Fiction/Young Adult/Bullying

Unforgivable Secret — Chapter Sixteen

Ethan

I heard it all that morning from Brandon and Jason about how I was taking my time with Morgan and the bet. They said I needed to speed it up a notch so that things could go back to normal.

Meaning I would start bringing the girls back to the team.

It seemed since I wasn’t going to the parties or after-school affairs, a lot of the girls that were following had stopped. It could be just coincidental and maybe they all just finally found other ways to entertain themselves.

I strolled into our first-period class just as the bell rang. It was the big test day and everyone, including Morgan, seemed to be studying over their notes one last time. I couldn’t have that going on, I needed attention. I needed to have her see me play the part.

I gave my usual greetings to the guys in the front but then turned my attention to the two girls, who always gave me a clear show of their size C cups as I passed by.

“I don’t think we’ve officially met yet.” I stood in front of the blonde’s desk and held out my hand. She giggled a little too loudly and lightly touched my hand with hers. She told me her name was Autumn, Spring, or one of those other season names that people used. I wasn’t paying much attention to whatever she said. My focus was on what Morgan was doing and right about now, it wasn’t paying any mind to what I was doing.

“I was thinking.” I looked at both the blonde and her friend, who was seated beside her. “That maybe we could…hmm… I don’t know…maybe do a threesome sometime.”

That got another round of giggles from the girls and a few snickers from the guys around them who had heard the proposition.

“Mr. Lowry, please take your seat so we can begin class.” Ms. Brown stood at full attention in front of the classroom. It was apparent from the look on her face that she’d heard everything that I said. So, that meant that I was probably loud enough for Morgan to hear.

Morgan gave me a weird look when I sat down. I hoped that the little act that I just did worked.

I hated to play the game, but I needed to know if my flirting with other girls would cause her to act differently.

Usually, she was all bright and smiley when I came into the classroom. But today, when I played the player role I was assigned, she didn’t seem very excited to see me.

Her looking annoyed could have been due to the test that was being passed out and maybe it didn’t have any bearing on my performance. I should’ve figured out a different day to do this and not one where there was a major test being given.

Morgan was the first one to have the test completed. She took it up to Ms. Brown’s desk and then returned to our station to sit quietly. She didn’t look at me or even acknowledge that I existed, which could be good or bad. I hoped she was jealous and not turned off by my little charade earlier.

I had two more questions to finish, and I would be the second one done. They were both really easy, and I had to thank Morgan and our hours of constant studying that we did so that I was even able to answer one correctly.

We’d studied our asses off, but it wasn’t like I was good at retention. Most of the time, my thoughts were on Morgan and how I would like to have a hands-on live lesson with her.

I waited until she sat back down before walking my test up to the front desk. Ms. Brown looked at me a little too conspicuously, like she thought that maybe I’d cheated somehow. I just smiled at her and went back to the lab desk.

A majority of the class turned their tests in as the buzzer sounded at the end. Ms. Brown announced that she would have the tests graded by tomorrow, which earned a lot of groans.

I followed Morgan out, but unlike any other day, she seemed to be in a hurry to get away from me.

“How do you think you did?” I kept up with her fast-walking pace. We were walking side by side down the hall, dodging other students who were trying to get to their next class, and not once did she look over at me.

“Okay, I guess.”

I knew Morgan’s next classroom was coming up soon. There were a bunch of kids standing outside the door, just talking and joking around like they usually did. I continued to walk with her. The closer we got to the room, the more students started to pay attention to us and not their own business.

“Ethan, dude, what’s up?” One of the football players in Morgan’s class greeted me as we got near. He nodded his head towards Morgan. “Did you use up all the good ones now you have to scrape the bottom of the barrel this year?” He laughed at his own joke.

The crowd around him shifted their eyes over to where Morgan was standing.

I couldn’t believe that he just said that. Well, yes, I could since they always made crude comments about anyone and everyone that wasn’t part of the sports group.

“What?” I just wanted this beast to clarify what he said before I began something.

“You can have any of the sweet fine asses in the school and rumor has it that you’re hooking up with the Pillsbury dough girl there.”

Now that he’d shed light on who his reference was directed to, I didn’t feel any remorse when I cocked back my fist and smashed the kid in the nose.

There was a loud yell, along with a long string of curse words. Blood flowed from the other guy’s nose as he recaptured his balance and tackled me in a way that signaled he was definitely a defensive lineman on the football team.

I got slammed to the floor by the brute that outweighed me by a good one hundred pounds. The two of us wrestled around with each other, each trying to get in more jabs than the other.

The other students gathered around until a teacher finally came to break up the fight.

“What the hell are you two doing?” One of the instructors who taught math was first on the scene.

He, along with several other guys from the class, was able to get me and the other guy separated.

