MIA
The next few days go by slowly at school. Caleb is still off with his cold so I've been left hanging out with some of my gal pals Chloe, Amy and Isla. I'm not as close to them as I am Caleb but I have to admit, it's been kind of a nice change spending time with them. Hearing about all the school gossip, finding out what boys they were into and doing girly stuff rather than just listening to Caleb talk about sports non stop.
However what I'm most pleased about is that they'd taken me shopping and helped me do a bit of a makeover. After the whole little black dress fiasco, I wanted to find a look that was a little in between making me feel more confident and not trying to look too desperate. They nailed it! My wardrobe is now full of better fitting clothes, some new ankle boots and accessories. Not to mention the unbelievable new underwear sets that make my breasts look so much better then my old ones. To finish off, they'd taught me how to apply a bit of light make up.
I have to admit, I feel great!
I never went to Ethans bedroom for our study date out of sheer stubbornness and he never texted me either to see where I was. I got a D+ on my paper as a result, but It was totally my fault, I needed Ethans help but just couldn't bring myself to ask for it.
Ethan hasn't made any other snide comments about my clothes since Monday either, but I've caught him staring at me through his rear view mirror when we're on the school run trying to get a rise out of me, but I've just ignored him.
Finally Friday came around and Caleb had come back into school, it was nice to have him back, but I'd also decided that I wanted to make more of an effort to keep hanging out with the girls as well. I'd be a really crappy friend to turn my back on them and just sink back into my usual routine of just me and Caleb after they'd been so nice to me all week.
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"Hey, so this party tonight, what do you want to do about drinks? I asked Ethan if he'd buy some beers for us as I know he's never gets asked for I.D, but he told me to fuck off! Dunno what his problem is, he's been in a shit mood all week." Caleb says as we walk down the corridor on the way to class.
"Umm, I'm not sure, I could see if I could swipe some from home, but my mum will definitely notice if one of her bottles of wine is gone...I could ask Ethan, he might buy some if I asked? He'll be going to the party too, right?" I say, for some reason I start to feel a blush rising on my face.
"Nah, he's not going he said, It'll just be us", Caleb smiles. I force a smile back, but my shoulders involuntary sag with disappointment. What was wrong with me? Why did I even care if he was there or not? Hadn't I already decided that Ethan and I weren't going to work out?
"Oh...umm...I might ask the girls then if they want to come too? Is that OK? It's a party after all and the more the merrier yeah?" For some reason the idea of me being on my own, drunk at a darkened lake side party with just Caleb as company wasn't sitting well with me.
Caleb looks a little disappointed now, he scratches the back of his neck and gives out a small sigh, "Umm, well I thought when you asked me to go to the party, it was like on a ...but umm...yep, sure whatever you want."
Shit, he thought this was a date!
"Great, I'll come over to yours at 8pm." I said hurriedly before I turned on my heels and headed to class before the conversation got any more awkward.
...............
I've been getting ready for nearly two hours, which is literally stupid as the party is at night with not much light, but none the less i've changed my outfit several times over. Finally i've settled on a blue summer dress that shows a little cleavage and comes just above knee height paired with some flats. It's still warm, so I don't need a coat. I've left my hair down but I've added a few loose curls to it and some light make-up.
There's no alcohol in the house, so it looks like I'm going empty handed. I just hope that Caleb has had more luck getting some. Chloe, Amy and Isla are meeting us down at the lake, much to my relief. However as Cain's house is just a few getty's away from The Mavericks dock, it makes more sense for Caleb and I just to walk to the party from his house. So, I made my way up the path to the Mavericks house once more, repeatedly smoothing down my outfit, it was my first seniors party and I really wanted it to go well.
I walk through the backdoor straight into the kitchen to find Ethan dressed in shorts and a hoodie making a huge sandwich, every type of ingredients is spread across the work top. He has his headphones on and is quietly singing along to whatever tune he's listening to, so he's not heard me or looked up yet. I can't help but smile at him, even when he isn't trying to...god he really is sexy. I giggle a little louder when Ethan sings the chorus a little louder and out of tune which makes his eyes snap up from what he was doing and finally notice me. He whips his headphones off his ears and leaves them hanging around his neck, giving me a big sexy smile.
"Hey, great singing, do you do weddings?" I playfully say.
"Hey." He simply says back, his eyes wander down to look over my outfit and back to my face. His face loses his smile almost instantly and he looks at me seriously. "So you're still going to that party huh?" He mutters.
"Umm, well yeah...do I... do I look OK? I've not been to one before." I ask him shyly. I've never asked him to give me his opinion on how I look and I can tell I've taken him off guard.
Ethan's jaw tenses, he looks at me as if conflicted with what to say to me. He opens his mouth to speak, but I blurt out instead. "Why don't you come along too?" My face heats straight away, the words fell out before I could think of what I was saying.
"You want me to come?" Ethan frowns in confusion. "I thought you and Caleb were on one of your 'make out session' dates?" He grits out.
"No, no it's not like that, some of my other friends are coming too. Also we don't have 'make out dates' either, we're just friends, we've never even kissed!" I say truthfully, laughing off his remarks.
