MIA
" Likewise, what the fuck are you also doing here?!"
I rushed down the stairs, my heart pounding with a mixture of surprise and relief that the pain hadn't struck me at that moment. The sound of Jackson's voice, laced with anger, arguing with Ethan caught me off guard. It was a tone I wasn't accustomed to hearing from him.
It was kind of hot, though.
"Mia," Ethan announced my presence, causing another pairs of brown eyes to fixate on me.
I swallowed hard. "What are you doing here, Ethan?" I tried to act calm, folding my arms and meeting his gaze head-on.
His eyes furrowed. "I heard you weren't feeling well, so I came because I was worr-"
Jackson scoffed, cutting him off before he could finish. "Worried?" His jaw clenched. "Says the guy who ditched her on her fucking date!" He almost shouted, his anger barely contained.
Ethan glared at him, stepping towards Jackson. "Look here-"
I quickly stepped between them, blocking Ethan's path.
"That's enough, Ethan," I said firmly. He seemed defeated. "Mia, I can explain about the date. Please, just listen to me," he pleaded, a mix of desperation and remorse in his eyes. He had tried to contact me, but I wasn't in the mood to talk to him.
I can't believe I'm about to do this.
I turned to Jackson, who still had a fierce glare fixed on Ethan. He looked so angry, and I couldn't blame him.
Reaching out, I gently touched his clenched hand. He glanced down at me, and his gaze softened.
"It's okay, I'll be fine. You should go, okay?" I said softly.
I felt his hand tighten for a moment before he let go. "Okay," he mumbled, giving me a warm smile.
I withdrew my hand as he walked away, gathering his belongings from the living room. I could sense Ethan's gaze lingering from the moment I calmed Jackson down to him packing his things.
Jackson returned from his preparations to leave, his bag slung over his shoulder as he approached me. His eyes still held a glare towards Ethan, and I suspected Ethan was doing the same.
"Are you sure?" he asked, uncertainty lacing his words.
"Yeah, I'm sure," I replied, giving him a brief smile to assure him that he needn't worry.
It's my problem, so I should handle it.
I started to step aside, creating space for him so he wouldn't have to look at Ethan and get angry, but he held onto my arm.
Confusion washed over me as I stared at him, but it quickly turned to shock as his soft lips suddenly pressed against my cheek.
It happened so fast.
"I'll call you later," he whispered into my ear, causing my heart to momentarily stop.
"O-Okay," I stammered, whispering back to him as he gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch made me feel dizzy and excited all at once.
I knew he did it to rattle Ethan, and there wasn't much more to it.
But...
He smirked, a satisfied expression on his face, and then left the house, leaving me alone with a very upset Ethan, who had witnessed everything.
Oh boy.
My eyes turned back to Ethan, and I could see a mix of frustration, anger, and sadness etched on his face.
"I'm listening," I said gently, sensing that he wasn't quite ready to speak.
"Mia, I..." He hesitated, sighing deeply as he ran his hand through his curls.
"My mom was rushed to the hospital that night. I got a call, and I freaked out. I went straight there, and everything else just slipped my mind."
Oh.
"How's she doing?" I asked, taking a step closer to him, genuine concern for his mother filling my voice. I always thought his mom was a lovely woman, having seen her during my visits to their house for studying.
He smiled lightly. "She's okay. My dad overreacted, turns out she just overslept."
I sighed, torn. "Ethan..." I began, my voice tinged with a mix of understanding and frustration, "I get what you were dealing with, but you can't leave a girl hanging like that. I was so confused and lost. I even cried while looking for you."
I wasn't angry with him, but I needed him to understand how his absence had affected me.
But in a strange way, I was also grateful.
His absence gave me a chance to spend time with Jackson.
"I understand," Ethan interrupted my thoughts, his voice filled with remorse. I noticed he was still in his school uniform, indicating he had come straight from school.
"I'm really sorry. Please forgive me. I'll make it up to you on our next date," he said, his eyes filled with hope, believing he still had a chance.
I took a deep breath. "Ethan, it's okay. I forgive you. In fact, let's leave it all in the past, okay?"
He nodded, a smile breaking across his face.
"But..." I trailed off, hesitating, "I'm done with dating for now." His shoulders slumped, and a frown creased his brow.
"I messed up that bad, huh?" He didn't need my response; the disappointment in his voice said it all.
"It's okay," he managed a smile, though I could tell it was forced. "I understand. But don't think I'll give up on trying to win your heart, Mia Smith."
