Ethan tossed the ball and it landed in a cup. "First try!" He heist bumped Adam while smiling wide. "Drink up, sweetheart!" My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I grabbed the cup and chugged the beer down. I felt my face scrunch up due to the burning sensation down my throat.
Adam tossed his ball but missed the cup. Now it was Seamus and I's turn. I tossed the ball and it bounced on the table and into the cup. "Yes!" I jumped from excitement before high-fiving Seamus. "Drink up, sweetheart," I sneered.
"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes while smirking. He drank the beer, his head tilting back as he drank. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and threw the cup aside.
Seamus tossed the ball in the cup too. "Double whammy!" he yelled as Adam drank. Adam groaned as he downed the beer, his Adam's apple bobbing as he chugged.
Seamus and I ended up winning the game, we only had 3 out of 8 cups left. Ethan came over to me and kissed the side of my head while smiling. "We should dance," he said into my ear. We walked into the house and out onto the dance floor. The music was so loud that I could feel the bass shake the floor.
My Humps by Black Eyed Peas blared over the speakers which blocked out the sound of everyone else in the room. I could feel the buzz from the alcohol as Ethan twirled me around. I smiled as we danced on beat together, it was fun hanging out with him like this. It's like there was no one else there, just us in that moment together.
We danced like this for a while until I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around too see Michelle with a sly look on her face. "Hey," she smiled at Ethan. She then turned to me and spoke in a belittling way. "Hey, Esme."
I narrowed my eyes, "hey." I ran my fingers through my hair while scooting a bit closer to Ethan. She must be trying to seduce Ethan somehow. That's how these schemes of hers usually work. But Ethan wasn't interested in her. He was interested in me. I felt the confidence I needed to defend myself. "Look, I really didn't like the way you treated me last time we met, but I don't blame you. Ethan is just too irresistible."
Ethan's arm slid around my waist possessively. This felt good, it felt like home. I loved him. Even though it had only been a month, I loved him more than anyone I have ever loved before. What's even crazier? He felt the same way about me.
"I'm so sorry," she gave me a honeyed voice. "I really didn't mean to make you insecure. Ethan is like a brother to me."
Ethan sighed, "Look, Michelle. I think you need to calm down with this whole thing you're doing. I'm in a relationship with Esme and I really love her. I don't want you making me or her uncomfortable ever again." I looked over at him with a shocked look on his face. He didn't bat an eye at me, just glared her in the eye.
Michelle opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She instead nodded her head and walked away, leaving me alone with Ethan.
I could tell she was about to cry. I felt somewhat satisfied watching her get what she deserves, but I also felt bad for some reason. I felt now it was time for me to say something. "Ethan, I-"
Mark ran up to us and frowned, "Ethan. Dylan, Nolan, and Rutger are calling for you. Esme, Brooklyn needs you."
Ethan frowned and looked down at me. "I'll catch up with you later, Esme!" He kissed my forehead before running off.
Mark watched as he ran off then grabbed my wrist, leading us to the kitchen. "Mark, uh-" I frowned. He led me to the counter where Brooklyn and Luke were waiting for us. "You need me?"
Brooklyn patted on the seat next to her and smiled. I sat next to her. "So, uh. What's the plan with Ethan?" What was she doing? We were right in front of Luke talking about how I was confessing to Ethan. Meaning he heard that I wasn't really with Ethan. I glanced at Luke with my eyes widened. "It's okay, he already knows."
My eyebrows furrowed as I looked over at Luke. "Mark told me," he dapped him up while smiling. "Mark and Brooklyn told me it would be better if I told you what Ethan thought of you since they're both kinda biased." I nodded my head, ready for him to continue. "Well, I don't know a lot about you and we've really only met twice. But from what I've heard from Ethan you're really smart, funny, kind, genuine, and you know your shit about coffee."
"Yep," I nodded while laughing. I could feel myself slowly starting to back pedal. I looked down at my feet and swayed them. "How am I supposed to know if I'm ready?" I looked around at the group for answers.
Luke took a sip of his beer and looked me dead in the eye. "If I'm being 100 percent honest with you, I don't know. All I know is that you'll know if you're ready when you're ready."
I nodded my head while biting my bottom lip. Brooklyn was right. I've been using Cynthia as an excuse to open myself back up, but now it was time to face it. Ethan helped me out of this state I've been in over her.
I looked down at my phone and saw the time was 11:54 PM. It was almost time for the fireworks to go off. "I should go," I got up from the counter and began walking away.
"What are you doing?" Brooklyn yelled out to me.
"Something that needed to happen on Christmas Eve night!" I yelled back and slipped through everyone in the crowd. I made my way outside and found Ethan talking to his hockey teammates around a keg.
He laughed while he pretended to throw a sparkler at Rutger. He then spotted me and smiled, "Hey, Esme."
"Hi," I ran my fingers through my hair. "Can we go find a spot for the fireworks?"
"Yeah!" He beamed.
"Without the sparkler..." I pointed at the flame in his hand. He pouted as he handed it off to Rutger. I grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the boys.
"Woah! You seem excited for these fireworks," he joked as I dragged him to a secluded area where it was just us. He looked around confused, "What's going on?"
"Ethan..." I looked him in the eye.
"Yes?" He nervously smiled. I cupped his cheeks with my hands and pulled him into a kiss.
The kiss lasted for only a couple seconds and when I pulled away, everything spilled out of me like his lips were truth serum. "I want you so bad it hurts, Ethan. I love all of you. I love all the little moments we shared-"
I got interrupted by people around us beginning to yell. "10! 9! 8!"
I began shouting over the loud noise, "We continued to tell ourselves we were fake, but in the act of convincing others that it was real, we convinced ourselves too. I can't get your stupid smile and your stupid jersey out of my head! I can't get you out of my head!" I stared at him for a moment while his mouth hung open. "Ethan, I want you to be my boyfriend!"
"3! 2! 1! Happy New Year!" I hear everyone around us yell as the light from the fireworks spotlights us. Ethan pulled me into another lingering kiss that lasted longer than the last.
"Yes, yes! I want to be your boyfriend, Esme!" He smiled with a glistening in his eyes. I smiled wide and kissed him again quickly before looking up at the sky and admiring all the pretty fireworks that shot up in the air.
"I can't believe I fell in love with you in one month," I laughed.
"What can I say? I'm really charming, loveable, handsome, and my brown eyes," he said as he wrapped his arm around me and smirked.
"Rule 2," I smiled.
"Rule 1," he said back.
AUTHOR'S NOTE; THANK U SM FOR THE SUPPORT ON THIS FIC!! I didn't expect this one to blow up as much as it did especially after my scream 6 one. Idk what to really do for future fics so maybe give recommendations on what u would want to see!! Again thank u all :))
🏒| ONE MONTH
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