This photo represents Ethan before getting involved with Kade VS Ethan after getting involved with Kade, lolll. You'll see.
Chapter 20
Several hours had passed and Rebekah was intoxicated. She'd consumed more alcohol than she could even remember; could even care to remember. All she was doing now, was living high off the feeling that the liquid spirit gave her. That even involved jumping up, and dancing with Kade Samuels around Ethan Riley's kitchen when he switched on a song on the video player which she swore she knew every word too, but managed to get at least ten of them wrong.
She couldn't lie, she felt she was having... fun. Even Kade's hands gripping her waist as they swayed managed to turn her on, and Rebekah was too bladdered to realise it was her drunken state playing games with her. Creating a barrier where she was unable to see what Kade had been doing to had been doing to her these last few months. Too oblivious to realise Kade had slipped an exctacy pill into her drink, and that's why she was acting this way. Common sense and responsibility had washed its way out of her conscience, and she genuinely believed that these boys right now were helping her loosen up a little.
Well, boy.
Ethan didn't bother to interfere with them. He watched as they giggled and pranced around his house like six year olds, having the time of their lives, then travelled over to his one seat sofa and had a steamy make- out session.
Ethan's eyes would skim over them as Kade groped her, his hands gliding up her tank top, squeezing at her breasts. Ethan was just as drunk as they were, but not in the same way. He was the way in which he sat and re-thank his life. Just like when he was sober, but a lot, a lot worse. His eyes were droopy, and kept closing, but the sound of Rebekah's screeching laugh managed to wake him up.
It was weird for him, seeing Kade this way. He knew he must have something up his sleeve, because Kade wasn't this type when he'd had a drink. Maybe he was trying to rile Rebekah up. Ethan wasn't too sure, but his face looked gratified for a split second. Either way, Ethan had consumed too much vodka from his fathers bar to recognise a truth from a lie, so it didn't really matter.
After a little while, Kade disappeared, and Rebekah sat watching the television, giggling at everything that popped up. It wasn't funny, not even the slightest, but Ethan found himself smiling at her reactions as he sat on the tile floor. Had to be the alcohol.
After about an hour of just sitting there, listening to Rebekah, Ethan found himself falling asleep against the wall. His eyes wouldn't stop closing shut, until he noticed a blue band lay on the ground, and he furrowed his eyebrows, attempting to reach for it.
" Rebekah," he slurred, but he fell trying to grasp the band, and Rebekah shot up from the sofa.
She exploded into hysteric laughter as Ethan tried to pick himself up from the floor. Rebekah rushed over to him, and he managed to stand up- wobbling, but holding the blue band in his fingers. His large figure towered her, and he leaned down to hold the band out.
" Is this yours?" Ethan asked.
Suddenly, Rebekah's happy face dropped, sagging instantly like a sack of potatoes. Ethan pulled his face back, and Rebekah snatched the band out of his hand.
" Yeah," she said, and her glowing cheeks turned pinker in embarrassment from harshly taking it from Ethan.
Ethan's expression didn't change from that flat line on his lips, and he sat back on the tile. He stared at Rebekah as she struggled to push the aqua band back on her wrist.
" It's pretty," Ethan couldn't stop himself from saying, and it was followed by a hiccup.
A struggled smile lifted onto Rebekah's face, and she joined Ethan on the white tile attached to his kitchen.
" Thank you," she said. " My mother got it for me."
Her veiny, green eyes were now holding some sort of melancholy as she stared at Ethan. She was rather close to him- closer than usual. He could make out every feature on her face. From the twinkle in her large, open eyes to the small unnoticed freckles on the bridge of her nose.
" You don't really talk much about your mom," he said, and Rebekah immediately turned and looked away from him. " I've never seen her before either."
God, the atmosphere in the room had changed drastically, and he glared at her intently as she removed the band, and started playing with it between her fingers.
" She died of Lymphoma Cancer when I was ten," Rebekah finally said, turning to look at him, and her eyes had brimmed with tears. She forced a smile onto her lips, but it was saddened. Ethan's eyes widened and he spluttered some nonsense before he could form a sentence.