Ethan looks genuinely taken aback, he puts down his sandwich he was making and steps closer to me, "You and Caleb have never kissed? You've been going out for over a year, do you really think I believe that?"
"What are you talking about? Calebs not my boyfriend?" I counter.
Ethan just stares at me blinking, I can almost see the cogs moving in his brain. "But he says it all the time, he calls you "his girl", he's always going on about the dates you guys go on, you're always together, like all the fucking time." Ethan starts pacing the kitchen and runs a hand through his hair. "And he's always touching you, like hugging you and..."
"I don't know why Cal says those things to you." I try to reason, but Ethan still isn't satisfied.
Anger seems to flow through him now and he suddenly strides closer to me, "he stole condoms out of my bathroom a year ago, he made out to me that he needed them to be with you. Are you saying...are you saying you've never slept with him?"
I look down shuffling my feet, christ how did this conversation get so embarrassing so quickly. "Mia?" Ethan urges again, he isn't taking my silence as an answer.
"No, if you must know, I've never done anything, I've never even kissed anyone, OK?!"
Someone, please dig a hole and bury me now.
Ethan just stares at me, he opens his mouth and closes it as if trying to find the best words, the silence was deafening. Ethan runs a hand through his hair then over his face. "That lying prick" he mutters before he focuses back on me. My mind is like mush right now, has Caleb been telling everyone we're dating already? Is this why I never get approached by any guys at school?
"Listen, don't go tonight. Seriously, some of the guys who are going are total fucks and they will be making a beeline for someone like you, you have no experience with guys like that and how to handle them," he pleads.
"Someone like me?" I ask him sharply.
"Inexperienced, innocent...beautiful." Ethan says quietly. I was speechless, my lips part slightly and my heart started to race. I can't help but look down to Ethans lips then back to his piercing eyes that are fixed on me. "Mia..." He whispers as he steps even closer to me.
"Hey, you're here! Finally!" Caleb bursts into the kitchen shattering my moment with Ethan. I take a step back from Ethan and force a smile on my face to greet Caleb. "Let's get the party started baby! Wow Mia! You look really pretty!" Caleb sweeps me up into his arms and pulls me up off my feet into a tight hug, he smells of beer really strongly. I catch sight of Ethan returning over to the kitchen Island where his sandwich is and starts putting items back into the fridge and cupboards that he no longer needs, slamming the doors as he goes along whilst shooting Caleb daggers. If looks could kill, Caleb would be dead right now.
"Have you been drinking?" I raise an eyebrow at him as he sets me back down on my feet awkwardly. I stumble back a few steps till my back hits the kitchen island hard and I can't help but wince out in pain. Caleb moves forward and plants a hand either side of me so I'm pinned in and his face is close to mine.
"Yeah, I found some drinks of my dads, do you want to come up to my room and have some before we head to the party?" He looks down at me mischievously wiggling his eyebrows playfully.
Before I can reply, Caleb is pushed back off me hard by Ethan who looks furious.
"You're fucking pissed Caleb? You're supposed to be looking after Mia! How are you going to do that if you're shit faced already?" He spits out. Caleb's face is no longer smiling, he goes to push Ethan back but misses him when Ethan side steps making Caleb fall clumsily into the kitchen counter.
"Fuck off Ethan, the amount of times i've see you drunk, you seriously can't give me shit. Also Mia's my girl, of course I'll look after her. I intend to take really good care of her all fucking night if she lets me." He slurs, holding himself up against the kitchen island.
Fuck. He's wasted!
I step away from Caleb, looking down at my feet uncomfortably. 'My girl?!' How often does he say that to people? Also what the fuck does he mean that he'd, 'take care of me all night long'? Was Caleb planning to have sex with me?
"She's not going." Ethan snarls back at him. He's seething. "You can't even stand up for fuck sake".
"Let's ask Mia, what Mia wants to do!" Caleb sneers. Both brothers turn to me, waiting to see what side I'm going to take.
I give out a big sigh. "I want to go to the party, my friends are there waiting for me." Ethan looks annoyed, whilst Caleb now has a stupid smile on his face, thinking he has won, this just pisses me off.
"Firstly Caleb, I'm not 'your girl' that needs to be taken care of". That wipes Caleb's smile right off his face, but a satisfied one forms on Ethans lips instead.
"Secondly, you're way too drunk to even make it down the path to the lake, so you're staying here, i'm going to go by myself." I say as I fold my arms. Caleb eyebrows furrow, he looks mad, but he's also struggling to hold himself up, by the look in his eyes the room is certainly spinning right now for Caleb.
"And you." I bark at Ethan. "I know you think i'm just young and stupid, but I don't need you controlling what I wear, who and where I go OK! I can handle myself just fine." Ethan shakes his head in frustration, he grabs his plate with the sandwich he's just made and throws it into the bin where the plate smashes loudly making me jump, then strides out of the room.
"Come on Mia!" Caleb says pleadingly to me, but I shake my head, turn and run out of the door.
I'm getting sick of these brothers. I just want fun tonight!