Corrupting the Good girl

Chapter 20

It was two days after I had gone over to Ethan's house. I had seen him twice around school since then with both of our encounters earning me a wink that made me feel weak at the knees, but apart from that we hadn't spoken much.

I grasped my hand around the harshly cold metal tap on the bath tub and twisted my wrist. Water came gushing out of the tap and made a thunderous noise as it hit the bottom of the bath. It was 7:30pm and I planned to loosen up my aching muscles in a warm bubble bath. The water slowly began to fill the tub as I began to undress. I neatly folded my cloths into a pile on the floor and wrapped myself in a thick, white bath towel as I waited. I pulled my hair up and messily tied it into a loose bun.

Fifteen minutes later the bath was filled to three quarters of the way up and the bathroom was clouded with steam. I shrugged off the towel and slipped into the steaming tub. I hissed slightly at first contact with the hot water but began to feel relaxed almost instantly as my body was submerged in the warmth.

I leant my head back on the ledge of the bath and shut my eyes. I subconsciously played with the taps using my toes, the contrast of the hot water and the cool metal of the taps caused me to shiver.

I lay there and barely moved a muscle, my arms came to rest just below the surface and I floated into a state of bliss.

Thoughts of everyday life slowly ebbed away and the familiar, and almost comforting, thoughts of Ethan slowly pierced my mind.

The loud thud of a door being slammed awoke me from my thoughts as I sat up in haste. I groaned at my peace being disturbed. I reached my arm out of the water and stretched to grasp my phone from the windowsill directly behind me. Little water droplets fell from my arm and splattered the floor, I ignored this and flicked my phone on to check the time: 8:05. I had been consumed in thoughts of Ethan for over half an hour. Oops. I looked down at my hands and saw that my skin had began to prune.

Sighing heavily I pushed myself out of the water using the side of the bath for support and climbed out. My feet sank into the fluffy bath matt as I stepped onto it. I quickly wrapped a towel around myself and gathered my clothes up into my arms before depositing them into the laundry basket. A quick dash across the hall and I was in my room.

I draped the towel I had around me over the full length mirror in my room as I got changed so that I didn't have to see myself. A small gap of the mirror wasn't covered and I cringed as I glimpsed myself in it. I screwed my eyes shut and turned away. The thoughts began to come back: you're not skinny enough, you're not pretty enough, you're nothing.

I rammed the heels of my hands to my eyes and shook my head; I don't want those thoughts in my head. I took a deep breath and then grabbed some pyjamas from a draw in my wardrobe. I pulled on a pair of grey shorts and an oversized band t-shirt that my dad wore in his younger days.

I pulled the towel from my mirror and took it to hang up in the airing cupboard.

I pulled the hair band from my hair and let it tumble down my shoulders. Kinks ran through it and random sections curled out awkwardly, I made a face as I looked at it before hastily throwing it back up into a bun again. 

I turned to leave the room, hastily grabbing my phone on the way out. I noisily bounded down the stairs before launching myself into the kitchen door, it swung open loudly as I made my entrance.

Four heads snapped around to look at me and I felt my stomach drop. Before me stood Dan, Darren, James and Ethan.

I cursed. I was stood in front of some of the best looking boys from school and I was wearing a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, no makeup and my hair looked like a bird's nest. Damn it.

"I was wondering if you'd be making an appearance tonight, I thought you might've drowned in the bath or something!" Dan said jokingly.

I felt the familiar burning as a blush took over my cheeks. I averted my eyes to the floor refusing to look at any of them. I hurriedly rushed to the fridge, tore the door open, grabbed a bottle of water and shuffled quickly from the room without uttering a word of response to anyone.

I started up the stairs and heard the muffled voices of the boys from inside the kitchen. I shook my head in frustration and stomped into my room. I threw the bottle of water onto my bed before leaping on face first. I loudly groan into my pillow in aggravation.

He saw me. He definitely saw me. Ethan saw me with my mask off, with my walls down, in my most vulnerable state. I had stood before him with all my flaws on show. He must feel disgusted, I know I do.

Tears began to sting my eyes as they slowly rolled down my cheeks. I sat up and saw a damp patch on my pillow from my tears. My sinuses began to ache and I sighed loudly.

A creak from the staircase caught my attention; soft footsteps came from outside my bedroom door, followed by a quiet knock. I whined as I drew myself up from my bed, I trudged over to the door and slowly opened it just enough to see who was there.

I looked out to see Ethan's sparkling grey eyes looking at me intently, he had a worried look on his face. I hugged myself and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible.

"Can I come in?" He asked quietly. His voice was soft and soothing. I nodded silently.

I shuffled backwards as he gently pushed my door open and walked in. I sat back on my bed as his eyes glanced around my room, I heard him chuckled slightly when he saw a photo Paige had taken of her and I last summer: we were sat on a bench pulling faces into the camera. I grinned slightly at the memory.

Ethan's attention returned to me and I felt my bed dip slightly as he sat down next to me, the was a large gap between us but he still managed to find my hand. He lightly ran his thumb in circles over the top of my palm. I lifted my head at the contact and looked over to him, he smiled warmly at me, his eyes looking deeply into mine.

"You didn't even say hello just then." He said calmly. I didn't respond and just dipped my head. "Why?" He pressed.

I clicked my tongue in thought before answering. "I didn't want you to see me like this." I countered plainly.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he shifted closer to me. "Why not?" He said, his voice more demanding this time. I pursed my lips and refused to look at him. "Fran come 'on what is it?" He said, softly raising his hands to my face and turning me to look at him.

I closed my eyes for a second before looking at him. "B-because I hate how I look and I thought that you too would hate the way I look and-" I paused.

"And what?" He pressed.

"... And you wouldn't be interested in me any more." I whispered ashamedly. To my surprise Ethan chuckled lightly.  I looked at him in confusion and pursed my lips. "What?" I bit out.

"You really are a mad one aren't you!" He gasped between laughs.

"Uh what?" I asked, my voice sounded strangled and agitated.

"Fran you are one of the most beautiful girls I have ever met..." He said staring fixedly at me. "...And I could never lose interest in you - I don't think you'd let me!" He laughed and I felt a grin pull at my face.

"But-" I began.

"Just accept the compliment Fran!" He said abruptly. I flattened my lips to suppress the chuckle rising in my throat.

"So you think I'm interesting eh?" I asked with a wink. He shook his head and laughed at me.

"Fran you're... you're just amazing." He encircled my hand in his, my soft skin contrasting with his rough hands. "And I really like you." He said in almost a whisper.

A soft smile pulled on my face and my stomach erupted in butterflies. I bit my lip and looked at him through my lashes. He raised his other hand to my cheek and gently tilted my head towards his, our lips connected and my eyes slowly shut. I was lost in the feeling of his arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me flush against him. I brought my arms up around his neck and ran my hands through his hair.

His lips left mine and at agonisingly slow pace moved over my cheek and down my neck. I smiled and sighed happily.

"I like you to ya know!" I said chirpily, chuckling slightly at my blatancy.

He nipped gently at my neck before answering. "Always good to know!" He replied smirking up at me.