"Do you wanna come in"

Chapter 6

Kierra's POV

I left Emily's place feeling very confused about everything. What was supposed to be a normal afternoon after school ended up being not so normal.

Why did Ethan act like that? He'd never acted like that towards me? What even was that? Was I just reading into things or maybe I just imagined it?

I glanced at Ethan through the corner of my eyes. His attention was fully on the road ahead.

Liliana had gotten off a few minutes ago and I'd gotten in front beside Ethan. I could still remember the long kiss they'd shared before she skipped to her own equally large mansion.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I imagined it. Ethan wasn't someone like that. He loved Liliana way too much. He would never try to hurt her by cheating especially not with someone like me. That was just not the Ethan I knew.

I plugged my earphones in and put them in my ears. I needed something else to think about, something to get Ethan off my head, and what better to do that than music.

As the Justin Bieber song started to play, I leaned my head on the window and watched the road roll past, trying hard not to think about the handsome hottie seated beside me.

Eventually, I gave in to my exhaustion, my eyes drooping shut as I fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next time I opened my eyes, I had my chest resting against a surface that was both warm and hard, unlike the window I had previously been leaning against. There was a steady rhythm behind the surface that I could hear.

I could feel my arms suspended and wrapped around something. My nose was also graced with a wonderful scent that enticed my senses.

There was also the feeling of weightlessness. I could feel movement but I knew I wasn't moving because my legs were perfectly still. I was obviously being carried but by who?

Slowly, I opened my eyes and found myself staring right into two crystal blue pools. I figured out what was going on and could only gape.

It was Ethan. I was in Ethan's arms. It was Ethan's chest I had heard beating and it was his neck that I had my arms wrapped around.

Okay. Now I've got to be dreaming! I have to be dreaming, right?

I blinked multiple times but the sight in front of me didn't change. I really was in Ethan's arms and he was carrying me bridal style.

Holy hell!

"You're awake," were his first words to me. I felt the rumble of his voice as he spoke and I got goosebumps all over. The rest of the world seemed to fade around me at that moment as Ethan and I stared at each other. I was aware of only him, his gaze and the feel of his skin against mine.

My heart was in overdrive, beating like I was in a marathon. I felt like I was trapped in a dream, a dream I didn't want to end. After all, it wasn't every day I got to be carried by my childhood crush like I was a princess.

A loud honk from nowhere brought the moment to an end all too soon. As Ethan glanced around, I could feel my chest squeeze and I sighed softly.

Why did I let myself hope? Ethan was never going to be mine. Hoping would only make it hurt more.

I waited for Ethan to place me on my feet but surprisingly, he didn't. He continued towards my home and stopped at the door. My mom wasn't back yet so the door was still locked. He placed me on my feet and after making sure I was okay to walk, I grabbed the key from my backpack and opened the door.

I was about to head in when I hesitated and turned to look at Ethan who hadn't made a move yet.

"Do you— do you wanna come in?" I found myself asking him. I had no idea why I asked him that. There was no telling what could happen if he came in but I just couldn't help myself.

The question seemed to have affected him and I could see the contemplation in his eyes.

It seemed like an eternity passed before he finally responded.

"No." That one word hurt me more than I thought was possible. I tried not to show how his response had affected but the look in his eyes told me that he knew. His next words, however, changed that. "Maybe next time."

I couldn't help but smile a little. There was going to be a next time and he just might enter my house then. There might be hope for me yet.

As I watched him head to his car, I thought to myself that if falling asleep in Ethan's car meant he would carry me bridal style, I just might be tempted to do it again...