His words should have stirred something within me, but they didn't.
My heart beat on as usual.
Was something wrong with me?
I shook my head, offering a faint smile. "Until then, I-"
"You have to be joking," Miles' voice cut through the air, changing the atmosphere. I noticed him standing by the door, dressed more formally than usual.
My lips parted, ready to explain, but before I could, Miles threw a punch, landing it squarely on Ethan's eye.
Ouch. That must've hurt.
"Miles!" I shouted, rushing to his side, grabbing his arm to stop him from throwing another punch. My gaze immediately fell on Ethan, who now looked worse for wear.
"Ethan, please leave," I pleaded, my voice filled with urgency.
"You're still here! Get the fuck out of my house, and if I see you here again, you'll be lucky I didn't mess up your face," Miles glared at him, radiating anger. Ethan trembled slightly before getting up and running away from our house.
"Really? Mia, after what he did to you, you allowed him here?" I had never seen Miles so upset.
"He was trying to explain. His mom is sick, and he heard she was in the hospital," I quickly explained, hoping it would ease his anger.
"Even so, Mia, you don't just leave a girl alone in a place she doesn't know. Do you know what could've happened if I hadn't called Jackson?"
"I know, I just..." I winced as pain shot through my stomach.
"Sorry, let me take you to the couch," Miles said, placing his hand on my shoulder, helping me walk.
"How did you even manage to stay alone with the pain?" he asked, before realization dawned on him. "Did he stay with you?!" he blurted out, assuming it was Ethan.
"No, Jackson did!" I blurted out, realizing my mistake.
"Jackson?" Confusion filled Miles' face for a moment before a sly grin appeared. "Jackson, huh?"
"Shut up," I mumbled, feeling my cheeks flush, remembering the warmth of his lips on my cheek.
"You guys should just date," Miles said, heading upstairs.
"Hey! We're just... friends," I replied, my voice catching as I said the word 'friends.' But we were... I mean, friends do kiss each other on the cheek, right?
Yep, they do. So don't overthink it, Mia."Don't let your mind wander too much, Mia," Miles chuckled. "But wait, it means he skipped school?"
I nodded.
"Hold on," he paused, resting his hands on the stair railing. "He stayed with you, taking care of you like a boyfriend would?"
"Well, not exactly like a boyfriend..." I stammered.
"Did he buy you sweets?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
I nodded again.
"Did he make something for you to eat?" he continued his interrogation.
Once again, I nodded.
"Did he try to make you feel better despite the pain?" I blushed, recalling his strong arms holding me tightly as we slept.
Miles sighed, shaking his head. "You're a lost case, Mia," he muttered, before climbing upstairs.
"Hey, what did I..." I began, but before I could finish, Maddy burst into the house with Ariel and Sydney following closely behind, still in their school uniforms.
"We're home!" Maddy exclaimed, her cheerful voice filling the room.
"Hey, Mia, look what we got you!" Ariel's eyes sparkled with excitement as she ran towards me, followed closely by Sydney. Maddy dashed straight to the kitchen, undoubtedly searching for something delicious to snack on.
"Guys, you really shouldn't have," I said, my smile warm and grateful.
"It's no big deal, actually. We got your absolute favorite-strawberry cheesecake," Ariel said, beaming. Her smile quickly turned curious as she noticed another package on the table.
"Oh, how did this get here?"
"Um... Miles bought it," I quickly lied, trying to keep my composure.
"Oh, Mia, why do I smell mac and cheese coming from the kitchen?" Maddy asked, walking into the living room.
"I made it," I lied again, hoping to convince her.
She frowned and rolled her eyes. "You can't cook, Mia. Nice try."
My mind raced, desperately searching for another lie that wouldn't reveal Jackson's presence, but I couldn't come up with anything. Just then, Miles came downstairs, now dressed in his comfortable home attire.
"Alright, Mia, let's dig into what Jackson got for you. I'm starving," he said, trailing off as he realized he had blurted out yet another slip of the tongue.
"Jackson?!" Sydney, Ariel, and Maddy exclaimed simultaneously. It felt like my eardrums were about to burst.
"How?"
"When?"
"Is that why he didn't come to school?"
They bombarded me with questions, leaving my head spinning.
"Sorry, Mia," Miles smirked, sneaking a piece of cheesecake before darting off to his room.
He's definitely going to pay for this later!
.....