open eyed, ethan landry

01

—chapter one.

OLIVIAS EARS STARTED to hurt. she was often uncomfortable at frat parties, but this one was different. she was freely dancing. the loud music made it difficult for her to think.

olivia continued to dance around next to a big group of girls and afew boys. some of them noticed the girl in front of them.

she finally let herself go. dancing with a few random girls to the blasting music in their ears.

"you doing good liv? " anika said finally noticing her next to the group, pulling her shoulder back from dancing. to which she quickly nodded back to.

"never better. " olivia nodded with a small smile. anika and olivia had always kind have been close, at least closer than other in the group.

anika and olivia found themselves standing beside each other, each holding a glass of their favorite drink. they exchanged a smile and clinked their glasses together in a friendly toast.

afew minutes of talking later, anika handed her a shot glass, motioning to it while her eyebrows raised in question. olivia quickly nodded.

"you know me so well." she said. anikas fingers counted down as the quickly drank the cold drink in the glass.

the two danced together for afew minutes. the music seemed to become louder by the second.

"i'm gonna get a drink. " olivia replied to herself again. anika nodded, backing up then walking away to go find her girlfriend.

olivia walked around the crowded house, seeing everyones mash of halloween costumes. besides having to push through some people she had sight of all the drinks, a cold liquid suddenly splashed all over her shirt.

"what the hell? " olivia said hastily.

"shit - i'm so sorry! " ethan, realizing what just happened, became frantic and worried, reaching for paper towels.

olivia expected some frat boys girlfriend, purposely spilling it on her. but instead she looked up revealing 'sweet sweet' ethan.

she had always called him little things like this. especially when he was embarrassed. anika always told them it was like they were dating, which they practically were.

"fuck - its fine ethan. " she replied, still kinda pissed off, feeling the coldness on her skin. grabbing the paper towel from his hand, wiping her shirt desperately.

"i just wasn't looking." giving her an awkward smile. their friendship was basically just awkward glances and laughs.

"okayy ethan. " she laughed, noticing how awkward he was in such small situations.

ethan sheepishly looked at olivia, his face flushing with embarrassment.

olivia chuckled, shaking her head. "you're lucky your my friend," she teased, playfully nudging his shoulder.

he smiled, "very lucky." he said, not really knowing what he meant.

they both fell silent, olivia still desperately wiping down her shirt. ethan broke the silence, asking, "having fun?" olivia smirked and replied, "yup. what about you and that costume? get any girls yet?" ethan quickly shook his head

olivia practically falls over onto the counter in front of them. chad accidentally backing up onto her. ethans arms propping up to hold olivia. he realizes and moves off.

"sorry liv. " chad spoke finally.

"its - .. your good. " she said, not trying to throw her attitude at him. now if this wasn't one of her friends, she would have gone crazy.

"ethan! my man! how we doing? you find anyone yet? " chad questions, seeing ethan next to the two.

"find anyone?.. " olivia asks, trying to figure out what chad is saying. a smirk quickly forms on chads face. ethan shrugs it off, acting like he had no clue what chad was talking about.

"what about her? " chad pointe towards a girl dancing in a harry potter costume. ethans face starts to heat up slightly.

"she's gorgeous.. " olivias head turns toward ethan quickly, nudging his arm while smirking up at him.

"right, ask her out. " ethans face recolied in a weird way, almost like he was confused.

"no i can't. " he said, huffing out.

"ask her out - ask her out - " chad continues to repeat the same words, pushing his cardboard costume until ethan stops him.

"shut up! " he says pushing him back, laughing the same as before.

"look at you man you're a snack! " chad says, looking to olivia for help. to which ethan looks at her too.

"practically an entire meal all on your own! " olivia says, cheering ethan on. his face heats up.

"really? " ethan gulps while his face begins to flush. it was obvious to chad and olivia how much that boost effected him.

"yeah!" chad said, trying to break the awkward silence. "i mean, if you can't ask her out," chad continued, motioning to olivia.

"leave the poor boy alonee." olivia replied back, patting ethans cardboard costume. his reaction was just staring blankly with a pink face.

"hey big guy, you're needed." anika tapped chad's arm making the three of them turn around following chad.

a guy started pulling tara up the steps, but olivia couldn't tell yet if she willingly followed.

"tara's good down here." chad states, grabbing his arm.

"sorry bro, i didn't catch that."

"yeah, you did." chad laughed sarcastically. tara followed down the stairs to chad

"no chad, it's fine. i want to." tara said, clearly not helping the situation in front of her.

"tara." olivia said, her eyes opened more then before as she shook her head 'no'. tara stared at her in an annoyed way.

"see chad. she wants to." the boy smirked at chad.

"guys stop!" tara called out to the boys in front of her as they started arguing. sam immediately walking in between them both.

"hi, yeah, sorry to interrupt." she said looking at him.

"i'm just gonna tase you in the balls real quick."

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a/n: how are we feeling about this first chapter, i can take constructive criticism !!

4/30/23