The cool metal of my phone doesn't aid my tornado-stricken chest. Same old tunes play on it, and I'm still unable to pick it up.
Dylan leans in with squinted eyes at the screen. His brows relax, while mine remain wrinkled.
He elbows me-- making me nod a bit too hard.
Swiping on the green circle and immediately touching the speaker option, I hope my catering heart doesn't ring. The phone lies down on my straightened palm.
"Hullo..."
"Oh thank God, you picked up! I thought that maybe..." Ethan's voice comes out as relieved as a ballerina taking off her shoes after a two hour show.
"Well..." the words that are supposed to come out of me pat me on the back and turn around the corner.
"Look, I know you're angry with me-- and that's understandable. I was being an arse..."
"Ethan..."
"I shouldn't have all those things I said. What you tell and don't tell is not my decision, and I should understand that as a friend..."
I interrupt.
"Ethan..."
"I wanted to talk about all this stuff-- hell, Als's been nagging on me the entire time too. You won't believe how much she's started to favour you."
"I don't always..." another voice glides in-- Allison's.
"We'll talk about your discrimination later, Als. Now my full attention's on this call."
"That's because it's Lindsey--"
"Shut it, you.
Oh and I've got Als on speaker with me, if you don't mind."
Dylan glances at me, before looking at the phone again. Meanwhile, I plan on thinking about the last part later-- hopefully.
Instead, I change the subject:
"No, it's all right. I've got Dylan too."
"Wait-- really? Oh, that's good-- fantastic even.
"Okay onto the topic-- I'm sorry I didn't say this earlier. I wanted to tell you at school, but I didn't want any drama-- we've had enough of that.
And then I went over to Edenfield-- and the guard at the gates said you'd told them to not let me in through the intercom. So, yeah... got a big realisation of being screwed all over."
What?
I lean forward.
Both Dylan and I turning to meet each other's gaze-- him asking through his eyes if I did that and me whispering that I didn't.
"Are you sure about that?" Dylan asks.
"Well, yeah. Jared and Luke-- I think those were the names-- said that. I mean-- sure, that was... unexpected..."
"Can you hold for a second, please."
At this, Dylan takes out his own phone from the coat pocket and dials away.
Ethan and Allison stay silent on the other line, while my mouth is slightly agape.
After finishing his call, he puts the phone back.
"Apparently, Jared's saying that he got an intercom call to not let these two in anymore. From you," he faces me in a voice loud enough for the hung callers.
I straighten my lips into a narrow line and shake my head.
"This one's almost like your letters disappearing..."
An image of a girl-- of my age comes into my mind-- running around a forest with a small orb as her only source of hope. Then another comes.
It's of me screaming on this hill.
My stomach drops-- as if I'm on top of some bloody rollercoaster-- despite me not wanting for it to.
"Well, I just thought that Ethan meant was screwed, but now it looks like my ship's been saved by a homicidal sociopath. Yay!" Allison cheers on the other line.
"There is no ship, I repeat, no ship! Why do you always make things harder than even the concept of turbulence!"
"And... I was trying to study physics before this phone call... so yeah..."
Meanwhile, redness taints my ears, and Dylan holds back a chuckle.
He shuts up at my glaring at him.
The birds on the nest atop of us start chirping. While my back hits the bark behind-- resulting in a few stray leaves to fall down. The warmth of my ears lessens.
"All right, back to the topic. I'm handing the mic back to you, Ethan B. Ingram."
Before I can swipe in, Ethan retorts,
"Oi, enough of the B threat.
Lindsey, Dylan, listen up. My middle name is Bluebell!" his voice becomes a tad bit fainter, as if he's leaned back.
"Guys, I already knew what B stands for ..." I trail off, while Dylan sniggers in a hushed tone. Though, he doesn't comment.
"Wait, really? But I never told you."
"He chokes at the mention of bluebells, Al. I can put two and two together."
Something close to a sudden intake of breath resounds from the other line, as the phone wobbles in my hands.
"Okay, you guys are talking more than that painter next to me during the flight.
Now, what were you going to say, Ethan?" Dylan tries to gather us all into one chorus.
Balancing the phone, my free hand's nails try to dig into the ground-- but it somehow ends up spiraling on it.
My legs become stiff-- waiting for a reply. Allison and Ethan don't say anything.
