Our Toxic Love

Chapter Fifty One

-Ethan's POV-

It's Tuesday.

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that Nathan is fucking cheating on Ariana. I really can't.

I'm just thinking about how I haven't seen Matt yet when I spot Nathan making his way to his locker.

"Davis," I call out.

I see him freeze then tense up. He turns to me slowly. I walk over to him.

"Did you tell Ariana?" I ask him.

He hesitates. "No, not yet. It happened before yesterday and-"

"How much more time do you fucking need?" I snap.

His face flushes with anger. "I already know why you're doing this, Miller. You just can't wait till Ariana and I break up so you can swoop in and act like the good guy in this situation."

"First of all, I don't need to act like the good guy here," I say, "cause I am. Second of all, you're a lying bastard who doesn't deserve her anyway. So, for her sake, tell her soon and get this over with."

"It's not that simple," he runs his fingers through his hair. "I don't even know what to say or when to bring it up."

"Easy. Just tell her you cheated on her the second you see her. Done and done."

He rolls his eyes. "I have to be subtle about it but I don't really know how."

"Was that not subtle enough for you?" I question.

"Look, I-"

"Nathan," Ariana says, walking up to us.

I shove my clenched fists into my pockets as she laces her fingers through his.

"I didn't know you two were... on speaking terms," she says, looking from me to Nathan.

I feign a smile at Nathan. "There's a lot you don't know about him."

Her eyebrows crease. "What do you mean?"

"Well," I sigh. "There's something he told me he wanted to tell you. It's pretty important. Right, Nathan?"

Nathan shoots me a glare. "Uhm... yeah, that."

"What is it then?" Ariana asks.

"I'll give you two some privacy," I say, trying to contain my selfish excitement. They're finally going to break up.

I take one last glance at a confused Ariana and a frustrated-looking Nate as I leave them both alone.

"Ethan, how could you?" Nina demands, suddenly appearing to my side.

"How could I what?" I question.

"Why would you do that to Matt?"

"What did I do to him?" I ask confusedly.

She shakes her head. "You beat him to a pulp. Why?"

I hesitate. "What exactly did he tell you?"

"You saw him talking to Ariana and you got jealous so-"

My eyes widen. "What?"

She scowls. "Don't play dumb, Ethan."

"I'm not, he's a fucking liar," I snap. "He almost raped Ariana."

Anger boils in me at the memory of it but I push it out of my head.

She rolls her eyes. "Sure he did."