My heart beat excitedly and I couldn't stop smiling like a fool. The warm evening wind slapped me in the face, brushing my short, wavy hair making it flail wildly in all directions as I rode my bicycle following a familiar route to Cushing's residence.

I'm guessing you might have a few questions from where we left off yesterday. Soon after Steve and Charlie managed to save me from the mortifying bullying incident and having Kaleb forcibly retreat, a lot of stuff happened.

For the sake of my safety, they asked me to spend my lunch break in the drama room and I got a chance to see them working on the props for their upcoming play in person. Also, Charlie taught me how to paint a prop sword to look more realistic which lead to me having a sword fight with Steve.

In the meantime, I had to persuade both of the guys not to say anything about Kaleb's aggressive outburst to Ethan until at least after the game since I wasn't going to let this insignificant thing about me to become a possible source for his distraction for tonight's match.

I slowed down my bike until I came to a halt in front of a creamy-white single-story house and called out to a woman who was sitting on her front porch swing. "Hey, Jen!"

"Andrew!" Jen greeted me back with a pleasant smile. "Oh, how I've missed you. It's been quite a while since I last saw you."

Once I stepped on her porch, Jen walked over and pulled me into a tight embrace. The woman is a stunner even in her forties, and she almost has the exact same features as her son, especially the dark brown hair and the striking green eyes.

Jen looked up at me, seemingly drinking up my form. "Look at you, how fast you've grown up! You're a handsome young man now."

I thanked her and put up a smile of gratification. "And you don't look a day older than thirty."

"Now don't be silly." Jen slapped my shoulder with a laugh.

"Is Ethan home yet?" I questioned her for certainty, although I'd already seen her son's Jeep in the garage. He should've been home from practice by now.

"In his room. Go on, make yourself at home," Jen said, gesturing me to the door.

I thanked her again before I walked inside and went up the stairs to Ethan's bedroom. Just the thought that we were going to meet created anticipation even after just a couple hours of not seeing each other.

As I got to the front of his room, a noise of grunts and huffs caught my ear. I had a naughty thought of what he might be doing but there was no way he would be stupid enough to leave the door ajar while doing it. Ethan is not a careless person, or so I told myself.

I tried not to make a sound as I peeked inside, only to see him performing squats while holding two dumbbells up above his shoulders. I was relieved my thought was wrong and for some mysterious reason, I couldn't seem to take my eyes off his topless body.

Little beads of sweat dripped from his broad back to the waistband of his short shorts. My curious eyes didn't stop there, they drifted lower, taking in his athletic thighs, his calf muscles, and finally the tight shorts he wore which was clearly too small in hiding the outline of his member.

I had seen Ethan shirtless numerous times before yet, instead of blatantly staring, I only would steal a glance at his body because I was extremely shy and insecure and for that reason, I rather admire his physique discretely just like any other normal guy would do.

I lost track of how long I'd been watching him working out before I eventually came to my senses when a wave of shame rose up inside me. All at once, I pushed the feeling at the back of my head then stormed into the room.

Ethan snapped towards the door, eyebrows raised after he realized it was me. "Hey buddy, how's it going?"

I began to look around the room, rather than answering him. It was fairly clean with light cream walls, a charcoal colored curtain draping the window, and there was a green mint carpet on the floor which matched nicely with his greenish-gray bedding. Everything looked the same as the last time I was here.

"Elle has been buzzing my phone all evening about you. Where did you go?" I made up a lie and sat down on his double bed.

Frowning, Ethan put the dumbbells down and hastened to check on his phone on the nightstand. "That's weird 'cause I just got off the phone with her."

"Well, um, er, she must have lied to get me here," I stammered.

"Ah, I see. You wanna go over to your grandma's house without meeting me for one last time," Ethan muttered in an accusatory tone.

I chuckled slightly at his pout. "Aw, are you sulking now?"

Ethan placed his phone down and moved to stand towering before me, his lips curving into a suggestive smirk. "If I am, then what you're gonna do to make it up to me, hm?"

It took everything in me not to stare at his protruding shorts and it didn't help at all when his front region was at my eye level. Needless to say, the situation made me feel a fluttering in my stomach.

"Nothing." My voice trembled nervously.

Learning that, Ethan rolled his eyes, walking away from me to grab a towel on the rail. "I gotta take a shower."

With his back facing me, Ethan casually pulled down his shorts to show off his bare bottom. As if on reflex, I quickly tore my eyes away but seconds later, I took a peek at his naked frame again, and yes, his cheeks are truly glorious to gaze upon.

Ethan turned his head to look back at me, amusement written on his face to suggest he was doing it to tease me, and shortly, my best friend went into the bathroom with his butt jiggled in full view on the way there.