Both of us had blood stains on our clothes and looked like we had been going at it with everything that we had.

“You know you both could be suspended from school and the teams.”

Other teachers started to make their way down the hall.

“Okay, shows over. Everyone can go back to class.” The teacher motioned for everyone to disperse. “You two need to wash up and change.” He signaled for the other guy and me to go in separate directions.

I quickly turned and walked away as fast as possible. I had to get out of there before more bodies hit the floor.

MORGAN

I followed Ethan down the back steps of the school. He stormed out of the exit doors and leaned up against the outside wall of the building. He had a cut on his cheek that was still bleeding a little, a few more scrapes along his neck that the other kid had grabbed, and his clothes were a mess with blood stains and wrinkles.

I took out my small package of tissues that I always kept in my pack and took a clean one out. I lightly dabbed at the cut on Ethan’s cheek until the blood stopped seeping out.

“Are you okay?” I was torn between running back inside and trying to make it to the second half of my next class or staying out here with him to make sure there was nothing seriously wrong. The compassionate side won out on the decision as I leaned up against the wall beside him. “You didn’t have to fight him over a stupid remark about me. I’m used to that type of shit, but um, thank you.”

I was looking at the ground with my eyes closed when I felt warm fingers touch me.

“Hey.” Ethan lightly touched my cheek so that I would look up at him. “He needed that beating. You shouldn’t have to put up with any shitty remark like that from anyone.”

I shrugged. “Happens all the time. It’s either I whine and cry about each one or I walk away and go on with my life.”

Ethan shook his head. “It’s still wrong.” After a few more moments of silence, he spoke again. “Do you wanna skip the rest of the day?”

My look of shock probably indicated that I had never skipped a day of school in my life.

“Come on, it’ll be fun.” Ethan tugged at my hand.

“We have school. They know we were here.” I couldn’t possibly see myself just walking away from school right now, but I didn’t pull my hand away from his either.

“I’ll tell them I had a headache and couldn’t drive myself home, so you helped. No big deal, Morgan. It happens all the time. Come on.” He gave my hand another tug, and I started to follow him down the path that led to the student parking area.

“I can’t go.” I pulled my hand out of Ethan’s grip. We were standing beside his car with the passenger door open. “We still have a whole day of school left.”

“Morgan, it’s just one day. It will be okay.” He gave me a boo-boo face that a toddler would make if they weren’t getting their own way. “You don’t want me to be all alone out here after getting the shit knocked out of me. I could have a concussion or something.”

I giggled. “I doubt you have a concession.” I looked back at the school. There was no one out and about except for us. No one was looking to see where we may have run off to. It was like we weren’t being missed at all. I jumped into the open seat. “Okay, let’s go before I change my mind.”

Ethan got a big smile on his face. He shut the car door, then ran around to his side. He started the car and pulled out of the school’s parking lot before I had the chance to change my mind.

“Where are we going?” Ethan drove out of our small town and down a few back roads. I looked all around but couldn’t place exactly where we were. I mainly stayed in the local area and didn’t venture out much, especially into the unknown woodlands where we currently were.

“There are a few trails up here. I figured we could go hiking.”

“Hiking?”

“Yes, hiking. You know walking, but in a more secluded, woodsy type environment.”

I rolled my eyes. “I know what hiking is. I just didn’t know there were places around here to do that sort of stuff.”

Ethan winked at me. “Hang around me, and you can experience a lot of different things you’ve never done before.”

The wrinkles on my forehead popped out as I raised my eyebrows at Ethan’s proposal. “Yeah, I bet I would.”

“What?” Ethan acted shocked. “Are you saying I’m a bad influence?” He pulled his car off to the side of the road where there was a section that had been cleared out.

“Yes. And, where are we?” I got out of the car when Ethan did. I walked around to his side of the vehicle but quickly turned around and covered my eyes when I saw he was changing. “Sorry…I…uh…didn’t know you were gonna change right here in the middle of the street.”

He only had his shirt off, but that was enough to get my blush factor going. I felt my face was ablaze and it wasn’t from the sun that was shining down on us.

Ethan chuckled at my response. “Yep, look at all the cars zipping past us on this busy street. I just wanted to take off my fighting clothes.”

“Well, you could’ve told me that’s what you were going to do.” I turned around and let out a shriek. I covered my eyes and quickly walked back to the car. “Damn it, Ethan, you could’ve said you were changing your pants too.”

ETHAN

I had a hard time standing on my feet while laughing and putting my practice shorts on. I locked the car and walked around to where Morgan was looking at the wooded area across the street.

I threw my arm around her shoulders. “You okay to walk. That little show didn’t overwhelm you too much, did it?”

Morgan snorted out a laugh. “I’m good. There wasn’t much to see anyway.”

