0.7

~ Skye

My eyes open to my Mum's worried face. I shut my eyes, reopening them before staring around to see where I was. Last night is a blur. I stop trying to recall the events and I sit up in my bed.

My bed? That's right, I'm in my bed. How did I get here? I groan at how messed up my head is. I remember having just one drink from a guy who would have done God knows what to me. I shudder just at the thought of it.

"Are you feeling okay now?" Mum asks.

I nod, although it's a lie. I feel like shit. But I'm not about to make her worry or anything. And besides, I'll never be that independent girlie I desire to be if I keep depending on my Mum for help forever.

"Are you sure?" Mum looks me all over. I can tell she's not convinced by my reply.

"I said I'm fine," I say and she sighs.

"Are you hungry? I made pasta and meatballs last night. If you need anything just tell me. I'll get it." Mum still stands beside my bed.

I want to yell at her. But I don't. Yelling won't help. She's as stubborn as sticking around despite my pleas to be left alone. Doesn't she get it? I'll be 18 soon and I'm still dependent on her.

Things should change. It has to. And hopefully, she'd stop treating me like a one-month-old baby. After Mum leaves, I go into my bathroom and have a shower. It helps cool my aching head and it's a plus since I get to wash off the grease and dirt that's sticking to my hair.

After my shower, I'm reluctantly doing a skincare routine to while away my time. Thank God it's Friday today. Missing school on Fridays doesn't count since the day is packed with extracurriculars and no schoolwork.

Finally done with my skincare, I make my way downstairs. I can hear laughter and conversations as I walk further down the stairs until I'm at the foot of the stairs. Mum and Mrs Reid are having a meal over laughs and talks.

I don't want Mrs. Reid to see me so I slip into the kitchen to fix myself some breakfast. But I noticed that Mum had served my meal and put it in the microwave. I'm greedily stuffing forkfuls of pasta in my mouth and humming to myself.

Mum makes the best pasta.

I'm still eating when Mum and Mrs Reid enter. I freeze, with my mouth full of food. Gosh! This is a first-hand embarrassment. Mum smiles warmly while Mrs Reid chuckles at my flushed cheeks. I manage to get the pasta down my throat and gulp down the glass of water by my side.

"How are you, Skye?" Mrs. Reid asks.

"Uh... I'm fine, how's Mia doing?" I ask, keeping my voice neutral with a fake smile.

"Oh, Mia is doing great. She's been asking when next you'd come over. It's been so long since I saw you next door. Is there a problem with Ethan?" Mrs. Reid asks.

My eyes widen momentarily and I quickly think of a reply to give to her. "Ethan? No. We are okay. Why would you think there's a problem?"

Mum and Mrs Reid glance at each other. I can tell they have talked about this. "What's going on? Did Ethan say something to you?" I find myself asking.

"Ethan skipped school today for reasons he has refused to tell anyone. He never skips school, be it Friday or even practice at school. I think something is up... Do you know what it is?" Mrs Reid is staring at me like my face holds answers to her questions.

I know that Ethan never misses school.

"I don't know, have you thought about the fact that maybe he just needed a day off? I mean last night was pretty rough." My voice is shaky as I try to avoid Mrs. Reid's eyes.

"No, I know him. And you know him as well. He would never skip school without a reason." Mrs Reid tells me.

Alright. What does she want me to do?

"You should check on him, Skye. He might need someone to talk to." Mum suggests which makes me shoot a glare at her.

"Me?" I ask.

The last thing I want is to face Ethan after what happened last night. I hadn't even thanked him properly for saving me from that guy. Besides, who knew what mood he'd be in this morning? Ethan is so unpredictable and I'm not in the mood for fights.

"Just go over and see if he's okay. You can bring him food; you know how boys can be." My Mum says, smiling at me.

I glance at my half-eaten plate of pasta, then back at Mrs. Reid. "Okay, I'll check on him," I say. I quickly pack a plate of pasta and meatballs and head for the door. "I'll be back sooner than you know it," I call out to Mum.

I step outside, walking slowly till I reach Ethan's front porch. I open the door, stepping inside while calling out, "Ethan?"

The house is so quiet, and I walk deliberately till I get to his room. Thank God the door is slightly ajar. I knock gently before taking a peek to see if he's in.

Ethan is sitting on a chair, his undivided attention on a game on his PS5, his fingers gripping the controller so tight I think it might break. I clear my throat, intending to startle him, but who am I kidding? He barely turns his head.

"Why did you skip school today?" He asks. I can tell he's distracted from his game a little bit by his question.

