Friendly Dating 2 - Ethan

Chapter 12 - Claiming the Window

Delia told me that Kicks realised that dating me would be a perfectly safe practice environment within which she could learn how to behave in a romantic relationship. 

I agree with that logic; she really does need all the practice she can get. She's a bit clueless and tends to run away if a boy seems to be too interested in her. She's certainly always running away from me if I even just try to flirt with her. It's probably because I really don't know how to flirt and usually end up annoying her or grossing her out. 

She's wrong about one thing, though... I don't think this is going to be a safe practice environment for Kira at all! I'll never do anything to harm her, of course, but I can barely stop myself from touching her. If she is going into this project thinking she will be safe, it makes things so much more complicated for me. I'm not just practising. I love her, and I want her to love me back.

I had a long chat with Burlap a few minutes ago and admitted to him that I mucked up his entire plan, and when I told him what I eventually came up with, he wouldn't stop laughing. The jerk calls himself my friend! Well, when he was finally able to breathe again, he did tell me that he's got my back and will do everything he can to help me succeed. According to him, the fact that Kira agreed to my ridiculous plan just proves once and for all that he is right; she doesn't hate me, and in the deepest parts of her heart, she wants to be with me too.

I wish that were true.

I don't share his conviction when it comes to that. I know Kicks cares about me; she's proven that so many times in the last 12 years, but I don't think she has romantic feelings for me. We've been close for too many years; it's like that weird-ass saying about not being able to see the woods because there are too many trees around you... or something like that. 

We're too close to each other; she cannot see me clearly.

That's what I think, and when I told Deli that, she'd gaped at me and asked me when I suddenly became so deep.

Today has been quite a day, and I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep tonight, which is really bad, because I have to be up early for rugby tomorrow. It's a friendly match to kick off the season, but a match against St Albany is always a blood bath. There's never anything friendly about it. They're our biggest rivals, and the first game of the year tends to set the trend for the rest of the year.

I have to sleep, but I'm lying here in the dark, staring at the screen of my phone, wanting to message Kira and knowing I probably shouldn't, mostly because I might muck things up. I should just date her without any contact... Right, that made no sense.

My phone's background is a picture of Jet and me riding a wave on our surfboards. That was a great day, with perfect weather, awesome waves and loads of fun, but today was a better one.

Making up my mind, I scroll through my pics until I find one of Kira and me and make that my background and lock screen. In the image, Kira is dodging the sand I'm shaking off my body after she and Deli buried me on the beach, and I broke out of my sand prison. It is a spectacular action shot. I'm jumping to my feet, sand flying everywhere in a huge wave, and Kira, screaming, has her hands up to ward me off, her face turned away from me. Kinda the story of our life together so far.

Maybe I'll be able to replace it with a more romantic one soon... I hope...

I jump with fright when my phone suddenly vibrates and squeals in my hand, letting me know I have a new message. The surprise causes me to drop the device on my face.

"Ow!" I snatch it up, blinking away the tears that spontaneously burst from my eyes when my nose announced that it was under attack. It takes me a few seconds of rubbing my nose and blinking my eyes before I can make out the message.