riley played with her shaky fingers as she sat in the passenger seat of ethan's jeep. nervous was an understatement. being all alone with him was something unexplainable.
"you're really quiet." ethan chuckled, turning down the radio as he drove. riley nodded looking out the window. she wished she could make conversation but her mind wouldn't let her. she was the type to find a conversation topic hours later.
ethan seemed to notice this so he decided to start a conversation. "how old are you?"
"fifteen." riley replied, quietly.
"hm. what's your favorite color?"
"i thought i was supposed to be interviewing you?" riley asked with a small laugh.
ethan shrugged. "i just want you to talk. it never hurts to learn things about you as well."
"well it's blue," she answers his question, making him smile. ethan pulled into the parking lot of baskin robbins. she had no idea where they were going but she was perfectly fine with this. "baskin robins?"
ethan nodded as he parked, turning his head to look at riley. "i'm in the mood for ice cream."
"okay."
"i don't get to eat it often because grayson gets onto me about being healthy twenty four-seven. i can't help it. pizza and ice cream have my heart." ethan explained to her.
"definitely." riley agreed.
the two walked into the ice cream parlor knowing exactly what ice cream they wanted. riley wanting strawberry, ethan wanting snickers. riley suggested eating outside and ethan was okay with that for the fact that he wanted riley to be comfortable around him.
"so, i couldn't help but overhear a few things today." ethan broke the silence as the two ate their ice cream.
"mhm?"
"well basically, you feel that you're lonely and you should be with someone."
"oh. ." riley looked down at her shoes. she was pretty sure ethan was not supposed to hear that.
"it's not a bad thing. i think it's perfectly normal for your age," ethan began. "for the past few days i've noticed something about you. you might think that this is weird but it's something i want to change."
"y-you want to change?" riley stuttered, unsure of where this was going.
"mhm, that is if you let me."
".. do what?"
"well for one you won't be lonely anymore, you'll have someone you can count on. two, i don't want you so nervous around me. three, i just have this urge to change you. in a good way of course."
"you're not hard to figure out, riley. i just wanna make you feel good." ethan stared intensely at her. riley wasn't sure if ethan meant that sexually or not but for a moment she was okay with it. although, there was this barrier telling her not to be, she didn't know ethan and what he probably had up his sleeve.
"uhm," riley ate her ice cream, not sure what to say. then, the thought of wanting to feel like she mattered went through her mind. ethan was basically saying that and that's all she's ever wanted. so not thinking about anything else, riley made up her mind. "okay."
being what ethan wanted to hear, he smiled warmly at her. "so this will be our thing, okay? hanging out with each other. like you'll have to get used to this."