"Why did you?" I counter and cross my arms. He turns to stare at me and we lock eyes for a moment. Normally, we'd be arguing by now because as it is, Ethan and I cannot spend time together without a fight. But today feels different, like none of the both of us is ready for a fight.

I step into his room fully, gaping at the way it looks. It's surprisingly neat. I didn't think Ethan to be a neat freak. I notice stacks of video games on the edge of his desk and a scent of his cologne fills the air.

"Thank you for bringing me home last night and for saving me from that creep," I say, with the sole intention of breaking the stupid silence. But he doesn't respond, his eyes remain glued to the screen.

I clear my throat. "I brought you pasta and meatballs," I say, as I drop the container beside his desk and I carefully sit on his bed.

Ethan finally turns to me, and he has a smirk on his face. "You brought me food?" He asks.

I'm rolling my eyes before I can stop myself. "It was my Mum's idea. Your mum is worried about you, you know. You never skip school."

He shrugs, turning back to his game leaving me frustrated. I think of what to say to keep the conversation going but I'm at a loss of words.

"Seriously, Ethan, you can't just ignore me like I didn't just say your mum is worried about you. You should talk to someone if anything is bothering you. It's not healthy to just..."

"Skye," he interrupts, with a flat tone.

I stop talking, as I notice he's staring at me, and his gaze has drifted to my lips. I suddenly feel so self-conscious.

"What? What's wrong?" I ask with a shaky voice.

Ethan gets off his chair, his game is paused as he strides over to me. The sits down beside me on the bed and Fuck me.

I freeze. What game is he playing this time? I move backwards until my back is pressing against the headboard and he has me caged with his arms. He leans in, so close that I can feel his hot breath on my face.

I think he's going to kiss me.

It's not in our contract to kiss. Kissing is one of the things I strongly kicked against. So why would he kiss me now?

Just when I think our lips will meet, he goes to whisper in my ears. "You know, I think your lips look really dry."

Heat creeps up my cheeks, because... What the heck? I frown at Ethan just to let him know I don't find this funny but he continues anyway.

"You should probably take care of that." He chuckles.

This time, I pushed him away from me, feeling so embarrassed. He laughs which makes my face hotter. I turn away from him, I can't meet his eyes.

"I think I have some lip balm around somewhere. If you'd like one." He twists his mouth and that's it.

I get up. I'm leaving before I lose my cool and murder Ethan Reid. Why couldn't he try not to be a jerk every damn time? Before I can walk through the door, I hear Ethan's call.

"Would you go on a date with me tonight?"

I stop, confusion evident on my face at the sudden change of topic. I turned around, still looking like I didn't understand what he had just said. He gets up and walks over to where I'm standing.

"I said would you go out on a date tonight? Like... An actual date. It's in the contract that we have to go on dates so stop staring at me like I've grown a horn." Ethan says, his eyes never leaving my stunned face.

"So, I'll come get you when it's time. You still have time to get ready. It's going to be a long day."

"Yeah, yeah," I reply and make my way out of Ethan's room and out of his house. Getting to mine, I realize Mum isn't home. I suddenly have this idea of putting a call across to Harper and Riley, to see how they are.

I'm supposed to have called them since this morning. What got into me? I exhale and pull out my phone, dialling Harper's number. She picks up after the third ring.

"Skye, you okay?" She says, her voice loud and kind of cheerful.

"I'm fine. How about you?" I ask.

"Same here. Well, sort of." She chuckles dryly. "The cops found nothing on the guys they arrested, so they had to let them go. The party ended pretty early."

I'm so relieved by her words. "I'm sorry I had to leave like that," I tell her.

"No, it's fine. Riley and I were so worried about you, though. That guy deserved what Ethan did to him."

I smile lightly. "Thanks. Wait, where are you?"

"Riley and I are driving over to your house." She chirps.

I frown. Did they skip school as well? "Why didn't you guys go to school?"

Harper laughs. "Almost all the party attendees couldn't make it to school today. It's a mess."

I hang up, rushing inside my house to grab my keys. Just as I lock up the doors, I hear the sound of a car which I guess is Riley's. I rush to the door and hop in the rear seat.

"Hey girl, you look great," Riley tells me.

"Thanks, you too," I reply, feeling a bit shy. "Where are we going?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.

"Shopping," Harper replies. I can tell from her voice that she's excited. Harper loves getting new stuff. But shopping when I've got no money is a bad idea.

"But..." I start to say, but Riley waves her hand, dismissing me.

