The day passed by with Riley shamelessly flirting with Annie who continued to shut down his advances. Ellie and Ethan talked for a bit before Riley butted in.
"You guys look cute together, perhaps us four can go on a double date?" Riley asked, turning his gaze towards Annie as he suggested the date.
"No offense Ethan but ew," Ellie scrunched up her face in disgust, "he's not my type."
"Ditto," said Ethan as he took a brief glance at Annie which she caught, a light pink on her cheeks.
"Well I think Annie would feel much more comfortable if there were another couple with us, know any?" Riley asked on.
Annie sighed, "Riley, I'm not going on a date with you, or anyone- for a while."
"Oh so I still have a chance, in a littlewhile?" He smirked, "I look forward to it."
Ellie gagged at Riley. "Riley, when are you going to take the hint that Annie doesn't like you like that?" Ellie asked.
"Hmm, she might not now, but she definitely will later," he winked at Annie who rolled her eyes in return.
"We should head home soon, I'd like to see my dad when he gets off work," said Annie who turned her gaze to Ethan.
Ethan nodded, a smile on his face, "your father works to much, you should tell him to take a vacation," Ethan laughed as the group made their way to the parking lot.
"I tell him everyday, but you know him, a workaholic," Annie rolled her eyes, her father enjoyed helping people in the medical world, but it didn't leave much room for time with family due to the strengulous hours.
"I'd like to meet your father sometime, maybe your mother too," commented Riley.
As Riley said mother, Annie tensed. Her heart rate jumping as she mumbled, "maybe someday."
Ethan noticing Annie's stiffness, helped her into his truck, closed the door before turning his gaze back to Riley. Speaking in a hushed tone in hopes that Annie wouldn't hear his words he starts, "you need to cool it with the flirting, and what you just said was a bit insensitive, even if you didn't know."
"What did I say that was insensitive?" Asked Riley, starting to get slightly annoyed at Ethans interference.
"Her mother passed away threeweeksago," said Ethan, "Annie is still recovering from her loss, and maybe you would've known that if you actuallytalked to her instead on constantly flirting with her to get into her pants."
Ellie gasped, she hadn't known that fact about Annie, Annie seemed to be hiding a lot of her pain from the eyes around her. Ellie suddenly filled with guilt over her new friend, 'Perhaps I should reach out more?' She thought to herself.
"I-I didn't know," Riley stuttered out, unsure exactly where he had went wrong until he registered that he brought up her mother.
"Of course you didn't," Ethan hissed, "just lay off the flirting, she doesn't need a relationship, she needs friendship."
Ethan shot Riley one last glare, a small smile to Ellie as he jumped into the truck and started driving.
The ride quiet but not uncomfortable, Ethan took his time in his thoughts. Thinking about what he said to Riley he realized he was a bit of a hypocrite. Even if Annie was receptive to his flirting, even of she didn't shut him down entirely like she did with Riley. It wasn't right.
To flirt with a girl who has been through so much, who is still going through so much. So he made a promise to himself- no more flirting, only friendship. Even if as he thought it, his chest ached, he knew he was going to miss her reactions- but for her mental health, he needed to lay off as well.
As they pulled into the Hawthorne driveway he helped Annie out of his truck, Annie grabbed her bag from the bag that held everything they shopped for.
Annie turned to look at Ethan, pulling him into a quick hug she mumbled against his chest, "thank you for today."
Annie felt the warmth of his embrace around her as she hugged him, feeling safe in the quick embrace. She pulled away, gave him a small smile before heading over to her house.
Ethan stood there for a quiet moment, watching her disappear behind her front door. He let out a sigh, grabbing his things and heading inside his own home.
*~*~*~*~*
Earlier that evening Annie had given Kyson his backpack, telling him that Ethan had picked it out for him. The look of disgust on Kyson's face almost brought a smile to Annie's face because truly, it was funny to mess with him sometimes.
She then spent some time with her dad before she kicked him out of the living room to get some well deserved rest.
The room was bathed in the warm, honey-colored glow of the setting sun, but Annie sat in deliberate shadow. Her curtains were pulled tight, a heavy velvet barrier against the world. On the easel before her sat a secret- a surprise she couldn't risk anyone seeing, especially not him.
Tap.
The sound was sharp against the glass. Annie froze, then rose from her chair, stalking toward the window with a mix of annoyance and curiosity. She parted the fabric just enough to peek through. Ethan sat by his windowsill.
"How are you even tapping my window from over there?" she asked, sliding the glass up just enough for her voice to carry.
"Why are your curtains closed, Doll?" he countered, ignoring her question.
"I asked first," Annie pouted. To Ethan, she was just a sliver of a girl framed by purple velvet, her blue eyes shimmering like sea glass in the fading light.
Ethan huffed, holding up a small, smooth stone. "I picked up a few pebbles on my walk the other day. I've got a decent aim."
"And your mother didn't question why you were hauling a quarry into your bedroom?" Annie tilted her head, a stray lock of hair falling over her face. It had been six days since she'd returned- six days of trying to remember how to be- and not be the girl, she was three years ago, before the loss, before the fear, before someone tried to take her life.
"She's used to my eccentricities," he grumbled. Then his gaze sharpened, searching the sliver of her room he could see. "Now, my question. Why the fortress? Why are the curtains closed?"
"Why? Are you afraid I have a 'specialfriend' in here?" Annie teased. A ghost of a smile touched her lips- the first truly playful one he'd seen in days.
Ethan's posture went rigid. The playful light in his eyes flickered, replaced by a sudden, sharp tension at the thought of another man in that room. "No," he muttered, looking away toward the horizon, his jaw tight.
"I'm working on something," Annie softened, her voice dropping an octave. "No one is allowed to see it yet."
"Not even me?" He turned back, his lip turning into a slight, boyish pout that made her heart ache. The rigidness left his shoulders, replaced by that familiar, magnetic pull.
"Especially not you!" Annie laughed, the sound a bit brittle but genuine.
"Well, I look forward to the big reveal," he said, his voice dropping into that low, effortless honey-tone. "I'll miss the view, though. It's a lot lonelier over here when I can't see you."