Wounded.” He clutches his chest in mock heartbreak. “You’re gonna have to be punished for that.” He shoots me a lopsided grin, and his dimples appear as he grabs my hand and we navigate our way to the back of the library.

“I’m surprised you even know where the ancient philosophy section is,” I mock as we walk down row after row of dusty old bookshelves.

“It’s in the makeout section; of course, I know where it is,” he throws back casually and my feet immediately come to a halt.

“You’re leading me back here to where you’ve taken someone else?” I almost shout, and he laughs at my scowl.

“Shush, you don’t want Phelpzilla to come find us. No Blair, you’re the first person I’m leading back here.” He raises his hand. “Scout’s honor.”

“If you expect me to believe you were a scout, you’re delusional.”

“You’re right; I wasn’t a scout, but I promise you’re the only girl I’ve brought here. I don’t think I’ve ever been in this library before I met you.”

I let out a little huff but secretly I’m relieved. The thought of Ethan with other girls is one I try to keep firmly out of mind. I like the fact that he’s bringing me here, and it’s a first. I follow him until we’re huddled into a quiet, dark corner. He spins me around and his lips land against mine before I know what’s hit me. His muscular frame is pushed up against me, pinning my back against the bookshelf, his arms caging me in. I moan into his mouth as his tongue lightly traces the seam of my lips before delving in and tasting me. My adrenaline spikes and the prospect of someone catching us excites me more than I thought possible. Just knowing there are people going about their day only feet away has me rubbing my legs together, trying to quell the hunger Ethan is eliciting. I can feel the delicious stirs resonating within the depths of my stomach and it’s all I can do to quiet the embarrassingly loud groans fighting to get out of my chest. His hands cup my face gently before beginning a slow and meticulous descent towards my chest, palming my breasts and driving me insane. He knows what he’s doing; he has a wicked gleam in his eyes as he moves his lips from my mouth to the spot under my jaw. I'm confident I sigh as he trails hot wet kisses down my neck and bites gently at my shoulder. I’m so consumed with the feel of him against me that I fling my arms back and send books crashing to the floor.

Ethan’s head snaps back up.