Chapter 27
W e spend New Year’s day with Ethan’s parents, watching movies in their theater room, then having a nice dinner that Frank cooked. We talk about our plans for the new year, namely Ethan staging an interview at school to tell reporters what school he chose for his track scholarship.
My dad texts me, wishing me a Happy New Year and tells me he’ll be back on Friday.
And I’m surprised that his message says he’s excited to see me.
Maybe he realizes that I’ll be going off to college soon?
Even though I haven’t told him or Barbara where I was going, he has to know that I’d try to get a scholarship somewhere.
Or maybe, since I’m his son, he’s just happy to see me.
Either way, it’s a bit weird, but I feel good about it.
I’ll just have to find a way to tell him about what happened at home.
I don’t have the heart to tell him through text.
The next day, Frank tells us he made some calls and Ethan has a mass interview set up for Thursday with several newspapers and a few local news stations.
He set it up before the home meet so it’ll be something off Ethan’s plate, and he won’t have reporters hounding him while he needs to focus on his times.
Ethan is nervous, not really liking the spotlight on him like this.
“An interview after a game or a meet is one thing. Having all these people asking me questions and having to come up with appropriate answers is a lot of pressure, creep,” he tells me when he comes back from track practice, finding me in his room with my books and papers everywhere.
I move my things to make room for him, but he kneels on the floor beside the bed.
I grab his hand and squeeze it. “Don’t be nervous, babe. You’re not there to impress them. You’ve already impressed the scouts at USC. You don’t have to do more than that. And you’re charming.” He gives me a crooked smile and I kiss his nose, making him laugh. “You’ll do fine. I know it.”
“You’ll be there, right?” I start to shake my head, but Ethan grabs my hands in a tight grip. “Please, Koby. I know I’ll be fine if you’re there with me.”
Of course he looks at me with those cute puppy dog eyes. The ones I can never say no to.
Shoulders slumped, I sigh, then nod. “Okay, I’ll be there. In the back, though. Where no one can see me.”
He lets out a sharp laugh, then kisses me lightly. “I’m off to shower. Be naked when I get out.” My gaze shoots to his and I catch the playful look in his eyes. “I’m kidding, creep. Chill.”
I don’t mind waiting naked for him, but I’m sure his parents could walk down the hall at any moment. Ethan has a habit of leaving his door open. It drives me nuts and I get up all the time to close it behind him.
During the next few days, there’s a buzz around the school about the interview and some people approach him, asking what’s going on.
I don’t like it. It’s making Ethan more nervous than he already is.
This isn’t a small city, so I’m not sure how people heard about the interview in the first place, but he’s feeling on edge.
When Kenneth walks up to him, his face the picture of curiosity, I find my voice and the need to protect Ethan for once.
“Leave him alone. If you want to know what the interview is about, watch the news or read the papers.” There’s a bit of an edge to my voice because I’m tired of people thinking they can walk up to him and ask him questions, seeing how wound up he is.
I grab Ethan’s hand and drag him behind me, but not before catching the open-mouthed look on Kenneth’s face.
Ethan digs his heels in and jerks me back. I look up at him, feeling a little sorry that I snapped like that. I drop my head and my cheeks heat.
Putting a hand under my chin, he lifts it up and I meet his eyes. “What was that?”
“I’m sorry. I know you can take care of yourself. I won’t do it again.”
“No, do it again. I liked it. Thank you.” He pulls me close to him and kisses my forehead. “My little chihuahua.” I swat him on the chest and he laughs, letting me go so we can walk to my class.
Later in the day, I get pulled from class and told to go to the library. I can barely get inside, there is so much equipment and so many people. Not to take anything away from Ethan, but he garners this much attention? How many people did Frank call?
I hug the wall, sliding behind people and cameras to try to get between the bookshelves, close enough to where I can see Ethan and he can see me. He’s sitting with his parents and Grace is fussing over his clothes, as usual, but Ethan looks stressed.
Pulling out my phone, I send him a quick text.
Me: You have sweat on your nose.
He pulls out his phone and smiles down at it.
After a few seconds, he looks around and we lock eyes when he finally finds me.
He smiles at me, causing a few people to turn around to see what or who he’s looking at.
I lower my head, face heating, and take a step back so the stacks hide me.
My phone vibrates in my hand, and I know it’s Ethan.
Ethan: Come here, please.
Me: I’m fine here.
Ethan: Please? I need you.
Yep, Ethan will always get what he wants from me, even though I’m scared to death to be in front of all those people.
Dragging my feet, I make my way to the space that was created for Ethan and his family.
Grace and Frank smile when they see me and they both stand to give me a quick hug.
Then, Frank draws up another chair and Grace sits beside Ethan, and Frank sits beside Grace.
Which leaves the chair beside Ethan empty.
I shoot him a look and he shrugs but looks a lot less stressed than before I sat down. He grabs my hand in a tight, sweaty grip and doesn’t let go. I give his hand a squeeze and he looks at me with a grateful smile.