" I'm sorry," he said,
" Don't be," she scoffed, but the laughter disappeared as quickly as it entered the room, as the low feeling lingered in the air. "We weren't really that close anyway. She was always away working with my father."
" Boo fucking hoo," They heard a voice mutter, and both Ethan and Rebekah's heads shot straight in its direction, noticing Kade slumped against the door.
Rebekah seen him rocking too and fro, attempting to grip the door frame, but he had a bottle of Jack Daniels whisky in his hands, so he was finding it rather difficult. When Rebekah turned to Ethan, she noticed his cheeks had flushed a deep red colour- like he'd been caught doing something she shouldn't be. Kade began stumbling towards them.
" At least your mom wanted to fucking know you." His slurring, deep voice filled the room, and his drowsy eyes attempting to stay open to look at Rebekah intimidatingly; they just seemed full of hate and resentment, but wouldn't stop closing.
This was such a contrast to how he'd been before. What had he taken? How had he changed?
Kade was swaying from side to side, and Rebekah recognised he was even more intoxicated by now- she knew she was drunk, but he couldn't even stand up straight. God knows what Kade would do when he's in this state. He was willing to bring up personal things- his own mother. And she knew for sure Kade Samuels wasn't one to spill emotions unless something drastic and wrong had happened.
Killing Joanne, for example...
" Hey, calm down." Ethan said, rising from the ground. "That's not nice, Man."
Rebekah nearly fell of the small tile she was sat on as all the air was knocked from her lungs in complete and utter shock. Ethan Riley, a boy who had joined in on emotionally torturing her for a long period of time now, standing up to his best friend for her. It must've been the alcohol. They'd had too much of it- Rebekah included. These boys were in this together.
Kade's expression suddenly changed, a flash off anger sprawled over his eyes until it completely vanished and was replaced with a devious, crooked grin. Rebekah had tears falling down her face already- she didn't know whether it was the Gin, the upbringing of her mother, or Kade's harsh words.
Ethan continued eyeing Kade, who now erupted into hysterical laughter. Once he started, he couldn't stop. Large cackles of cruelness. His drunken breath reeked, reaching Ethan's nostrils, and Ethan furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
" What's so funny?" Ethan asked, his lips pressed into a straight line. His eyes wandered slightly from the drink, but now, he felt more sober than Rebekah and Kade combined. He didn't find Kade amusing by the looks on his serious face, and Rebekah couldn't peel her eyes from this brave boy. Why was he doing this?
Kade finished his laughter off with a goofy, drunken sound that was squelchy. He wiped away his invisible tears, then his bloodshot eyes met Ethan's. His smile was ravishingly evil; he definitely had something in store.
" You care about The Slut, don't you?" Kade sniggered cruelly, holding his belly from the aching cackle he continued to add.
Oh no. This couldn't be good.
Rebekah looked up frightfully, and noticed Ethan's face burning with even more with embarrassment. His cheeks were so pink, and his eyes began to flicker. They reached Rebekah's, but quickly looked away when he seen her staring up at him. He tried to push the worry from his expression by scoffing.
" No I don't," Ethan muttered, turning his eyes away from Kade's mocking ones, his face still a deep shade of crimson red.
Kade pounced at him like a Lion attacking it's pray, and surprisingly yanked Ethan's arm towards him, throwing the Jack Daniels, and using the other to grip his shirt. Rebekah's green eyes widened in horror from this sudden reaction.
" Yes you fucking do!" Kade now roared, completely juxtaposing his joyful, sarcastic mood he had moments ago. " Admit it."
Something strange sparked inside Rebekah, and she felt the need to stand up too and defend Ethan. It may have been the feeling of the alcohol- almost reckless under the influence of the spirit, just like Kade and Ethan were, and Rebekah stormed right to Ethan's side.
" Leave him alone!" Rebekah whined, and Ethan and Kade turned to her, both sharing the same look on their faces. Whilst Ethan's remained stunned, his green eyes stretching so much that the skin may slit, Kade's twisted into something dark.
