At the end of the school day, I packed up my things, getting ready to go home. Walking towards the school doors, I noticed Ethan standing near a building pillar, his hands resting on his back. It seemed like he was waiting for someone. As I stepped outside, Ethan approached me, wearing a friendly smile.
"Hey, Emma! I was wondering if you'd like a ride home today?" he asked, his voice warm and inviting.
Surprised by his offer, I hesitated and replied, "Oh, that's not necessary. I don't want to be a bother to you. I'll just take the bus instead."
"I insist on taking you home today," he said firmly. With a little nod, indicating my agreement, he held my hand and led me to where his car was parked.
Meanwhile, Christine, one of Chloe's friends, whispered to her, "Something is going on between Emma and Ethan, and it doesn't look good. He's acting all friendly towards her."
Chloe's other friend, Kelly, chimed in, "Chloe, you've got to do something about them. What if he falls for her?"
Christine added, "It's already playing out. He's given her a ride three times already. Isn't that falling for someone?"
Chloe, observing Ethan's car driving off, replied, "Will you guys shut up? I'm trying to think here. I think I have a plan."
Curious, Kelly asked, "What are you thinking?"
Chloe smiled mischievously and said, "Girls, get ready because we're going camping." She headed towards her car, a sense of determination on her face.
Surprised by Chloe's change of plans, Kelly asked, "I thought she said she wasn't going."
Christine speculated, "I think she's planning on doing something while we're there. Let's go before she leaves us." Both of them hurried to catch up with Chloe.
During the drive, Ethan asked, "Are you going to attend the camping trip?"
"I will," I replied.
Curiosity getting the better of me, I inquired, "Is Chloe going to attend?"
"I don't know about her. She doesn't like that kind of stuff, especially bugs. So it's a no for her," Ethan explained as he focused on driving.
Feeling a bit apprehensive, I asked, "Are you and Chloe, like, together or something?"
"Well, it's kind of complicated," Ethan responded. "Our parents' companies are joined together, so that's how we ended up knowing each other. We're just friends and nothing more." But she's always acting like you guys are something more, I thought to myself as I looked through my side window. We were almost at my street, and I said, "Stop the car. I'll come down here." I said, "Okay, no worries," Ethan replied, understanding my sudden request. As he stopped the car, I turned to him and said, "Thanks for the ride. I really appreciate it," a smile present on my face. "It's okay. I can also give you other rides if you permit me," Ethan said, smiling back. "I'll think about it," I replied as I stepped out of the car. "Ah, sorry to ask you, but if it's okay with you, can I please have your phone number?" Ethan asked. "Sure, give me your phone," I said. He handed me his phone, and I wrote down my phone number. "I'm also on InstaSnap. We could chat sometime if it's okay," Ethan said. "That's okay," I said as I gave him back his phone. "I'll be going now. Bye," I said as I walked down the sidewalk to my house. "What a gentleman," I said as I walked to the house. This is the third time Ethan has dropped me off at home, and the second time he took me to that beautiful park. I can't forget that wonderful day, I said to myself as I recalled everything that happened.
Ethan drove through the front gates of his home and parked his car in the small parking lot. Noticing his parents' cars were absent, he made his way inside. "Mabel," Ethan called out as he strolled down the spacious hallway. Mabel emerged from one of the rooms, responding, "Yes, Mr. Ethan?" "Have my parents called yet?" Ethan inquired. "No, Mr. Ethan, they haven't," Mabel replied. "Is there anything else I can assist you with?" Mabel asked. "No, there's nothing else. I'll be heading to my room now," Ethan said as he left the hallway.
Upon entering his room, Ethan removed his clothes and entered the shower for a quick rinse. Standing beneath the cascading water, he turned the tap, feeling the refreshing flow drench his body. He reached for the soap and lathered it into his hair, his mind wandering to the memory of taking Emma home in his car. Lost in the thought, he experienced an unexpected surge of arousal. Surprised, he gently grasped himself and began stroking. His eyes closed, his mind consumed by Emma's face as he continued. Afterward, he rinsed his hand and stepped out of the shower to dress. As his phone rang, he swiftly picked it up, checking the caller ID to find his mother on the line. "Hey, son. How are you doing?" his mother greeted. "I'm doing well. When are you and Dad coming home? It's been so long since I've seen both of you," Ethan expressed. "We'll be back tomorrow. The principal informed me about the camping trip," she replied. "Yes, and I'm definitely going. Is Dad with you?" Ethan inquired. "He went out for a meeting not long ago," she informed. "Okay," Ethan acknowledged. "Oh, son, I have another important call coming in. I have to take it. I'll talk to you later. Bye," she said. "Bye, Mom," Ethan bid farewell as the call ended.
As the day grew darker and the stars began to twinkle, I picked up my phone and video called Julie, recounting everything that had transpired. "Wow, going camping sounds like so much fun, and Ethan will be there," Julie exclaimed, a smile gracing her face. "You could say that until Chloe ruins everything," I responded. "Why worry about Chloe? Just ignore her, and everything will be fine," Julie advised. "But if I'm there, how will we communicate? Chloe will be all over him. Have you seen what she's done?" I expressed my concerns. "Well, at this point, you can call her a pest," we both chuckled, continuing our conversation with light-hearted laughter.
After finishing our chat, I went downstairs. My mom had already served dinner and was about to call me. "Oh, you're already here. Come sit," she said. I sat at the table, and we started eating. "Emma, are you sure you can go camping?" my mom asked. "I think so. Everyone else is going, so why not? I can even paint the beautiful views and landscapes," I replied. "That sounds great," my dad said while eating his food. "Okay, dear," my mom said.
After dinner, I went back upstairs to my room and lay on my bed. I picked up my phone and checked for missed calls from an unknown number, but there were none. "Maybe he's not ready to call me yet," I thought to myself. I took a book from my side drawer and started reading.
"Should I call her now?" Ethan wondered, holding his phone with a hesitant expression. "Let me just go for it," Ethan said, tapping the number. "Hello, Emma speaking. Who is this?" I asked as I held the phone to my ear. "It's me, Ethan. How are you doing? I just wanted to check up on you," Ethan said. "I'm good, and thanks for checking in," I said. "So, what did your parents say when you told them about the trip?" Ethan asked. "Well, my mom was concerned, but I told her I was going and that I could even paint the landscapes while I'm there," I replied. "That would be wonderful. I'd love to see your paintings," he said. "That's okay with me," I said. "I'll be going now. Good night," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "Okay, have a good sleep," I said as the call ended. "That happened fast". I remarked.
I looked at the number he called me from and decided to save it as Ethan. After that, I went back to reading my book.