Cheshire Girl

Ch. 41

I was in a good mood as Ethan and I went to biology.  For once, lunch had been a nice time to talk and just hang out like normal kids—once we'd dropped the Wyatt subject.

                Still, as great as it was having actual friends and being somewhat normal (since I wasn't sure if I was still technically haunted), the Wyatt thing was a lingering cloud.  It started to feel like a growing storm… and some other metaphor/simile I couldn't think of. 

                Even today's weather seemed spotty and uncertain.  I'd overheard the weather while Mom watched TV.  A low pressure system was on its way, meaning cold temperatures and maybe a lot of rain; Mom was sure our street was one of the ones that flooded. 

                I happened to look up, and it seemed storm scouts had reached us.  A few clouds sprinkled the sky, like they were holding back rain—

                "Hello.  Did you lose a signal?"

                Ethan was waving his hand in front of my face.

                I slapped it away.  "What?"  I'd thought the days of me getting lost in my own head in front of others were over.  I wondered if that often made me look like an idiot.

                "Are you okay?  You look like you were thinking about something."

                "I'm always thinking about something."

                "But you're okay?"

                "Yeah, I'm good."

                "Good," said Ethan, before immediately frowning, "then what the hell were you thinking?"

                I stopped, very surprised.  There was still time before the late bell rang on our way to biology; I could still see Charlie on her way to class.  "What are you talking about?"

                "Charlie told me she overheard that you kissed Wyatt.  Under what circumstances could that possibly ever happen?"

                "How does Charlie overhear things?  I don't hear anything.  Am I out of the loop?"

                "Bella," Ethan warned, sounding like a scolding parent.

                "Oh, come on," I laughed.  "He was in my way after English and wouldn't shut up.  I did the very last thing he could ever expect.  It totally shut him up."

                Ethan looked like he was refusing to think about it.  "But… a kiss?  That's just gross."

                "Well, I didn't like it, but it got him to leave me alone….  You should've seen his face.  I think his brain shut down in confusion."

                "Bella," Ethan sighed, shaking his head, "you're really weird… and I don't think I have to explain myself."

                "He wears Chapstick, by the way."

                "Ew!  Why would you tell me that?"

                "I think it's the moisturizing one."

                "Stop!"

*

Charlie texted me just after I got into bed later that night.  She wanted me and Ethan to know as soon as possible that she was not pregnant.  I replied that I was happy for her, and then she started texting me about Ethan.  They were so lovey-dovey, even if they didn't like showing it.