❝Maybe there's a whole bunch of impossible people waiting for me out there. Waiting to make me feel that same uncertainty again and again.❞
Allison Romero has never had any luck when it comes to finding love, or maintaining friends...or just about...
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22: CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
I STARE at myself in the mirror. I have not yet gathered the courage to walk out of the bathrooms and join the rest of the student body.
Although it's been a week since I returned to Pinewood Academy, I still haven't been able to shake off this feeling of apprehension. I'm afraid to face certain individuals—one of them being Ethan. I'm ashamed to face him. I feel vulnerable in front of him. He knows all my family secrets at this point; stuff I've never told anyone.
Finally, after smoothing down my ironed skirt, I throw my bag over my shoulders and push the door open to the girls bathroom. I get pushed and shoved against the lockers in my attempt to get to homegroup. I pay no mind to that though, and instead frown down at the floor as I think of the way I ended things with my family. Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh on my mother. Maybe I shouldn't have yelled at my father and caused his heart attack. Maybe, maybe, maybe...
"Hey, Allison!" I look up from the ground to see Makayla waving at me. I wave back at her, but Taylor appears at her side and whispers something in her ear, and Makayla scowls. They both trot off and whisper amongst themselves. What was that all about? I continue to head to homegroup.
As I eventually reach the dark classroom, I hug my books tightly against my chest, noticing that there was a crowd of people hoarding the centre of the room. They all seem to be gathering around someone or something. I set my books down on the table and then take a curious peek through the crowd of students to see what's causing the commotion. My heart starts to beat faster when I notice that Ethan Marshall is standing there in all his glory.
He doesn't see me gawking at him as his back is facing me and his head is turned. I take a step back and almost trip over someone behind me in my haste to get away. Call me petty, but I'm still not over the little conversation we had on the phone.
As I try and whirl around to escape, Ethan unexpectedly turns his head to the side and his gaze falls on my slouched figure. His hands are stuffed in the pocket of his school pants, and as he starts to edge closer to me, he acknowledges my presence with a little smile. "Hey," he says softly and a few girls let out some "aww's". I freeze in my spot as he walks on over to me and wraps his arms around me. His familiar cologne devours my senses and I gulp in a sharp intake of breath when his fingers snake around my waist to draw me closer. I realise we have an audience so I stiffly throw my arms around him and bury my face into his chest.
For the show.
The crowd starts to disperse after that and Ethan releases me slowly but still keeps his hands on my waist. "Hey, haven't seen you in a while," he comments. His close proximity to mine causes me to swallow thickly.
