Hickeys | Ethan Dolan

ch. sixteen

Ethan walked with me down the hall to lunch. I felt weight being put down on my shoulders. Wesley and Julie in the same time frame was a nightmare. I wasn't going to survive.

"Hayden?" Ethan asked.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up. Somehow, I was sitting in front of Ivy and Grayson with my chips and water.

"Sorry." I whispered opening my Cheetos.

Ethan rubbed my knuckles assuring me that everything would be okay. Ivy coughed and broke the silence. Grayson sat to the side demolishing his cheeseburger as he scrolled through his phone.

"What happened?" Ivy asked.

I looked up at her and sighed. "Mr. Frost wants Ethan to tutor Julie and Wesley. He saw my grades and was impressed."

Ivy scrunched her nose and dropped her food. "He can't do that. He has no idea how Ethan instilled the knowledge into your head." She laughed. "Mr. Frost wants Ethan to give Wesley and Julie hickey quizzes?"

I forgot I told Ivy about the hickeys and how they got there. Grayson must've known, too, because he lifted his vision to my neck and smirked.

I couldn't help but laugh lightly. Ethan was blushing and trying his best to hide his face. We all sat silent for a minute eating and using our phones. Our serenity and peace was interrupted by a set of peach lips and hazel eyes.

"Hayden." His voice filled my ears.

We all looked up to see Wesley standing there. He had a new persona. He looked clean; he looked sane. I felt my  heart drop to my stomach.

"Go away, Wesley." Ethan barked.

Wesley jaw clenched up, but his gaze burned a hole in me. Ethan pulled me closer. I could feel his breath getting faster and deeper. He was getting angry.

Grayson intervened. "Just go away, Wesley."

Wesley shot Grayson a look of pure hatred. Ivy tried her best to keep Grayson under control.

Wesley looked back at me. "I need to talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you." I picked at my bag.

He sighed. "Then just listen to me."

"Back off, dude! She doesn't want to talk to you. Just move on." Ethan shouted.

I cowered. I was scared. Ethan and Wesley would pounce on each other if given the chance.

"I can't move on!" Wesley shouted.

The entire cafeteria was watching. They were all listening. Everyone in this room was witnessing something that could've been avoided a long time ago.

I shouldn't have danced with Ethan.

Everything was feeling like it was my fault. I wouldn't be in this situation if I would have just stayed home that one night instead of going to a party.

"Why can't you move on? She has." Ethan stated.

I fiddled with my fingers. What Ethan said was partly true. I was still stuck on certain parts of Wesley.

I still loved his laugh, his smile, the way he used to look at me. It was all flooding back to me. Wesley was my first. I confessed real feelings for Wesley at one point.