Chapter 40: Chapter 38

Few months later

Ethan nudged me with his knee under the table. I shot a glare and continued taking down the important notes that would help me in Chemistry. He did it again.

“What?” I whispered when the teacher turned around to write something on the board.

He smiled broadly and said, “Nothing.”

I shook my head tried to concentrate. Attending Chemistry next to Ethan was far more than annoying. He always found a way to irritate me or distract me.

A crumpled piece of paper dropped on my book. I picked it up and unfolded it.

Go to prom with me?

My eyebrows shot up. This is how he wanted to ask me prom? How was this special in any way? What am I going to tell my daughter if I ever have one? That my date to prom asked me on a piece of paper that was torn off of the back of his Chemistry book?

No.

Satisfied with my answer, I crumpled the paper and passed it back to him. He opened it with a triumph smile.

“What? Why?” he exclaimed loudly, making everyone turn behind to look at him. Trying to control my laugh, I ducked my head and pretended to continue writing.

“Something wrong, Mr. Ethan?”

“Nope. Absolutely nothing,” I heard Ethan say with sarcasm.

I snorted and ignored the looks I got from a few people.

“Why don’t you want to go to prom with me?” he questioned in a whisper.

I grabbed the piece of paper from his desk and started writing out my explanation

Because it’s prom! It’s meant to be special. I want to remember it forever. You’ve got to do something more effective than this.

I passed it back to him and his shoulders dropped after he read it. He turned to stare at me with a flat expression and I mockingly smiled back at him. Writing his reply, he handed it back to me.

Why are you so sassy?

Narrowing my eyes, I wrote- Why do you ask so many questions?

With a frustrated look, he wrote something down quickly and handed it back to me.

Stop answering my questions with questions!

I chuckled silently and wrote- I’m not answering your questions with questions!

He huffed and wrote something as well. It was getting harder and harder to understand his handwriting due to the condition of the paper. Actually, even without the paper, his handwriting is difficult to understand.

You’re ridiculous.

I quickly wrote a reply- You love me :P

Just as I handed it back to him, the bell rang. He wrote his reply while I packed my books and slung my bag over my shoulder. He handed me the paper and bent down to kiss my cheek.

I do ;)

“I’ve got to get some work done, I’ll see you in a while,” he said and kissed my cheek once more before leaving.

I smiled as he walked away. I made my way to my locker slowly. No matter what, I’m going to end up going to prom with him so I guess I’ll trouble him for a while.

I noticed that the slip of paper that Ethan and I were writing on was still clutched in my hand and opened it up to read it. I smiled down at the paper before it was snatched out of my hand. My head jerked up to see who it was but I relaxed when I realized it was Erica.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“Erica, trust me. You do not want to read that,” I told her as she began to open it up and I reached for it.

She jerked her hand back as mine went forward to grab the piece of paper back. She raised it over her head, her heels giving her an unfair advantage.  I gave up struggling and said, “Fine. Go ahead.”

She carefully brought it lower, keeping an eye on me as she opened it. As her eyes scanned over the paper, a scowl formed on her face whereas a sly smirk came on mine.

She gagged and handed it back to me. “I think I just tasted some bile in my mouth.”

“I did warn you,” I countered with a smug smirk.

“Alright, I’ll see you later,” she said and began to walk away.

“Aren’t you going to have lunch with us?” I called out.

“No,” she said. “I’ve got to finish some of my homework. I’ll be in the library.”

“Okay,” I said and walked to the canteen where Jared and Abby were sitting.

“Hey,” I said as I dropped my bag and sat down.

“Hey Ash, could you tell dad that I won’t be around this evening?” Jared asked with a mouth full of chips.

“Sure.”

Surprisingly, Jared and I actually like living together. Being the only child, it’s a nice change for the two of us. Hailey, Jared’s mom, was awfully enthusiastic all the time. But I got used to it.  It was my dad who made things awkward. The first few weeks, he was extremely formal. It took him long enough to act normal around me.

“Got asked to prom yet?” I asked Abby.

“Asked? I don’t think Michael’s going to ask me,” she said with a shrug. “We’re together. So doesn’t that mean that we are going together?”

“I guess,” I said slowly with a nod.

“Hello,” Michael joined us and squeezed in next to Abby and kissed her cheek. “I got you something.”

“You did?” Abby asked happily, turning to face him. She loved presents and surprises.

He nodded and reached into his bag and pulled out a transparent box of strawberries. She grinned, taking it from him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said with a smile.

She opened it up eagerly and offered me and Jared one after eating one herself. After eating a few, she pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she said and opened it. I looked at Michael, who was focusing on Abby’s face. I raised one eyebrow at him.

Reading it, a smile appeared on her face and she hugged Michael tightly. “Of course I’ll go with you!”

I smiled as I realized that he asked her to go to prom with her.

*

I have been leaning against Jared’s car’s door for the past 15 minutes now. Where was he? He said he’ll drop me home after school and then leave.

I sighed with frustration and texted him again, asking where he was. I continued staring at my phone’s screen in hopes that he would reply. Instead, someone shoved flowers right above my phone and under my nose. I looked down at them and up to see Ethan standing beside me. He winked at me.

