To Write Love On Her Arms (COMPLETE!:)

Chapter 6

“But I…”

Whoa…wait…what? Ethan…liked me?

The new star quarterback that could pretty much get any girl in the school that he wanted, liked me? Crowned Emo Freak of the school? Did I hear him right or am I just hearing things?

“You…you like me?” I breathed hoarsely.

Ethan smiled slightly. “Yeah, I do.Is that so hard to believe?”

I inhaled sharply, the action leaving a sharp stab of pain in my chest as I tried to understand this. Did he honestly have to ask that question? Of course it was hard to believe! We were complete opposites! Incompatible! He was a popular football player that was optimistic and outgoing and I was a very unpopular Emo girl that was introverted and could only hope to survive long enough to escape this hellhole.

“We’re…You…I…” I struggled to get the words out.

Ethan sighed and reached out to take my hand. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Casen, I don’t care that we’re different. You’re smart, nice, and beautiful. That’s all that really matters. I’m not some cliché shallow jock that goes chasing after cheerleaders because they have a nice rack. At least not anymore. And I’m not trying to sound conceited but are you saying that you don’t like me? Not even a little bit?”

Damn it, of course I liked him! How could I not? He was the only guy that had ever been nice to me. He was funny and charming and sweet and…and…caring. How could a girl not like him? I just wasn’t sure if I was ready to admit it yet.

What if none of this was real? What if this was all just some sick dream that I’d wake up from any minute and discover that Ethan really wasn’t the kind, funny, caring guy I’d come to know and really like? What if he was nothing more than a shallow, vain, jerk off of a guy like Jerry?

What if I woke up lonely and cold on the inside like I had before I’d actually had something to look forward to in the day?

“Case?”

I swallowed hard as his stupid nickname broke through my mental barrier. “I do…I do like you…I just…”

“Shh, I don’t want to pressure you into anything,” Ethan soothed, reaching up to tuck my hair behind my ear. “I tell you what. Why don’t you wait here by the bleachers while I finish up practice? Then we can walk over to my house together if you want and on the way, we can talk about it. How’s that sound?”

“I…okay…” I agreed with a small nod.

His smile widened. “Great. Practice should be over with in about an hour. Feel free to sit in the bleachers if you’re comfortable enough with that.” He leaned forward, kissed my forehead affectionately and then turned and ran back over to Coach Reen. I watched as they talked for a few minutes. Ethan ran back out to the field.

I took a deep breath to fortify my courage before climbing up into the bleachers to sit down and watch. Throughout the remainder of football practice, I could feel and see the guys looking at me but I didn’t really know if it was just with curiosity or disdain.

When practice was over, Ethan got me and led me over to the entrance to the guys’ locker room so I could wait on him. While I waited, my mind wandered over what had happened.

Ethan liked me and I liked him. So did that make us boyfriend/girlfriend now or…what? I didn’t know. I didn’t know the first thing about those kinds of relationships. I’d been avoiding every type of relationship all my life and now I suddenly found myself thrust into one.

What the heck was I supposed to do?

“You ready?”

I turned to find Ethan standing there, his backpack slung over his shoulders and his brown hair damp and dripping beads of water.