Alps ✰ Ethma

NINE

Emma Pov.

Ethan stared at me with a hard expression, his jaw was clenched as he waited for my answer to his demanding question. He demanded who hit me. 'Jack Dail' would be the obvious & easy answer but with Ethan, if I told him who it was then Jack might not ever see the light of day again. Or, Ethan wouldn't care at all if I told him who it was since Jack is his friend.

"Emma. Who. Did. It." Ethan demanded again, breaking me out of my thoughts. My mind raced, trying to find an excuse of why not to tell him the truth. "Nobody, I-uh I tripped and fell against the lockers on my way to Social Studies." I responded, lying through my teeth & chuckling nervously. Ethan's eyes lowered at me. "Bullshit I'm not fucking retarded, who did it?!" He said, raising his voice & making a few passing students stare at us. I raised my eyebrows as Ethan only turned his head for a second to shoot glares at a few curious students, causing them to immediately avert their eyes & keep walking. "Eth. Calm down, okay?" I suggested, placing my hand on the side of his tense fade & turning his gaze back to me. Ethan shook his head & looked down with his jaw clenching & unclenching, as if he was having a debate in his mind. "Just tell me who it was." I heard him grit out & I bit my lip, staying silent. Jack would most definitely kill me if somebody confronted him about pushing me around.

"Emma." Ethan said sternly, pleading as he lifted his head back up to look at me. I was about to deny his request again but to my shock, his grip on my arms tightened slightly. I knew he was agitated that I wouldn't tell him who it was that hurt me, but I didn't know that he wanted to know so badly that he was practically squeezing it out of me. "Etha-" I started but his grip only got tighter. I made a small involuntary noise of pain & his eyes softened, but his hold didn't waver. I could tell that he didn't want to hurt me, but this was the only way he knew how to get something from somebody. Pain.

I felt Ethan's already strong grip get tighter & I tried to ignore the growing pain in my upper arms. Ethan let out a huff of frustration & was about to tighten his hold even more but I couldn't take it. "Jack okay?! It..it was Jack." I blurted out & he immediately loosened his hands by a lot at my response, eyes widening. "Dail?" He asked slowly, voice sounding dangerously low. I gulped, nodding hesitantly. He said nothing; just stiffened his posture, let go of me, turned around & began storming down the hall to I assume whatever class Jack had.

"Ethan no, stop." I said & jogged forwards, catching up with him. I got no response from him as he pushed past students, me trailing closely behind. I grabbed onto his shoulder. "Ethan no. You could get expelled and it's not even really that big of a deal okay?" I pleased & he just shook my hand off from his shoulder as he continued to walk. I groaned & latched onto his left arm that didn't have any injuries under his sleeves, trying to pull him back as he practically dragged me with him down the hallway. "Ethan!" I yelled, trying to get a response from him. I let go of his arm, standing up & walking quickly so that I was in front of him. I stopped so I was blocking his path & he halted to a stop, staring down at me. You could practically see the steam shooting out of his ears. Anger issues much?

Ethan went to step aside & walk around me but I moved with him, not letting him get anywhere. "Ethan, listen to me." I pleaded & he looked anywhere but at me, still trying to get around me. I lowered my eyes at him. Trying to talk him out of something was like trying to teach a fish to breathe air. Just like the two times he broke down, not listening to a word I said until I gave him a hug or showed him affection-oh. He only listened to affection because it was something he didn't get that often & closed himself off from....well, besides the sexual affection of all those times he hooked up with random girls. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts as I still moved in front of Ethan's attempts at escaping.