“Now will you go to prom with me?” he asked.

I looked at the flowers again and took them from him. The way he asked me was as if he was forced to do so.

“Nope,” I said with a sweet smile. “Thanks for the flowers, though. They’re really pretty.”

His shoulders dropped and peered at me. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“I’m doing nothing,” I said with a shrug.

“Are you doing all of this because you don’t want to go to prom with me?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“What? No!” I exclaimed.

“Then?” he asked, defeated.

“Both of us know that you’re much more creative than this,” I said, gesturing at the flowers he had shoved in front of my face.

He pouted cutely. I laughed and stood on my tiptoes and kissed his lips. He immediately responded and circled his arms around my waist.

“You know,” he said, pulling away. “If you think this kiss is going to help me mend my broken heart and ego, you’re wrong.”

“Then you’re just going to have to do something spectacular to impress me and mend your broken heart and ego,” I said with a smirk and leaned forward to kiss him again.

“Enough with the PDA,” Jared said, approaching us.

I laughed and let my head fall on Ethan’s chest. “Where were you?”

“I was getting myself a date to the prom,” he said and unlocked his car.

I gasped and pulled free from Ethan. “You did it? You asked Claire?”

Jared had been eyeing a girl named Claire for a while. What was funny, though, was that he was nervous to spring up a conversation with her. Flirting and taking girls out on breath-taking dates were his forte. I, of all people, should know that since I did go out on a date with him. Despite the fact that I found he was my step-brother a few days later, it was a pretty amazing date.

He nodded.

“Well?” I asked impatiently. “What did she say?”

“Do you really think she can resist the charm?” he asked, motioning his hand around his face.

I coughed. “If you continue being so cocky, I think she will be able to resist it.”

“Fine, whatever,” he said. “Can we go now?”

“Even he has a date to the prom!” Ethan exclaimed helplessly. “Even though I have a girlfriend, I don’t have a date to the prom.”

“Why is that so?” Jared questioned, throwing his bag on the back seat.

“Because Ashley wants a perfect proposal,” Ethan said.

“That is not what I said,” I defended myself.

“But that is what you meant,” he countered.

Jared laughed. “Need any help, Ethan?”

“No,” he mumbled. “She wants a special proposal, that’s what she’ll get.”

*

“How was school?” Hailey asked as I came down.

“It was good,” I said with a tight smile.

“I’m going out for a while,” she said. “I’ll be back in an hour or two.”

“Alright.” I nodded. That meant I will be alone at home till dinner time.

“See you,” she said and walked out of the door.

Locking the door, I made my way to the couch and flipped through the channels. I settled on a T.V. show that mom and I spent most of our Saturday afternoon’s watching.

After mom had settled down in Australia, she called me and spent hours telling me what I was missing out on. We talk and video chat regularly. Although most of the times there’s not much to update each other with, we just gossip about the latest ups and downs in Hollywood.

She claims that she enjoys her job a lot. Other than that, she has this particular friend who is, apparently, a very attractive, charming man and she loves to spend time with him. When she first told me that, I was grossed out but eventually I realized that if she wants to get out there again and date guys, I’m going to support her.

Despite all the talking, I do miss having her around.

The doorbell rang. Hailey must have forgotten something, probably the keys to the house. I stood on my tiptoes and squinted my eyes to see through the peephole. I frowned, seeing that no one was there. It was probably one of the neighborhood kids playing a game.

I started to walk back to the couch when it rang again. I let out a frustrated sigh and stomped back to the door. I swung it open, ready to yell at some kids but found myself staring at a picnic basket with an adorable little golden retriever sitting in it obediently. The puppy had a pink ribbon around his neck and a note attached to it. The basket was decorated with little cut-outs of red hearts.

I looked around to see if anyone was there but my attention was drawn back to the puppy when it let out a bark. I squatted down in front of the basket and reached forward to touch it. He smelled my hand for a while and then licked it happily. I untied the ribbon from his neck and opened up the note.

Will you go to the prom with me?

A grin broke out on my face and I looked back up to see Ethan standing in our garden with his hands in his pocket. I didn’t know where he came from or how, I just stood up and ran towards him. I wrapped my arms around his neck with so much force that he lost balance and landed on the soft grass with me on top of him.

“Wow, you have become heavy,” he choked out.

I hit his chest playfully in response and felt his chest vibrate underneath me.

“I’m assuming this is a yes,” he stated, tucking my hair behind my ear.

I smiled at him and nodded. He reached up to kiss me but the puppy jumped right at him. I laughed and sat up while the puppy bounced in between us.

“You know, you didn’t have to get me a puppy,” I said, watching Ethan rub the puppy’s belly and calm him down.

“Flowers are not enough and puppies are too much,” he said. “What do you want me to do?”

“Nothing.” I sat upright and kissed him deeply. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, your highness,” he said.

A/N- Sorry if there were any mistakes in the chapter, I didn't get the time to edit it. How have you guys been?

I just wanted to put up something cute and relaxed so I hope you guys enjoyed it. :) I'm in a bit of a hurry right so you guy's won't be getting a long A/N :P

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