Chapter 18

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"Oh, is that what we are?" I asked through an amused smile making him chuckle. "Never thought I had to work this hard." Ethan confessed making me roll my eyes.

"Because you've never had to. All the girls you've met threw themselves at you the instant they saw you. I'm sure that never got old." I teased annoyed. Ethan turned to me with a grin. "Are you calling me attractive?" He asked through a smile making me part my lips. Quickly darting my eyes away from his captivating one.

"Am I wrong?" I scoffed making him chuckle. "No, but it did get old. It was refreshing meeting you." Ethan confessed. I frowned as I abruptly stopped walking. "Is that why you like me?" I turned to him with sudden realizations. "Because I didn't throw myself at you? And still don't? Is that the only reason why you wanted to be my friend? Because I bruised your ego?" I asked quickly feeling as though I had been lied to and played. His face contorted in confusion as he took a step towards me.

"No." He answered making me scoff not believing him. Looking away getting ready to storm away before Ethan held my chin and turned it to look up at him again. My mouth parted and my eye's tensed confused. I couldn't deny the pull I felt towards him as my mind went blank looking between his eyes and his lips inches from mine.

"I like you because you are different. Sure, it did intrigue me why you acted different than the other girls at our school." He let go of his hold on my chin. "But as I got to know you, I realized there was more to you than what you show everyone. How you have walls built up to protect yourself and prevent others from getting to know the real you. Just like me." Ethan answered never tearing his eyes away from mine.

"And I never wanted to be your friend," He started making me frown stepping back offended before he continued. "I have always wanted to be more than that, Amelia." Ethan confessed making my lips part in surprise. The air got sucked out of my lungs trying to make sense of what he said before I felt his lips mold against mine.

Kissing him back feeling his hands roam my back pushing me against him. "You drive me insane." I breathed out frustrated pulling away from him. But I couldn't deny the attraction that I have always felt towards him. "The feeling is mutual." He replied against his lips as a smile formed.

"Where are you taking me then?" I asked as we continued walking around the park hand in hand. "Surprise." Ethan replied making me frown as I looked up at him. "I don't like surprises." I stated making him smile as he continued to look in front of him. "Too bad." He replied making me huff looking away.

"You still haven't told me why you wanted to know my favorite color." I stated after a few minutes of comfortable silence making him chuckle. "I'm aware." He replied making me roll my eyes.

"I suppose that is a surprise also?" I asked as my patience wore thin as he continued to smile making my heart fill with warmth. "You really are smart." Ethan teased making me fight my smile as I looked away from him.

"I'll call you." Ethan said to me as I unlocked my car. "Haven't you had enough of me for one day?" I asked through my smile as I looked over to him.

"No." He confessed making me struggle to fight my smile as he took a step closer. "And what if I don't answer?" I asked as I looked up at him again as he hovered over me.

"Then I'll be forced to break in. Again." Ethan answered making me fight my smile but failing as he pecked my lips softly. "See you tomorrow." He smiled as he walked away leaving me a flushed mess. Placing my fingertips softly against my lips as I couldn't help but smile like a fool.

"Hey." Ethan said as I opened my locker. "I have to push our date a little later. I'll pick you up at five tomorrow." He said making me nod lightly as I grabbed my books.

"That's okay. I need to finish my English paper  anyway." I replied. "Are you still not going to tell me where you are taking me?" I asked in fake annoyance making him chuckle as he leaned against the lockers.

"Yes." Ethan answered. "Don't worry. You'll like it." He said as he leaned closer to my face making my heartbeat faster. His smile turned my brain into putty. "Promise." Ethan stated as he ran his thumb over my cheek tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"People are staring." I smiled unable to looked away from his brown eyes burrowing into mine. "Let them." He replied again before he kissed me softly.

Ethan placed his palm in the back of my neck deepening our kiss. His other hand wrapped around my waist pulling me closer to him. Ignoring everyone's whispers and stares as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"What did you and Colton talk about?" Ethan asked nervously me as we ate. "Who?" I was unable to look away from all the gossiping teenagers eating with their friends glaring over at us.

"The guy you talked to outside at the party." He explained making me shrug finally looking up at him. "Nothing, really." I replied making him grow silent. He as a tense, worried look on his face making me continue as I ate. "He just asked who I was and if we were dating. And if I knew who your family was." I answered hesitantly as his eyes widened but he tried to hide it.

"What did you say?" Ethan asked quickly as I took a bite. "I said no." I answered confused. Looking into his eyes that held so much worry and frustration making me frown.

"Did you tell him we were dating?" He asked making me scoff as I looked away. "Didn't give me much of a choice." I mumbled before I saw him rake his fingers through his hair roughly in the corner of my eye.

"I'm sorry." Ethan muttered through his breath making me look up at him confused. "What for?" I asked as his eyes filled with guilt making me frown softly. "I shouldn't've made you lie to everyone. I know it was uncomfortable for you." He explained making me smile weakly as I shrugged. "I know you must've had a good reason." I said as I started to finish my lunch making him grow silent again.

"That guy, C-Colton, a friend of yours?" I asked him as we walked to our cars now that the school day was over. "No." Ethan answered plainly. "Where's the fire?" He joked as I opened my car door. "I have work." I answered in a duh tone sliding in my car.

"Do you want to grab dinner?" Ethan smiled as I was about to close my car door until he held the door open towering over me. "I have homework. I'll see you tomorrow." I replied before I pulled the door away from him to close it.

I felt bad about lying about work, but I needed time alone with my thoughts. Thoughts about Ethan, Tyler and the things Lucas said when he was drunk. I needed answers about why Tyler would help someone to kidnap me. Someone who he has never even met before. I needed to know if I could trust Ethan with the huge secret, I told him.

