Chapter 4

The next day I went down to the college to sign up for some summer classes. I figured I would take at least two classes to advance a little more. My freshman year I had been such a slacker that I wasted a lot of time.

I was walking towards the registration office when I heard my phone go off. It was a text message. I stopped near the front entrance and smiled when I saw Ethan's name.

Ethan: Hello my love. Thinking about you.

I bit my lower lip and texted him back: I'm always thinking about you.

I felt all giddy like a schoolgirl in love for the first time. I went in the registration office and signed up for my two writing classes.

Afterwards, I was heading out and heard my phone go off again. I looked at the name and blushed.

Ethan: I'll see you later on today. I can't wait to see you.

I replied back: I want you.

Ethan: You'll have me. Yes you will once the whole world knows you're my girl.

I groaned. I was about to text back when I heard: "Hey!"

I jumped up nervously almost dropping my phone. "Jesus Christ!" I gasped.

Gary laughed. "Oops sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

I nervously put my phone up in my purse. "Hey Gary," I said quietly.

"Who were you taking to?" He asked suspiciously.

"Just a friend," I lied.

He eyed me for a moment. "Oh. A friend huh?"

I sighed. "Yes a friend. So how have you been?"

"Miserable." He looked at me and reached over to softly touch my arm. "I miss hanging out with you Emma."

I pulled away slowly. "We had some good times."

He smiled. "Yes we did. I'd like to hang out again sometime."

"I don't think that's a good idea," I said politely.

He frowned. "Why not? Didn't you say that you would like to remain friends?"

I nodded. "Yes, but that doesn't mean we have to go out. We can just talk casually."

He looked down for a minute and then looked back at me flashing me angry eyes. "Is your new "friend" someone you'd rather hang around with than me?"

I began to walk away.

He followed me.

"Hey wait up. I'm sorry," he said and stood in front of me stopping me from going on.

"You need to stop with the attitude Gary," I warned.

"I know I'm sorry. I just miss you and you know I still have very strong feelings about you."

I looked away.

"Well whoever this guy is ... he's very lucky to have you. You tell him I said that." Gary gave me a weak smile and then walked away.

Later on that afternoon, Ethan and I hung out in my room. We were listening to music and kissing on my bed. We lay side by side. Ethan was stroking my hair and face and we were talking about our day and kissing in between. I wanted to do a lot more than kiss but I had to respect my brother's wishes.

"So Gary told me to tell you that you are a very lucky guy to have me," I said and giggled.

Ethan furrowed his eyebrows. "What? When did you talk to Gary?"

"Today. I saw him at school when I went to register for the summer classes."

Ethan looked away.

"Don't be mad. I didn't hang out with him or anything."

Ethan licked his lips and turned over to face the ceiling. "If he knew you and I were together I'm sure he'd stop trying to hit on you. I don't like the fact that he keeps bothering you."

I scoot closer to my brother and put my head on his chest. "I know. I'm sorry. I just had to tell you. Isn't it better than I tell you rather than keep things from you?"

I felt him stroke my hair. "Yes. I guess I'm just jealous. After all, you were with Gary for a while."

I looked up at Ethan. "I was with Gary for a few months. I've been with you all of my life."

He smiled that sweet boyish smile and leaned down to kiss my forehead. "I know. It's just that ... my blood boils when I think about the fact that you and Gary ... um you know were intimate."

I saw his face turn red. I raised myself up and stared at him. "How do you know?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "I heard you one time."

This time I turned red. "You did?" I could feel my eyes widen.

"Yeah. Once when mom and dad were out of town. You invited him to spend the night and well you know what you did."

I was so embarrassed! "But was I ... um was I loud?"

Ethan smiled shyly. "Yeah."

"Oh my god!" I groaned and covered my face.

Ethan raised himself up and took my hands off of my face. "Don't be embarrassed Em. I loved the way you sounded. I was sad, angry and very jealous of course but I think I could have listened to your moans all night."

"Oh my god! Ethan!" I tried to hide my face again but he held my hands in his.

"I had to "take care" of myself that night. I just kept replaying your moans in my mind and imagined it was me who was making you moan like that instead of Gary."

I'm sure my face was candy apple red by then.

"I hope to hear those moans soon," he looked deep into my eyes. "Real soon, but this time with me." Then he gave me another one of his toe curling deep long wet kisses!

"Mom, I really don't need a graduation party. I don't even have enough friends to invite," Ethan protested to my parents later that evening at dinner.

My mother had announced that she wanted to throw Ethan a huge graduation bash. I think it was mainly to show off that her son was valedictorian.

"We'll invite some family and you can invite your friends. Emma can invite her friends too."

I didn't say anything at first. I knew how much he hated being the center of attention and he really hated parties. Small get togethers were ok but parties? No.

"Mom, why don't we all just go out to eat at a nice restaurant as a family to celebrate?" I suggested.

Ethan smiled at that idea. "Yeah that's more like it."

But, my mom wouldn't budge. "No way! This is a big celebration! My baby is valedictorian!" Mom sounded so proud. My father agreed with her. Of course he did.

Ethan groaned. "Ugh ok whatever mom."

I gave Ethan an apologetic look. "I tried," I whispered to him.

"I know," He whispered back and looked at me with so much love.