Shortly after, Frank stands up and addresses everyone. “Okay, we can start with the questions. We’ll only be here for thirty minutes and we’re limiting the questions to only two or three questions per interviewer. Understand?”
Frank has a very commanding presence. I find myself nodding along with everyone else, then stop when Ethan gives me a smirk.
The first reporter doesn’t even wait. After Frank calls on him, he immediately asks, “Is this your boyfriend? Are you gay? Will you be an openly gay athlete?”
Before Ethan can answer, Frank steps in.
In a booming voice, he says, “There will be no questions about my son’s personal life.
If you would like to know what college he will run for and his plans after his collegiate years, you can ask those.
If we get another question about anything that doesn’t apply specifically to track and field, this press conference will immediately be concluded. ”
The interviewer sits back with a curt nod and Frank moves on to another reporter. “We’ve gotten word that you have scholarship offers from USC, Morgan State, Yale, and NCU, just to name a few. Have you decided which school you’ll commit to?”
Taking a deep breath, Ethan looks at his parents, then at me. I smile at him and he gives me a cute grin back.
Facing the reporter, he says, “It took me a while to figure out which school I wanted to go to. While I wanted to attend an institution that has a great track and field program, I also wanted to attend a school that would help foster my aspirations to become a pediatrician after graduated. For that reason, I decided on USC. In the fall, I’ll officially be a Trojan. ”
His announcement has reporters talking over each other, asking questions and clamoring to get theirs answered before anyone else.
Cameras flash, and the look of happiness on Ethan’s face is breathtaking.
I knew he was happy to be a Trojan, but I think telling the world made it real for him. I’m beyond happy for him.
After the thirty minutes are up, Frank announces the end of the press conference, and everyone starts to pack up.
A few people come over and shake Ethan’s and his parents’ hands, asking Frank and Grace a few questions about their volunteer work.
While that’s going on, I try to slink back and give the family their time, but Ethan has my hand in a death grip.
Sighing, I stand there and wait for him to unhand me in his own time.
It only takes a few minutes and then we’re alone. We walk into the hallway and Frank turns to Ethan. “You did well, son. I’m really proud of how you handled yourself in there.”
Ethan gives him a hug, after he lets my hand go. “Thanks for stopping the questions about creep. I don’t want these people to make him feel uncomfortable.”
“I know, son.” He lets Ethan go and gives me a hug. “Sorry they put you in that position, Koby.”
I smile at him, choked up that Ethan and his father wanted to protect me. “I’m fine, Frank. Thank you.”
Just then, the bell rings, and the hall starts to fill with students.
Grace grabs Frank’s hand and tells us, “We’ve checked you two out for the day.
Meet us at Josie’s and we’ll have lunch to celebrate.
” Josie’s is an upscale restaurant that’s pretty much reservations only, but it’s Frank and Grace.
I’m sure they’re regular customers and probably have their own table set aside.
I’m not sure how she checked me out, since she’s not my parent or guardian, but I don’t ask questions.
“Okay,” Ethan tells his parents and they head to the door.
When I turn to look at Ethan, I see Dawn from the corner of my eye and her face is beet red.
She turns around and stomps off, her friends hurrying behind her.
She must tell them to leave her alone, because they stop and stare after her.
I swear that girl needs some therapy. After all these months of Ethan and I being together, I thought she would have left us alone by now.
Pushing her out of my mind, I look up at Ethan and see him beaming down at me. “How did I do?” he asks.
I roll my eyes, then tuck myself to his side. “You know you did well. Don’t ask me to stroke your ego.”
He barks a laugh. “Nah, no ego stroking. I have something else you can stroke, though.”
Shaking my head, I look up at him. “I knew you were going to say that.” He laughs again and we walk out of the double doors to get to his car.
Before we can walk too far, he pulls me into his arms. We stand in front of the school, my arms around his neck and his around my waist. He kisses me slowly and I melt into him.
Breathing shakily when we pull apart, I ask. “How do you feel?”
“Good,” Ethan answers, a bright smile on his face. “I’m glad I did the interviews. I can’t wait to run for USC.”
I grin up at him and slide my hands over his shoulders. Not feeling the straps of his backpack reminds me I forgot mine. “Shit. I forgot my backpack in the library. Gimme a second and I’ll meet you at your car.”
“Okay, creep.” I turn away, and Ethan, the weirdo that he is, smacks me on the ass.
I yelp, jumping as he lets out a deep laugh.
He walks backward, giving me a face of innocence before he turns toward the crosswalk that leads to student parking, shoving his earbuds in his ears and fiddling with his phone.
He’s going to blow an eardrum. I can almost hear the music from here.
Turning away from him, I face the double doors until I catch a flash of color from the corner of my eye. It’s a bright red car, driving erratically and picking up speed. Picking up speed and barreling straight towards Ethan.
Dawn’s car.
I don’t think, I just take off, hoping to get to him in time. Barreling through the crosswalk, I shove Ethan as hard as I can, knocking him out the path of the oncoming car.I feel a painful crunch in the lower half of my body, and then my world goes black.