Just as my legs slump, they come to their previous position at hearing what is said next.
"I'm sorry for the fight. I was just mad at what Ian had said, and I didn't want to drag you and Als into something like that...
Ian started talking to you, because he thought that'd annoy me-- you being friends with me and all."
Dylan glances at me at the mention of Trevor. I shrug it off and lean forward.
"I didn't respond. Thought it was worthless and that he'd stop after a while. But he didn't. I guess childhood fights sometimes get too childish..." He sighs, and I can almost imagine him running a hand through his hair.
"I was going to ignore him again. Walk away. I'm ready to swear that I was."
"I'll take your word for it without you swearing, you know," I interrupt without thinking.
"Thanks...
"But... but then he said that, and I just blew up. Eric then held me back, while Lefou held his Gaston.
"I won't deny that all the things that came out of my mouth during that fight weren't thoughts I already had. But I admit they came out harsher than they should've."
Something inside urges me to ask what that means, but the hearing the latter part... it makes me want to not ask.
"I'm sorry, but what was that?" Dylan narrows his eyes at the phones and folds his arms. Though, he seems calmer than he was before.
"He... He said something like that."
"Ethan, this isn't Tumblr where everyone knows what that means..."
I graze and comb the strands of hair on my face back. Pursing my lips.
"To be honest, even I don't know what he said."
My free finger tips scratch the cheeks-- thinking. Those finger tips then travel to the back of my neck-- pressing at it.
"I mean-- I don't want to come off as a fake knight in shining armour. Though, it'd be more like a rusted armour. Considering the outcome," his voice directs itself to me.
I roll my eyes at the knight part.
I want to, but...
"Maybe, we all have had our fair share of suspense, dear knight in rusted armour(as you prefer)." The tips of my teeth stay at my lips.
Ethan sucks in a breath.
"He... He called you a stubbornantisocialbitch," he says that in one go while my brows knit before understanding.
"I mean-- he even bloody got his terms wrong. You're asocial, not antisocial. The last word was just ignorant and stubbornness, if kept within a limit, is good even. And yours is in that limit."
The hand holding my phone lowers, as disbelief envelops me. My other hand, however, slips down to the ground again.
I jerk away the comment from my mind.
That's why he never wanted to tell me...
"Sorry for interrupting, but which fucking arsehole called my little sister that!" Dylan indignantly jolts up in his seat.
Tiredly, I flick the hand at him and droop my eyelids.
"Ignorant pricks aren't worth getting riled up for."
"Plus, my cousin also gave him a black eye and also got a broken nose for it so..." Allison trails off, presumably stopping on Ethan's behalf.
Dylan's shoulders relax, as he tilts his head.
"Really, Ethan?"
Ethan and Allison whisper to each other-- more like Ethan grunting and Allison saying something like wingwoman.
Though, that can be just my imagination...
But the eventual response is a quiet yes.
My eyes stay on Dylan as he leans and says himself,
"Well, you've officially gotten my seal of approval."
I huff and almost wish I could fold both of my arms across my chest.
"Why on earth are you giving a seal of approval."
"Well, you never know what'll happen in the future..."
"Dylan!"
He holds up his hands at my blaring at him and plays innocent.
"I think I'll just dig my grave of embarrassment right now. Thank you very much." Some shuffling, Allison's protests and Ethan's grumbling echoes.
I'd have rolled my eyes if somebody had said this'd happen earlier today...
As if a light bulb decides to flicker on, Ethan changes the subject,
"So... am I forgiven? Despite what my cousin and your brother are concocting, I... I want to be your friend."
This time, my arm unfolds itself. A grin, along with a pit of nervousness, ambles onto my face
"On two conditions. About both of you two."
Dylan blinks at me, and I presume the cousin-- no, know the cousins have the same expressions.
"What?" the cousins ask simultaneously.
"I want you two to forgive me for... being too secretive."
"And Ethan, you'll never use fists where words can wound much deeper."
A single nestling tweets, making me look up at it.
Allison is the first to exclaim,
"Of course! Oh, change my middle name from Victoria to Forgiveness while you're at it, too!"
Ethan's voice, on the other hand, comes more steadily than I expect.
"Yes, yes I do, and I'll never do that."
A breath escapes me, one that even my own respiratory system doesn't know of. The nervousness drowns itself, too.