I crossed my other hand over my heart. “I’m wounded now by the insult.” I shook my head at her attempt at a joke. “Believe me. Once you see all of my manhood, it will be something that you will never forget.”

“So, it will give me nightmares?”

“Ha-ha.” I faked a laugh. “Aren’t you just a jokester now?" My arm slid down her back, and my hand grabbed hold of hers. With my other hand, I threw my gym pack over my shoulder. “C’mon, we have a couple of miles to do.” I led her down the path that weaved in and out between the trees.

We’d been tromping through the woods for almost two hours before we took our first break. I was feeling perfectly fine, while Morgan seemed to be struggling to keep up. She was a little sweaty and red-faced from the sun, but other than that, she looked quite hot.

The fallen tree that lay across the path became our resting spot. We both straddled it so that we could face one another.

“Having fun yet?” I opened my backpack and took out two Gatorades. I handed one to her, and she readily accepted it without hesitancy.

Morgan drank half the bottle before answering my question. “Surprisingly, I am.”

“So now you can become my skipping partner when I want to leave.”

She shook her head. “I can’t leave all the time. I have to keep my grades up so that I can get into a good school.” She took another sip of the grape drink. “Plus, I usually have debate practice or a meet or something that has to do with me staying after school for more time than I care to sometimes.”

I nodded. “I know the feeling. It’s always soccer this or soccer that.”

“I thought you were all about soccer.”

I shrugged. “I am, and I might have a scholarship lined up, but I know I can’t be doing that forever.” I tossed mine and her empty bottles back into my bag. “What are you hoping to go to school for?”

“I want to get into law school.” She brushed the fallen hair out of her eyes. “But it is so hard to get into a good college. That’s why all the extra debate stuff and keeping my grade point average up past ninety-nine percent of our class.”

“So, you want to argue for a living?” I held out my hand to help her stand up. She accepted it and got back on her feet.

“Yes and no. I knew since middle school that getting into law school was my big dream, but it never went any further than that.” She shrugged and her expression was one of uncertainty. “But no one’s ever questioned me as to what kind of lawyer I wanted to be.”

We started walking again, in the direction of my car. “I think whatever it is that you decide to study, you’ll do great. You’re so focused and much smarter than the average student at our school.” I held out my hand and helped her over the next log that was in our way. I didn’t let go of her hand as we walked. I felt like a ten-year-old, with my stomach all giddy from the excitement of her holding my hand.

“Yeah, well, I have to do something better than my sister, so academics is the only way to go. And I’m not smarter than everyone at our school. As of right now, I’m only the salutatorian, not the valedictorian.”

I nudged her with my shoulder. “Oh, poor you.” I chuckled and shook my head. “I’m only the salutatorian, not the valedictorian.” My tone tried to imitate hers as I joked around. “Most of us would be happy just to graduate with all C’s.”

“Well, we have two classes together, so I can help whenever you are having problems.” She must not have been paying attention to the pathway, and even though I was holding her hand, she still stumbled over a stick that was across the path. She plowed into the back of me, and I jerked forward a bit with the hit.

“You okay?” I turned around to see if she was alright after her stumble.

“Yeah, I’m good. I just tripped over that branch.” Morgan pointed to the culprit, which was lying on the dirt path. It wasn’t big, but enough that her foot got tripped by it as we walked.

“You sure?” I let go of her hand and lightly ran my hands along her arms.

“Yep. Just being the klutz like I normally am.” Morgan’s skin had goosebumps forming in every place that I touched.

I felt my body flush as my hands continued to stroke her arms. “I saw it. I should’ve told you to watch out. My fault for being a bad guide.”

My hands stopped caressing her arms and lightly gripped her wrists. My eyes kept darting back and forth from her eyes to her lips. If this was leading where I thought it was, then was I ready for this kiss. I’ve had a million kisses before this, but I knew that this one would be a life changer.

Did I want this to happen?

I didn’t have any more time to ask myself any more questions as my lips gently touched hers.

Morgan’s face had more expressions on it in the past thirty seconds than there were emoticons. I felt her body tremble as my lips softly touched hers. My fingers finally got to run through her hair like I’d been dying to do since I’d first seen her with her hair down. It was as soft and silky as I expected. Her response got me more excited than I expected like this kiss was above and beyond all the others that I had in the past.

My tongue swept across her lips and she parted them ever so slightly. My hand went to the nape of her neck and pulled her head closer. She wrapped her arms around my neck and deepened the kiss more than I expected her to do for our first time.

As our tongues intertwined with each other and our breathing became heavier, I knew I had to step away from the moment. Not that I didn’t want to take this any further, but I felt something different for her than other girls that I had in the past. Like this was real and not some casual fling that would be over tomorrow morning.

