Thursday morning I received a text from Ethan saying he was already waiting for me at the front of my house, sending me to scurry out to the driveway. While poking his head out of the Jeep's window, Ethan watched me stride to him with a huge smile on his face.

I stared at him happily, returning his smile and sliding into the front seat before I pulled the door shut and buckled up. Ethan seemed cheerful, singing along to a song that was playing on the radio and tapping his fingers rhythmically on the steering wheel.

"You're in a good mood," I commented.

"I'm always like this whenever I get to see you," he answered, as he pulled out of the driveway.

A sheepish smile found its way on my face. "Except that one day which you seemed a bit off."

"I don't want to remember." he glared at me briefly. "Drop it," he demanded, then focused on the road.

"Okay, jeez. You don't have to be all grumpy." I glanced out of the window, watching the rainwater pools along the curbs. I must've been sound asleep when the rain started last night.

"Kaleb says hi." The sudden mention of the infamous name pulling my face back to look at him.

A feeling of unease rose up from the pit of my stomach wanting to shake my peaceful morning. I had forgotten that Kaleb insisted to come to pick me up today. He would kill me if he saw me showing up to school with Ethan again. The realization hit me and it caused me to become more panic.

"He was at my house?" I pretended to be oblivious but unable to keep the surprise from my voice. "What did he say to you?"

"Just wanted to borrow your homework. I told him to fuck off right away," Ethan replied while keeping his gaze straight ahead.

"That's all?" I asked him again, feeling a little relieved.

Ethan's jaw set tightly and his Adam's apple moved as he swallowed. "I'm sorry, there are no romantic words he left for you."

"It's not funny," I scolded him, meaning it.

A smirk took up his whole face. "It's funny."

"No, it's not," I retorted with a playful slap on his shoulder to which Ethan snapped his head to me.

"Hey, look at you, getting all violent now." He broke into a chuckle, the amused gleam in his eyes told me he was enjoying himself teasing me.

Ethan and I got out of the Jeep after he parked at his usual spot. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and together we walked toward the school building. Normally, the area would be crowded but now, it began to drizzle, the area was deserted. Cautiously, I peered for you-know-who and made sure I kept a close distance with the quarterback just in case - for protection.

"Remember what I had said to you yesterday?" Ethan reminded me as he reached out for my wrist.

I halted and my gaze turned up to meet his. "Do we have to do this now, Ethan?" I asked with a groan.

He laughed at my reluctance. "Of course! And we will keep doing it until you have unshakable self-confidence to live your high school years to the fullest. Quit whining I want to hear it quick."

A better idea came to mind almost immediately. "Um, how about you...repeat those words for me? Just for today, please, Ethan, please," I pleaded and put on a begging face.

"Alright." Ethan cleared his throat and brought his hands to my neck, his eyes pinning me. We were almost recreating what had happened the day before.

"Andrew Landry, you're the kindest and the most innocent person out of the people I know. You don't deserve to feel that you're not good enough to be my friend because you're the best friend I could ever ask for and for fuck's sake, you need to love and appreciate yourself more often, man. You don't have to seek validation from others to feel worthy," he told me.

I had been grinning throughout the time Ethan shared his innermost thoughts on me and hearing those comforting words again really made me feel less shitty and more empowered.

"Thank you, Ethan. I'll be sure to remember that," I promised.

Shortly after I caught his gaze had fallen to my lips causing the strange feeling returned to bubble in my stomach. When Ethan wet his own kissable lips with his tongue, my breath hitched, and watching his handsome face lowered towards mine got me extremely anxious.

"Now, why don't we skip the first period and head back to my Jeep and fuck?" Ethan suggested with a smirk. I swear I nearly dropped dead.

Did Ethan Cushing just offer to devirginize me?

A finger snap from Ethan made me step back. I sent him a confused look while I tried to figure out what had just happened.

"Hey, You okay? You seem to be drifting away for a moment," Ethan asked seriously.

"Oh, uh, I'm good," I stammered awkwardly.

What the f - I just had a messed up daydream about us.

"Come on, we're going to be late for Gilinsky's class," Ethan reminded me and the two of us walked side by side off of the parking space.