"Don't worry about anything. The bills are on me." She smiles warmly.

Bills on her? How much money has she got? Harper notices I'm still not buying the idea so she says. "Just calm down, Skye. Be happy you have a rich friend who can get you stuff."

I'm considering the pros and cons of this shopping idea and I smile to myself. I have a date tonight, and a new dress wouldn't hurt. So, I nod suddenly welcoming the idea. As Riley pulls up to the mall, I gasp.

"Oh my God! Is that De Luxe Plaza?"

"Yeah, why?" Harper asks, throwing me a confused glance like it's no big deal. Can't blame her. She's a rich kid, with her mama and papa together.

"Nothing. Just... get it together Skye." I mutter to myself as I step out of the car. The mall is massive, filled with high-end stores and so many people. Just the sheer size of it overwhelmed me. I'm so excited. Before I can forget, my phone is in my hands. I'm taking selfies, capturing the moment while Riley and Harper laugh at my spirit.

"What are you looking to get?" Harper asks Riley.

"Just tampons," Riley replies casually.

"Okay, I need new sneakers for my sportswear," Harper adds.

"Good idea. Go pick one out," I nudge her forward. As soon as Harper leaves, I bite my lip and turn to Riley. "I have a date tonight," I confess, as my cheeks heat up.

Riley stares at me and the next second, she's screaming in excitement like she's the one who has a date. "We need to pick enough sexy things."

"Sexy what? No." I protest but Riley is already filling our cart with matching lingerie sets and makeup kits. We reach the clothes section and she turns to me. "What's your favourite colour?"

"Lavender," I replied absentmindedly. I'm busy scanning the racks. Nothing seems to catch my eye, not until Riley pulls out a lavender two-piece set—a baggy crop top and shorts.

"What do you think?" She asks and I gush.

"It's perfect."

"Great. I'll also grab this black romper and a lavender blazer." She adds and I nod. I'm so thankful for Riley. We head to find Harper and once Riley sees her, she tells her about my date. I blush, particularly thankful they respect my privacy and don't ask who it is.

Riley pays for everything, and soon we are on our way to her parents' house. "The party was at my Mum's place, but now we're going to my Dad's," She explains.

I and Harper exchange glances, and I know we are both thinking the same thing. Riley is super rich.

She drives us to a grand mansion, the kind you see in movies. As well pull into the driveway, I can't help but gawk at the estate. The white exterior gleams the sunlight, and the lawns stretch as far as the eyes can see.

"Wow," I say, stepping out of the car.

Inside the mansion, Harper and I are in awe as we walk through the foyer. It's so lavish. It's adorned with crystal chandeliers and the decor is elegant. Harper isn't paying attention, and suddenly, she bumps into a hard chest.

"Whoa," She exclaims, as she looks up, craning her neck to see a tall, handsome guy staring down at her. "I'm so sorry..." She stammers with flushed cheeks.

Riley and I hold back our laughter as the guy, who I assume is Riley's older brother, raises an eyebrow and walks away without a word.

"Rude," Harper mumbles.

"Hot," I add with a smirk.

"Whatever," She huffs, rolling her eyes.

"Come on, let's check my room," Riley says, leading the way upstairs. When we enter her room, Harper screams. "It's so pretty." Riley's room is in a luxurious grey theme.

The rest of the day flies by as we play games and have lunch with Riley's super nice parents. I soon forget it's my first time here as I relax and enjoy their company.

It's almost 8pm and I'm sitting in a chair while Riley focuses on curling my hair. Harper and I are in a playful argument about makeup.

"I don't like makeup, I don't need it." I keep insisting.

"It's your first date, Skye. You need it." Harper says. I'm so stressed, and I don't have the strength to argue anymore as I finally agree to a smokey eyeliner, lip liner, lipstick, and lip gloss. I gaze at my reflection in the mirror. Butterflies flutter all around my stomach, and I feel beautiful.

We settle on the lavender two-piece outfit, which hugs my curves perfectly. I pair it with matching Nike sneakers, and Riley and Harper tell me I look hot. Just then, my phone rings.

It's Ethan. I tell the girls I need to answer it and I sneak out of the room with my bag. Walking downstairs, I suddenly feel so self-conscious. What if he doesn't like what he sees? I exhale and step outside the gate.

There he is, leaning against his car, looking effortlessly cool. And he's holding flowers. I'm still checking him out when he notices me and turns. His mouth drops open at the sight of me, and I smile suddenly feeling confident.

This is it—my first fake date with Ethan Reid.