"You should invite Claudia," My mom said.

I felt myself cringe.

"No mom it's ok. I will invite a few friends."

"But she was such a sweet girl!" My mom went on.

"Yeah but we don't really talk much so it's ok mom," Ethan said politely.

"Oh you're no fun!" My mom teased.

Ethan shook his head and he and I laughed silently.

My parents spent the next few days preparing for Ethan's graduation party. My mom even took some days off from work to make sure she got the catering right and the chair and table rentals. She even got me to help her with decorations and the invitations.

My mom was always good at planning parties so I didn't doubt that this party would be huge. A lot of our relatives were invited, cousins and aunts and uncles that I didn't even talk to or see much. I lied and told my mom that I had invited a few of my friends from college but I didn't. I knew the more people that showed up the more Ethan would hate it.

The party would take place that same Saturday when Ethan's graduation took place. Ethan graduated in the early afternoon and the party would be that night.

Ethan and I hardly got any time alone because he was very busy studying for his finals and I was busy helping my mom out with the party. I missed him so much but we kept in contact by text messaging. It was silly text messaging someone that lives in the same house but that was the only way we could communicate in a loving way.

One afternoon, I was picking up the invitations for Ethan's graduation when I got a text message from him. I stood outside of the parking lot and read his message.

Ethan: I miss kissing you.

I replied: I'm missing kissing you and doing much more.

Ethan: Let the world know Em and I'll do it all.

I blushed. I went in the shop to get the invitations. I paid with the money my mother gave me and as I was heading out I bumped into no other than Gary and his best friend Ben.

"Hey Emma," Gary said right away.

I began to fidget. "Hey Gary."

"Emma," Ben said nonchalantly.

I could tell Ben was on his best friends side. I mean what best friend wouldn't be? I'm sure he was pissed because I had ended it with Gary.

"Hi Ben," I said nicely.

Ben gave me a weak smile and turned to Gary. "I'm going to pick up Lila's invitations." He looked at me and gave me a hateful sort of look.

I felt slightly uncomfortable.

"I take it I'm on Ben's shit list?" I said trying to be funny.

Gary ignored that. "Eh it's cool. So what you up to? Ethan's graduating too huh?"

I nodded.

"Wow little Ethan all grown up now," Gary said sarcastically.

"Yeah ... well I have to get going. I'll see you around." I said and walked past him.

Once outside, I heard my phone go off again. I opened up my car door and put the box of invitations in the back seat. I closed the door and grabbed the phone out of my purse.

I smiled reading Ethan's text.

Ethan: Are you really considering telling the world? I think you are my love.

I replied: I am. I really am. I want you inside of me like you wouldn't believe.

I had just hit sent when...

"Who are you texting?"

I jumped up and gasped. "Shit! Gary! Stop sneaking up on me like that!" I was angry!

He looked at me and then at my phone. Before I knew it he had snatched the phone away from me!

"Give me my phone!" I yelped. I was hoping someone was around to save me but I didn't spot anyone.

"Who were you texting?" Gary asked again holding my phone up high in the air so I wouldn't reach it.

"None of your business! Give me my phone! I'm serious!"

"Well I'll just have to see won't I?"

"Gary, we are not together anymore ok? It's none of your fucking business!" I said and slapped him.

Gary's nostrils flared and with that he put my phone up higher and began to read my text messages. I saw how his eyes widened when he saw Ethan's name and how his jaw dropped when he read the messages we had exchanged.

He slowly put the phone down and I grabbed it. "Asshole!" I said in a trembling voice.

He stared at me in disbelief. "Ethan?" He asked quietly.

I didn't say anything. Ben came out from the store and saw us. Once he approached us he gave me another dirty look. I didn't give a fuck. I hated Gary and his friend. I looked a Gary with hateful eyes and got in my car. I sped off as fast as I could with tears running down my face and my hands trembling.

I didn't tell Ethan about the incident with Gary. His graduation was right around the corner and I didn't want to burden him with that. Eventually I would tell him but it would have to wait. I kept praying that Gary wouldn't call my parents to tell them. Luckily my folks weren't too crazy about him to believe him but I was still scared.

The weeks went by fast and finally Ethan's graduation day had arrived. I hadn't really been myself since the whole Gary incident. So far so good I hadn't seen Gary anywhere else and as far as I knew he hadn't gone to tell my parents.

I was so proud of my baby brother ... my sweet lover. My parents were downstairs panicking over everything about the party. I was already dressed in my dark red spaghetti strap dress and black heels. My hair was pinned up with curls hanging from the sides.

I went over to Ethan's room and knocked gently on the door. His bedroom door was halfway open. I peeked inside as I opened up the door to let myself in.

Ethan was standing by his full length mirror trying to put on his tie. He looked at me with a frustrated look. He looked so sexy dressed up in a crisp white button up shirt and a gray tie, black slacks and his black Doc Marten boots.

"Hey I can't tie this thing around me," he sounded so flustered.

I walked towards him. "I'll help you."

He smiled and slipped the tie off of him and handed it to me. I took the tie and our finger tips slightly touched. I wanted to kiss him so badly right then and there but I was afraid my mother would barge in any minute. I should have closed the door!

"Here," I said and started putting the tie on him. He looked at me with such intense eyes.