MORGAN

Ethan kissed me lightly once more, then took a step backward. I couldn’t believe that we had that short little make-out session right here, right now.

Outside of a bit of a peck on the cheek, that was my first ever big kiss.

‘Maybe I sucked at it, and that’s why he stopped?

Maybe he realized who he was kissing?

Maybe he…’

“Wow, a lot is going on up there.”

Ethan’s fingertip slowly traced from my temple down to my chin. He was looking at me as if he were waiting for some type of response to what just occurred between us.

“Um…” I had no clue what to say.

Was I supposed to tell him he’s an excellent kisser?

Or that I’m glad we stopped when we did, or we might be lying naked on the ground right now.

He created a burning inside of me that I wanted to be put out. I never, ever thought Ethan Lowry would be the one that I would give it all to. But if he didn’t back away when he did, I couldn’t be sure if I would’ve stopped him at any point along the way.

“Why did you kiss me?”

“I guess because I wanted to for a while now.” Ethan bit his lower lip and tilted his head while still staring at me. He looked confused by the question that I had just asked him. "Why, Morgan, didn’t you want me to?”

“Yes.” That was a little bit louder and more impulsive than I wanted it to be. “I mean, yes, I wanted you to kiss me, not, yes, I didn’t want you to.” There I was just rambling along without a brain cell doing its job and making sure I didn’t sound like a babbling idiot.

Ethan snickered at my horrible job of explaining what I wanted. “I knew what you meant, but it was cute to see you all flustered trying to correct yourself.”

“Oh yeah, I’m a laugh a minute.” We continued walking, with him still holding my hand. I made sure that I checked the path for anything else that could trip me. But that might be a good thing if it would get me a second kiss.

It was becoming easier to talk with Ethan than it had been at the beginning of the year. Well, the kiss made everything clearer. He might like me as more than a lab partner and friend, he wasn’t like what I expected him to be. This whole image at school was so different from the Ethan that I hung around with.

His car came into sight, and I was sort of disappointed that our time out together was almost over. I was glad to be able to sit down, but not so much that we would have to go our separate ways once we got back to school.

Ethan walked me over to the passenger side and opened the door for me. I thanked him as I sat down, and then he jogged around to his side so we would be able to leave.

The drive back to the school was mostly in silence. Ethan kept the radio on low, but neither one of us had much to say. Maybe we were caught up in our own thoughts and trying to figure out what the hell was going on with us.

Well, at least that was what it was like on my end.

Maybe he was thinking, ‘what the hell did I just do?’ I’d never seen him this quiet before.

“Is everything okay?”

Did I really want to hear his answer?

It might ruin the whole experience and take away this feeling of being truly happy—one feeling that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Ethan looked over at me and nodded. The car entered back at our starting point, the high school parking lot. There were still people hanging out, but for the most part, everyone had gone home. He parked in the empty spot beside my car and shut off the engine.

“Why wouldn’t everything be okay?” He tucked a piece of my fallen hair back behind my ear.

Just his lightly touching me sent my hormones into overdrive once again. I willed them back under control and nicely tucked them away for another day…that’s if there would be any more days like this in the near future.

“It just seemed you were in deep thought the whole way back to school.”

His lips formed a small smile, and he took his hand away from my face. I missed the connection as soon as his hand moved away. I was getting in way too deep this early on in whatever was going on with us.

“Just thinking about all the shit I’m going to hear from everyone about missing soccer practice.”

Yay, score a point in my favor. He wasn’t thinking or having bad thoughts about our time together or that oh-so-sensual kiss.

I patted Ethan’s hand, which was resting on the gear shift. “I know the feeling. The rest of the debate team is going to bitch at me for missing a practice before a big meet.”

“Shit. I’m sorry, Morgan.” Ethan sounded devastated for having me miss a practice.

“It’s no big deal. I’ll tell them I got sick or something and went home.” I opened the door and stepped out. “Thanks for the day out. We’ll, um, have to do this again.”

Ethan got out and came around to my side. He took hold of my hand and pulled me closer to his body. “Real soon.” His head lowered to mine and his lips gently touched mine.

The kiss wasn’t as long as the one when we were walking, it was just enough to pull me even closer to someone that I said I would never develop any sort of feelings for.

Right, Morgan, you were hooked as soon as he said your name.

Ethan smiled and backed away.

I got into my car and rolled down my window when Ethan motioned for me to do so with his hand.

“See you tomorrow?”

I had to giggle at how cute he looked, questioning whether or not he would see me again in the morning.

“Yes, Ethan, I will be here bright and early.” I backed out of the parking space, gave one final wave goodbye, and rode back home with a big smile on my face for having had the best day of my life so far.

Click the link below to start at the beginning. Thank you for reading. Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to get notified when I drop new content.