Camellia Flower ● E.D

Chapter Eleven ; Second Nature

The only thing that got me through Friday
was knowing tomorrow was Saturday, and Ethan is allowed to leave isolation for free time after lunch. The day went by so slow, the whole way through their training I stared at Grayson and gave him dirty looks, I still can't believe him.

Ethan. Ethan. Ethan. I couldn't think about anything else. I imagined him locked up in a cold room by himself, lonely. All I want is to see him.

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My phone alarm woke me up at 6am and I don't think I've ever got out of bed as fast as I did. I put on a white oversized shirt, some black shorts and couldn't be bothered to do my hair so I let it hang loose by my bum. I woke the boys up and hurried everyone to breakfast.

---

"Eat up", Dad said as he pushed my sausages and chips in front of me. I couldn't eat my lunch, my eye was on the clock and waiting for 3pm.

3, 2, 1...

I jumped off my seat and ran out of the canteen, I don't care if everyone see's me. I'm about to see Ethan again. My heart was pounding and my breathing was getting worse and worse as I got to the clearing. I looked passed the trees, searching for Ethan's figure but I couldn't see him.

The noise of the boys coming out of the canteen forced me into the trees to find Ethan, I paced back and forth, looking for him.

"CAMELLIA!" I heard his voice, I turned around on my feet so fast I almost fell. Looking back at me were his lit up eyes, he started running to me with open arms, and I did too. We caught up with each other and I jumped onto him, he fell back onto the dirty ground and hugged the living shit out of me.

He smelled strongly of cologne as I buried my face into his grey hoodie. I felt his hands rub up and down my back, and his legs wrapping around mine. "Don't ever let me go", I whispered into his chest. Ethan sat up so I was sitting on his lap with my legs around his waist and facing him.

"Never", he whispered back.

For the next half hour I sat on his lap with our arms wrapped tightly around each other, neither of us wanting to let go. After, we stood up and walked back to the treehouse, Ethan carried me on his back and laid me down against the tree as usual.

"How is it?" I asked.

"How's what?"

"Isolation".

"Oh. It's really boring, there's just nothing to do all day".

I frowned and ran my fingers through his hair, he needed it cut so bad, all the sides were starting to grow out. "Is it as bad as it sounds though?" I asked again.

"No, but it's still shit. I'm in there with all the other crazy motherfuckers that are going to jail". Ethan spoke with such normality about the isolation. As if it's second nature to him.

"Have you ever been down there before?"

"Yes".

"What? Why?"

"Grayson and I both landed ourselves in there a few times for getting into fights to often".

"Oh right", "I wanted to beat the shit out of Grayson all day today", I added.

Ethan laughed at me, "That's like a mouse trying to punch an elephant".

"I'm not a mouse", I frowned

"Nor is Gray and elephant, it's just an over exaggeration so you get the picture".

With that I hit Ethan on arm, "I'm not dumb either".

"Oi", he giggled, "you're gonna hurt yourself before you hurt me, princess".

I hit Ethan again on the arm, and again and again. Ethan laughed at me and didn't feel a thing, but I was beginning to so I slumped down beside him again.

He ruffled up my hair and patted the top of my head. "E?" I asked, "Did you really say you loved me?"

Ethan looked at me, his eyes were gleaming and his smile was growing, "Yes. Of course I love you".

The words I love you replayed over and over again in my head, I gulped and smiled back at Ethan. He's so beautiful. "I love you too", I said gently as I curled up closer to his chest.

He rubbed his hand up and down my back as I stroked his jawline with my finger.