Dreams vs Reality

The school bell rang for dismissal and my first day of freshman year was officially over. High school was nothing like it was made out to be on TV. Everyone was really friendly and my teachers were beyond awesome. April, I could already tell, was going to be a very good friend of mine. There was one person I couldn’t help but think about for the rest of the day. Ethan. Ethan Conway: April’s brother. I didn’t know what it was, but something unexplainable drew me to him. I was hands down attracted to him. April informed me that he was a senior. The way she talked about him was almost as if he was off-limits. That didn’t apply to me though—I’d never end up with a guy like him. It didn’t happen with Jesse, what would make me even consider anything with Ethan.

The sky was bluer than ever and the sun’s rays shined on my face as I waited for my Mother in front of school. I looked at my phone to check the time: 2:45 p.m. She was 15 minutes late. Where could she be? A few minutes later I felt my phone vibrate in my jean pocket.

New text message.
Sorry Lily, I have a last-minute meeting to attend. You can walk home or wait until 3:30 for me to pick you up. xoxo Mom

I replied.
All right, I’ll walk home. See you soon. xx April.

Out of all days, my Mom just had to pick the first day of school. Hmph, I grunted to myself. I then slid my phone back into my pocket and started walking home. My house wasn’t that far. 20 minutes the least by foot; still I bet I look like some weirdo with no friends walking home all alone. To my surprise, I realized a lot of other students walking by me. I guess this isn’t so bad.

I came to an intersection and stood there waiting; in hope that a car would let me cross. These people were so rude, I’ve been waiting for nearly 5 minutes and not one person as even stopped to consider letting me cross. Hallelujah! A beige Toyota Camry came to my rescue. I waved a thank-you and quickly walked to the other side of the road. 15 minutes left, which meant 15 more minutes of walking in these flats that ached my feet with each step I took. A loud beep came from behind made we wince. I turned around to see the same Camry that’d let me cross. I was clearly walking on the side walk, so I didn’t see why it’d slow down and beep. Its windows were tinted so there was no way of identifying the person. I ignored the anonymous figure and sped up my pace. I glanced back and the car was still there. Oh no, what if it’s some 60 year old man that’s trying to kidnap me? Mama always told me not to get inside a strangers car. My heart was racing and my legs were now running. The faster my legs moved, the faster the wheels went. I became out of breath a few minutes later. I couldn’t run anymore. After running, my lungs gave in. I stopped. I didn’t care if someone 60 year old guy was going to kidnap me now. I surrendered along with my legs and now red feet.

The car finally stopped. Its windows rolled down and all I could see was a handsome face shooting that beautiful crooked smile I couldn’t get out of my mind today. What in the world was Ethan doing, scaring me to death?

“Hi there,” He said, waving.
Looking down at my sweat-covered body I managed to spit out, “You almost killed me there!”
He giggled, but I found this nowhere near funny. “I just saw you walking and I was wondering if I could give you a ride?”
After all the running, panting, and nearly killing myself, the best he could come up with was him offering me a ride? “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m almost home anyway.”
“Come on, you look exhausted,” Gee I wonder why? I asked myself. “The least I can do is give you a lift.”

I thought about it for a moment. I was pretty exhausted from all that running and I had about 10 more minutes to go. Did I really want to give up this offer from a gorgeous boy or sweat like a pig walking through the streets of Ardsley? The hot beaming sun sealed the offer. A car behind Ethan honked its horn.

“So you coming or not?” He asked one last time.
I nodded and quickly got into the car.
“I don’t think I caught your name earlier at lunch,” He spoke softly.
“I’m Lily. Lily Smith. I’d shake your hand, but it’s kind of busy on the wheel,” I said, smiling.
He laughed and said, “I’m-”
“-Ethan,” I finished. “April’s brother.”
He looked at me quizzically. “Looks like my name isn’t that hard to get around, huh?” He laughed.
“Guess not.”
“What’d she say about me, if you don’t mind telling?”
“She told me you were her brother.”
“To state the obvious,” He joked. “She didn’t say anything else?”
I searched his symmetrical face for an answer, but didn’t receive one. “Nope,” I replied. “Was she supposed to tell me something?”
He stared straight ahead at the road then turned to face me. “I just figured she’d give you some sort of warning. Or a ‘no dating my brother’ kind of thing.”
I then remembered the way April spoke to me about Ethan. Almost like a protective mother. I haven't decided if she was trying to protect me or him. “Well, she did say it in a kind of off-limit way.”
“Ahhh,” he said, as if he hit the jack pot.
5 minutes had passed and I realized I wasn’t home yet. “Do you know where I live?” I asked.
“No clue,” he said bluntly.
“Take a left at this stop sign, then a right going straight,” I informed him.
“How ‘bout we go get some ice cream?” Ethan suggested.
“Uhm.”
“I’ll pay,” he added.
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it? A beautiful girl, the hot sun, and a gentlemen offering ice cream. What’s there to it?”
Ethan Conway just called me beautiful. Him and his ways with words. “Fine,” I gave in.

It hasn’t even been an hour and I already surrendered to him twice: (1) getting into his car and (2) agreeing to get ice cream. What a day it has been. Ethan drove up to the sidewalk curb to park. I pulled the handle to open the door, but Ethan’s hand prevented me from doing so.

“Don’t open the door just yet,” He said getting out of the car and around it until he was in front my now-opened door with his hand out to lead the way. I couldn’t help but smile and take his hand as we waited in line at Farm Hill Scoop. This was a farm-type ice cream store. There were cows, bulls, chickens, pigs, goats, and rabbits in near view. Even the scent was recognizable. The ice cream stand resembled a red barn with wooden swinging doors. As soon as we took our order we took a seat at an empty picnic table. We sat across from each other, enjoying each other’s company.

I interrupted the silence and asked, “What are you thinking about?” Ethan was still in his own little world. “Ethan? Earth-to-Ethan, are you there?” I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes until he finally came back to the real word.
“What?” He asked. “Sorry, did you say something?”
“I asked what you were thinking about. You were just staring into space.” I repeated.
“I wasn’t staring into space. I was looking into this beautiful girl’s eyes and just happened to get lost in ‘em,” Ethan said grinning.
I felt my cheeks turn scarlet. I didn’t know how to respond. Luckily, an employee handed us our ice cream just in time. Ethan was still grinning, causing me to grin as well.
“You’re smile is so contagious,” I admitted.
“I guess that’s a good thing ‘cause I can’t get enough of your smile.”

We continued eating our ice cream cones in peace. He was so sweet. It was hard to believe a girl like me was with him right now. Everything about him was perfect; that I was confident about. The gentle breeze blew his bangs to the left and the sun reflected his eyes. I could watch him forever and never get bored. I don’t remember the last time I felt to content and happy like this. Actually, I do remember the last time I felt like this. It was when Jesse was here. Just thinking about him made me uneasy. I guess Ethan noticed.

“Is something wrong Lily?”
“I’m fine. Just a case of brain freeze,” I lied.

How could I let Jesse ruin my perfect afternoon with Ethan? I had to stop thinking about my ex-best friend who never once called me since he left, who never wrote me any letters; Jesse who broke his promise to keep in touch with me. I shook my head hoping it’d erase the memory of him. But it remained perfectly clear. I remember and reminisced everything I loved about him and everything I’d love to hate about him. He was as permanent as a tattoo I never wanted to get.