forbidden love ~ g.d

s e v e n

Ethan jumps out of the pool, turning the camera off immediately as Shay slides off my back into the water. She dunks herself under before resurfacing at the other end of the pool. I can't help but smile at her love of the water. When she was little she used to pretend she was a mermaid from 'H2o Just Add Water'- I guess she still does.

"So now what?" Jack asks swimming over to her.

"It's a nice day, why not just chill here for a bit?" She shrugs as he gets closer to her. He reaches out to her, moving a strand of wet hair that was previously stuck to her forehead away. She flinches slightly, moving her hair so that it falls down her back, revealing the massive hickey I left last night. I've decided to call it marking my territory. He runs a finger over it as she looks away from him.

"Are you going to tell me now who gave you that love bite?" He asks her. She shakes her head as he leans in and whispers something I didn't quite hear in her ear.

I look at Ethan, widening my eyes at the slight before me. We both approach him. Ethan on the pavement and me in the water.

"Do I have to show you who's boss again?" He mutters. I look up at Ethan who heard the exact same thing.

"Jack. What's going on?" Ethan asks, glaring down at our friend.

"Nothing. We're just fooling around. Shay's good at that aren't you?" He says shooting daggers at her. I frown as she looks to the bottom of the pool.

"Don't talk to her like that" I say through gritted teeth.

"What? She's a slut. That's how she deserves to be treated."

"Shay isn't a slut" Ethan says sternly. I reach out and grab Shay's extended arm. I pull her towards me quickly. She wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck.

"I'm sorry" She whispers before I carry her back onto dry land.

"Sorry for what?" I ask her quietly. I've never seen her like this- scared yet so ashamed. What happened? She dries herself off with a towel before heading inside. I, obviously, follow her quickly. "Baby girl, I don't understand"

"It's nothing" She shrugs, returning to her usual self. "Jack's just being an idiot. That's all." She gives me a look as if to say 'drop it' so I don't push her any further.

"So did you have fun filming with us?" I ask, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Yeah" She says with an obvious fake smile.

"You know what'll cheer you up?" I say, walking to the coffee table and picking up the massive cook book left there. "How about we unleash our inner great British bakers?" I say referring to another show Shay loved back in England. I know she misses it. She misses everything about it- the rain, the cold, her friends, even school. Ethan and I recently just enrolled in home schooling so Shay goes to the public school nearby on her own. She doesn't really talk about it much and she never has friends over. I know how tough New Jersey schools can be.

"Nah, not today" She shrugs. "I think I'm just gonna go to Six flags" Another one of Shay's favourite things- rollercoasters. She can't get enough of them; personally they terrify me but then again I didn't grow up going to them 24/7.

"Do you want me to come?" I offer. I know what her answer will be.

"You hate rollercoasters. I can just ask someone from school." She says sadly but also lying. I know she won't ask a school friend because she doesn't have any and she probably won't even go to Six flags. Good thing Ethan has that find my iPhone app so we can find her if we need to.

"Babe" I say pulling her into my arms. "Please talk to me" I try once more.

"I'm fine honestly" She says, pulling herself away from me. She's never done that before. She walks away from me, shutting herself in our joint bedroom. I roll my eyes slightly before going out to see Ethan and the boys again. Ethan joins my side as soon as I step into the sun.

"Is she okay?" He asks me worriedly.

"She won't talk to me" I shrug. She's like this; she doesn't speak her feelings. Ever. It took her almost a year to tell me she loves me.

"Shall I try?" He offers.

"Why won't she tell me?"

"I have a different kind of relationship with her. We talk about absolutely everything whereas you two make out" He shrugs.

"Yeah, I think you should" I say not really listening to anything Ethan just said. I have a tendency to zone out sometimes.

Ethan's POV

I nod my head at my look alike and head inside. I push open the door to see Shay stood in her underwear looking in the mirror. This is nothing I haven't seen before. I slide inside, shutting the door firmly behind me.

"Do you think I'm a slut?" She says as I sit on the end of our bed.

"What? Of course not" I exclaim. What idiot would put that into her head? Jack.

"I do this all the time. I parade around in my underwear, leading everyone on."

"That's just you." I shrug. "So what? You're comfortable in your own skin. Some people would kill to be that confident."

"But am I too confident? I lead boys on and then throw them away like they're nothing."

"Name one guy you've done that to" I say sternly. She opens her mouth to speak but then quickly closes it. She can't think of anything. "Exactly"

"Grayson" She mutters.

"You aren't throwing him away though"

"Yeah but it's wrong" She says covering herself up with her bath robe. She sits down next to me. "He's supposed to be my brother and it's supposed to be forbidden"

"You're not related. Your family didn't adopt us." I shrug, not really seeing her point. She's known all this the entire time, why is it only bugging her now?

"But we act like brother and sister"

"Trust me. You act like a lot more than that. Especially behind closed doors." I give her a smirk.

"See I am a slut!" She exclaims. She stands up and brushes her damp hair harshly.

"No you're not! You're in love. That's what people in love do!" I tell her, also standing up and watching her in the mirror.

"So people in love cheat with their boyfriend's best friend huh?" She blurts before it's too late. She clamps a hand over her mouth.

"What?"

"It was a stupid mistake" She sighs. "Jack came onto me and I froze."

"What did he do to you?" I clench my fists and grit my teeth, trying to stop myself from lashing out.

"It's not important" She says defiantly.

"Yes it is" I shout. "Now tell me what he did so I can beat the crap out of him"

"He pinned me down and shoved his fingers in me okay?"

"He what?!" I shout once again.

"Don't make a big deal out of it Eth" She says soothingly. "It was like a month ago. It's not important anymore."

"Is this why you've barely even touched Grayson these past few weeks?"

"I'm scared that he'll sense it or something. If he knows I cheated then he'll hate me for the rest of my life." She says bursting into tears.

"You didn't cheat on him Shay. You weren't given a choice. We have to tell him." I say softly as she rests her head on my shoulder. "Put some clothes on and come with me"