He ignored Rebekah, and moved his dangerous eyes back to Ethan. Rebekah knew for sure he had something in mind by the way he eyed his best friend. The way he held him between his large hands that were an abusive burgundy shade. Ethan spoke before Kade could say anything else.
" Why would I care about her?" He forced out, trying to pull his arm away, but Kade's grip got tighter as all his drunken weight lay on it. "It's not like I even think she's pretty."
Ouch.
Rebekah felt her face drop in some sort of sadness from this comment, and she stepped away from the two boys. She tried to shake this unordinary feeling off, but it seemed to be attached to her emotions.
" Did you fucking forget the amount of times this bitch has looked at us like we're shit?" Kade asked him quietly, but then rose his voice again. "Like we don't mean anything!"
" I said I don't like her!"
" Stop fucking lying to me, I can tell!" Kade was screaming so loud, and throughout all his outbursts, Rebekah had never seen him this infuriated, and frustrated. It was insane how fast his mood changed; he was fearless and crazy- Kade needed serious help. Veins were protruding from his neck and his forehead, and spit flew through the air like a bird in the sky. It was disgusting to look at.
Ethan was scared- Rebekah could tell. His black pupils had shrunk, and his skin had paled so much he didn't even look real. This was the strangest sight ever; Ethan Riley afraid. Of his own best friend. His body was slumped back as Kade still held his arm and clothing. It was silent for a few moments, and all you could hear was Rebekah's quick breathing, and Kade's nostrils puffing air out fiercely.
Kade closed his eyes for a moment, and tried to slow down his aggressive breathing. He then opened his eyes to witness Ethan staring at him with open emerald eyes.
" If you didn't, you wouldn't have complained at me for making her get those piercings." Kade said calmly, closing his eyes again. " I got them for you, not for me. Remember that."
" You better take them out,"
Rebekah had known Ethan was for some reason mad about the piercings, but never did she even think it was because he liked her. That was ridiculous. You don't treat people this way if you care about them- Kade was losing it. If he hadn't already.
" You never join in on the shit I do. You sit there like a sad, lost puppy. It's fucking ridiculous." Kade said grimly.
Ethan didn't say a word.
Rebekah wanted to speak. Ask what this was about, but she knew it was a bad idea. Ethan just bowed his eyes against the ground, and Kade awaited a response that was never coming.
When he realised Ethan was too ashamed to say anything, he spoke.
" I'm going out," he spat. " I can't even stand to look at any of you right now. You're both pathetic, you deserve each other."
Kade slung his shirt back, and Ethan quickly brought himself together. Rebekah watched with frightful turquoise eyes as Kade fell out of the room. Her breathing was hitched, and her heartbeat was more erratic than ever before. She slowly placed herself back on the tile.
They both stayed silent until the door slammed shut, and Ethan closed his eyes, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and ruffling his hand through his dirty blonde hair.
He sat back down on the tile, and Rebekah's eyes followed him. Ethan sat a large distance away from her, and before she knew it, she was scooting over to his side.
Rebekah looked at him sadly before placing her hand in his arm; she couldn't stop herself. "Are you okay, Ethan?"
" Don't touch me," Ethan snapped, his body writhed as he pried her hands off of his bicep and moved his body further to the end of the tile so that he was touching the wall.
For some odd reason, Rebekah's heart sank, and her eyes which were streaked with red veins from the alcohol, filled with tears.
" But, Ethan-" she whined, but her slurred voice was interrupted instantly.
" Go home, Rebekah ," Ethan demanded, his narrowed eyes not daring to look at her. " Just leave me alone, I want to be left alone."
Rebekah felt as another deeper pain shot through her chest, and she waited a moment for him to tell her he didn't mean it, but his emotionless face didn't move a muscle. She didn't allow those stupid tears to fall down her cheeks as she picked up her bag from his sofa, and began walking towards the door.
She turned back once more, and his face looked like it was ready to burst. If Rebekah didn't know him well enough, she'd think he was sad about something. But she did know him, and she knew just because he defended her, doesn't mean he had feelings like everybody else does.
So instead, she rotated back, and headed out the front door.