Did Ethan tell Tyler and the rest of the people he "works" with about Ian and I's secret? Is that how Tyler know of did he find out some other way? If so, how? Will he try to kidnap me again or kill me for knowing he is working against Ethan? Why is Tyler dating Sarah? Does she know the secrets he is hiding? My thoughts were running a hundred miles an hour.

The thought of Sarah knowing Tyler kidnapped me makes me fill with anger and stupidity for trusting her to be my friend. I really hope she is as much in the dark as Ethan is. If Ethan is.

I walked up to my front door to see Lucas standing there waiting for me. He smoked a cigarette as he leaned against the wall. I stopped walking in fear gripping my keys and school bag in fear.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I quickly walked past him to the front door making him chuckle. "Nice seeing you too." Lucas replied sarcastically making me roll my eyes as I pushed the door open.

"A real delight." I replied walking into the living room with him behind me. "I wanted to thank you. For helping me when I was wasted." He replied as I scoffed shaking my head in disbelief.

"I didn't have much if a choice, did I?" I asked making him chuckle. "That's not really why you're here though, is it?" I said seeing through him making him roll his eyes.

"The things I said... I shouldn't have said them." Lucas confessed making me frown as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "But they were true, weren't they?" I stated rather than asked making him sigh as he looked away.

"You don't want to know what we are involved in. Which I understand. But it is hard for you to understand the person Ethan is without knowing. The type of people we all are." Lucas stated seriously stepping closer making me fill with nerves. "Ethan- none of us has never been with someone who didn't already know what we do. Which was why everyone was surprised to meet you." He continued making me scoff lightly.

"You make it sound you are all criminals." I replied full of humor before I saw the stone-cold expression on his face. I don't want to know. I don't want to know. I kept telling myself as I looked away.

"Look, I shouldn't've said those things. But I did and they were true. You're nice. Nicer than us anyway. You shouldn't be involved in us or what we do." Lucas said sternly with guilt in his eyes making me look away again. "Too late for that. And besides I can't just break up with Ethan and pretend I don't know him. Tyler already knows-" I started until he interrupted me.

"What does he have to do with this?" He asked quickly making me groan inwardly. "Nothing. I'm fine. I can handle myself, Lucas. We all have our secrets and I don't expect Ethan to confide in me about them." I said to him making him sigh as he raked his fingers through his dirty blonde hair.

"Maybe so. But once you know about us and get too involved your life will never be the same." He replied as we started walking towards the front door. "My life is already a mess. I can handle one more." I stated as I looked up at his saddened, pitiful features.

"Speaking of. I'm sorry about your parents. I had no idea." Lucas said sympathetically making my lips part. "What?" The air got sucked out of my chest. "H-He told you?" I breathed full of hurt and confusion making him shrug lightly.

"A few days ago." He answered making me scoff lightly before he continued as he walked towards the front door. "I'll see you when I see you." Lucas said leaving me speechless in my doorway.

My phone buzzed in my pocket making me snap from my thoughts. I quickly ignored Ethan's texts to go take a hot shower wanting to warm up from the cold November weather. I quickly slid into bed after getting dressed in my warm pajamas to do my homework when my phone buzzed again.

I turned my phone on silent as I saw it was Ethan again before I started working on my English paper. After a few hours, I heard something hitting against my window making me frown. I realized it was now starting to get dark as I got up and walked to my window.

I saw Ethan in my yard throwing pebbles up at my bedroom window making me frown. "What are you doing?" I asked as I opened my window. "You weren't answering my texts. I wanted to make sure you're okay." Ethan yelled up at me.

"I'm fine." I yelled slightly as he stood on my lawn. "Can I come in?" He asked making me sigh as I silently debated on it. "O-Okay." I answered as I closed my window before walking downstairs.

"Why weren't you answering? Everything okay?" Ethan asked following me upstairs to my bedroom. "I'm doing homework." I replied passing Ian's bedroom realizing he still isn't home and silently grateful for it.

"Are you okay?" He continued noticing my hostility. "You told Lucas?" I asked bluntly making him frown. "Told him what?" Ethan asked making me scoff as I crossed my arms. "About my parents, Ethan. You told him the one thing I told you not to tell anyone." I spit making him take a step towards me with parted lips. "I'm sor-" He started desperately before I cut him off.

"How could you? I trusted you yet you told him anyway." I continued as my voice filled with hurt and betrayal making his features soften. "I-They needed to know I-" Ethan started until I took a step away him filling with disbelief. His eyes widened realizing what he had just said as I spoke.

"'They'? Who else did you tell?" I beamed trying to sound stern but failing as tears collected in my eyes. "Amelia-"

"Who?" I demanded as a tear escaped my eye making me angrily wipe it away. "Daniel, Sarah and my parents." Ethan answered hesitantly making me let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Shuffling backwards needing space as he tried to inch closer to me.

"You told all of them?" I flailed my arms filling with rage. "Who didn't you tell?" I scoffed as my features softened from anger and outrage to heartbreak and betrayal. "Just let me explain." He pleaded as he took a large step towards me making me tense as I shook my head. "No." I growled. "Leave. I can't look at you." I tried to turn around until Ethan stretched his hand out to grab my hand.

I flinched pulling away taking another step back. "Get out!" I cried with more force than before as he reluctantly did as he was told.

After a few minutes I heard the front door slam from Ethan leaving. Almost jumping out of my skin as tears continued to fall sliding against my bedroom wall. I rested my arms on my knees before bowing my head. I continued to cry and sob for what felt like an eternity as I heard footsteps towards me.

"Amelia." Ian breathed out dropping his things something before I felt his arms around me. "What-What is it? What's wrong?" He asked quickly as I continued to cry into his chest making him hold me tighter.

"I think I've made a mistake."


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