"By the way, can we stop saying that. It's irking me."
The sound of a facepalm naggs on the line.
"I second on that."
To my surprise, Dylan vouches at my side.
Turning to him, I mention with my lips pulled to the side,
"You two sure do agree a lot with each other. Might give someone the wrong idea."
Dylan's jaw drops, while Allison huffs. Both of them chide,
"Absolutely not!"
Ethan and I chortle at their expense. An actual one. My brother and best friend then calm down at that.
"Hardy har har, real funny.
Now that everything's cleared up, what're we going to do next? I mean-- what now?"
Still grinning, I actually start to think what we can do... It's not like we have much to do.
"We can all go for some ice-cream?" Dylan suggests with a grin matching mine.
"Ice-cream?"
"Isn't that where all teenager go when they're bored? Or is this more of a generation gap thing?"
"Nah, that's actually a good idea," Allison titters, "What about you two?"
"Ah, fine by me. Lindsey?"
"If we're having a friendly union, then don't we invite Mr Alam too," sarcasm laces my voices, but in a more casual manner than usual.
Dylan laughs. "Let him spend a Sunday with his family, Linds."
"Mr Alam?" Allison asks.
Oh right... they don't know.
Doubt grips me by the wrist. But then my subconscious slaps it away and gives me a nudge.
Well, thank you for being supportive once in a while...
"Mr Alam is Dylan's friend and my bodyguard."
The two of them laugh.
But stop doing so at Dylan and I not answering.
"You two aren't joking?"
"Yep. I'll tell you once at Ruby Violet," I say nonchalantly.
"Um... sure. Meet you two there in an hour?"
"Pretty much, yeah."
I'm about to turn off the speaker mode, when Ethan's voice comes out,
"Ah, Lindsey."
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for listening."
With that, the line drops. Along with my phone's battery.
Despite the battery dying, I smile.
While Dylan brushes himself-- standing up. He pulls at the sides of his coat, walking out of the circle of the tree's shadow. His gaze lingers on the swaying daffodil.
"Thanks, Dylan." He whips his head around at my sudden gratitude.
Putting the phone into my pocket, I stand up-- still under the patched light.
"I... I don't think I'd have been able to... you know..."
He stares at me. Before shaking his head. Smiling. He takes a look down the hill-- before saying,
"I love you like I'd love my own daughter, Linds. I hope you know that."
With thumbs hooked in pockets, I walk out of the shadow. The weight of something invisible slumping my shoulders. A strong gust of wind blazes through.
Just as I step out of the shadows, trying to form words, a branch from above cracks and falls to my seat. My feet rush ahead-- with Dylan also fumbling to my side.
"The wind wasn't so strong to knock out a branch..."
"Was there a storm last night? The storm may have broken the branch and loosened after the wind."
My gaze climbs up to the nest-- safe and sound and chirping.
Whisking around, I want to say something meaningful-- something sincere. Like what he said before the damned branch.
Instead, I say,
"Yeah, there was..."
Btw, CAN YOU GUYS BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE THIS BOOK'S STARTED!!!
GAH, HAPPY BELATED 31 JULY!
AND WE HAVE REACHED 15K READS OMG OMG OMG
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOANNE AND HARRY! ♡
Now that I've pulled my excitedness away, let me just laugh because everyone in the last chapter said that the caller wouldn't be Ethan and then... XD
Oh and the GIF in the middle is of Meryem Uzerli. I saw this GIF the other day, and it reminded me of the expression Lindsey makes in my head. XD
Plus, I love Meryem. ♡
Music: Hürrem's Lullaby Part II
Anyways, I hope that everything about the feud is now crystal clear in everyone's heads.
And... I've been having some problem with my media... so yeah. That's why I'm even more late than usual.
Remember when I once told you all in an AN that one 15 year old's favourite flower is foreshadowing? (In chapter 'For the First Time: Part III)
I was referring to this chapter.
Ethan's favourite flowers are purple and blue hyacinths which mean 'constancy' and 'apology'. ;)
Anyhow, here's this week's question:
Thoughts on the Lindsey and Ethan?
P. S. This is a DOUBLE update.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
THIS IS A DOUBLE UPDATE.
Be sure to vote on both parts if you enjoyed them!
Love,
MS Zame