Fostering Love

Chapter 6

Since it was the big game today, I thought it would have been nice to cancel the tutoring session this morning.

Not.

I thought that it would have been nice, yes. But it is also nicer to help those in need of making better grades.

We met up at 5 again. My body was slowly adjusting to the early time and now it was getting easier.

"You excited for today's game?" Ethan asked excitedly while writing down notes for history.

"Not exactly, but I'm glad that you are excited. Endorphins make you smarter, you'll make a better grade." I said smiling as I munch on a granola bar.

Ethan gives me a playful look. I could see a plan forming in his head.

Then out of nowhere, Ethan grabs my notes and runs away from me.

"Wai—what are you doing?!" I say laughing as I get out of my chair to chase past him.

"You called me dumb, you smarty!"

"I did not call you dumb at all."

Ethan keeps on running but I caught up to him, much to his surprise.

"Damn, you can run fast." He says as he holds the notes above his tall frame. He isn't that much taller than me, but I still couldn't reach it.

"Was this some sort of test?" I say jumping to reach the notes.

Ethan smiles down at me, "yeah, you ran from the bus stop, but how was I supposed to know that you actually ran and just walked all the way only to fake running so I will pity you?"

I scrunch my eyebrows together, "What the hell? Ethan you have one silly mind."

"It's not as silly as yours, Miss 'I'll go into a giggle fit when someone apologizes about using a nickname with me.'"

"That's a long name, who is she? Another one of your side chicks?" As I say this I leap up to grab the notebook causing Ethan to lose his balance. I finally got the notebook, but the man was falling forward, and with my week arms, there was only one thing I could do.

Fall with him.

Honestly, it hurt a lot more than I thought it would have. I wasn't expecting him to be so clumsy. I thought there was some way that maybe he could've caught his fall. Well I guess that ended up being me.

"Owwwwww, Ethan, why did you have to fall forward?" I ask holding the back of my head with my hands. Both my head, and my right elbow are going to be bruised now because of this guy.

"I wouldn't mind if you were." Ethan lifts himself up resting his elbows on either side of me.

"What?" I ask confused. Ethan has this look in his eyes that almost takes my breath away. I get so mesmerized by his eyes, that I completely forgot that we were laying on the cafeteria floor.

"Just kidding, I don't have side chicks, Miss 'I think my apprentice is dumb and a play boy.'"

"I did not say, nor think that."

"Sure," Ethan says getting off of me.

Once he stands he holds out his hand to me and I take it.

We linger there for a minute or two, me holding his hand up, knowing if I put my hand down, he'll break the handholding.

I look at the hand I'm holding. It wasn't longing, but rather curiosity. Ethan didn't seem like the playboy type. I was curious though how his hands are used. Has he held any other girls' hands? Does he hold hands with a lot of people? They are both calloused and soft, as if they were hardworking, yet gentle.