In Fate's Hands

The last three months have been nothing but amazing. Ethan has been nothing but the perfect boyfriend. It’s like that day didn’t even happen, like it was blurred out of our past.

All day today, no one acknowledged that it was my birthday, at least the people that really mattered. It’s like it was just a normal day.

I walked down the hall, on the way to last hour with Ethan, hand in hand. I was about to bring it up, but then Chase and the twins started walking towards us.

“Oh great. It’s been three months, why do they have to start shit.” Ethan said in a quiet voice.

We slowed our pace, expecting them to start giving us crap, but they just glared, sneered, and looked at us in extreme detest, none of which I minded.

I looked behind us as they passed and saw Kaedyn’s hand in Keegan’s ass pocket, Keegan’s arm around Kaedyn’s waist.

“I guess they don’t care if people know or not anymore. I mean, they do only have each other now since my parents kicked them out last week.” I said, smirking a little.

“That’s so fucking nasty. I can’t believe I actually fucked one of them.” Ethan said, legitimately disgusted.

I laughed and put my arm around his waist, looking up to kiss him before we started walking again. “I like to believe that you did nothing of the sort.” Our steps were in sync with each other as we turned into our last hour geography class. “Chase is looking like a loner, don’t you think?”

We sat in our desks as Ethan let out a short laugh. “Are you kidding? I walked in on him fucking some chick in the bathroom today when I left halfway through Spanish.”

I stuck my tongue out in dislike. “Eww, really? That’s gross.”

He laughed at me. “Why is that gross?”

“Because, it’s a girl. They have…” I motioned to where the boobs are supposed to be. “…and a…” I directed my hand to my crotch area. “Just…ew.”

Ethan started laughing at me. “Oh god, I love you, Riley.”

I blushed as the rest of the class started filing in slowly.

“Hey.” Ethan said, tapping me with his foot.

I looked at him.

“I have a surprise for you after school.” He said, smiling, mischief in his eyes.

“Alright, I don’t know if I trust you or not with this one.” I said.

“You’ll be fine, don’t worry. It’s nothing too major.” He said right as the teacher started talking.

The rest of class my mind was unable to stay focused on the lesson. What could Ethan be planning? Did he actually remember my birthday?

I smiled a little at what his possible surprise could be. We’ve never taken it all the way, so maybe that’s what he had up his sleeve.

“Riley.” I heard my name being called by the teacher.

“What?! Huh?” I asked, sounding completely out of it.

“Hey, how’s it going. Hanging in there?” She asked.

I nodded, blushing a deep red.

She smiled a sickly sweet smile at me, and directed her attention to the rest of the class. “I know it’s a Friday, and I know it’s last hour, just try and stay focused. You have a test on Monday, and I would hate for any of you to fail it.”

I zoned out again, continuing to think of possibilities for Ethan’s surprise.

Once the bell finally rang, Ethan automatically grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room.

“Whoa, Ethan! Why the rush?” I asked, laughing as we halted at my locker. He opened my lock (he was sneaky and got my combination so he could stuff my locker to the brim with candy and a big teddy bear for Valentine’s Day) and started shoving stuff in my backpack (we also have the same schedule).

Before he answered, he closed my locker and threw my backpack over his shoulder, then took off running again. We ran right past his locker.

“Hey, don’t you need your stuff?” I asked him.

We flew out the front doors. He abruptly stopped and covered my eyes with a piece of cloth.

“What the hell?! What’s going on?!” I asked, starting to freak out.

I was instantly calmed when I felt Ethan’s lips press against mine.

“Don’t worry about anything, Riley, okay? Just let me handle everything.”

I smiled. “Alright, fine.”

I let him grab both of my shoulders and lead me to some unknown place.

That unknown place turned into his car.

“Where are we going, Ethan?” I asked, adding a slightly desperate tone to the end of my question as I heard his door close and his keys slam into the ignition.

“You’ll know soon enough. Now, no more questions.”

I crossed my arms and pouted in the passenger seat, deciding that it would be pointless to fight with him. He’s so stubborn.

We had to be driving for a good twenty minutes before we finally came to a stop and Ethan turned the car off.

“We’re finally here? Where’d you take me, the middle of nowhere?” I asked as he helped me out of the car. I heard other car doors closing behind us. “You brought company too?”

“No, those are the neighbors, so we’re obviously not in the middle of nowhere. What did I say about questions.”

We stopped for a split second. “Step.” He advised me, and I complied. “Step.”

“Come on, Ethan! Stop messing around and just show me!” I whined.

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck. “We’re almost there, I swear.”

I heard a door open and Ethan led me inside, my nose getting attacked by a strong vanilla scent.

He led me to a chair. “Where are we, Ethan? And why is there an overabundance of vanilla? Are we at one of those stupid romantic getaway places, because I swear to God if we are-”

Ethan started laughing. “No, no, no. Don’t worry, you’ll find out soon.”

I was getting fed up with his generic answers. I stuck my tongue out, hoping it was towards him.

I felt his tongue flick against mine, and I smirked. “That was it?”

I jumped when Ethan attacked me with a full on kiss, tongue and all. I immediately responded, moving my tongue smoothly, slowly, along his. The possibility of these lips belonging to someone else crossed my mind, but I soon dropped it, knowing that Ethan and I were the only ones in this room, wherever this room was.

The moment was short lived when Ethan pulled away from my lips slowly, leaving me longing for more. I heard his footsteps walking away from me, but I didn’t hear them come back.

I felt his warm breath on my ear. “Ready?”

“I’ve been ready.” I said, breathing a sigh of relief in my mind. I like being able to see.

He took the blindfold off and I was enveloped in more darkness. Seriously?!

I was about to yell at Ethan, but then the lights went on.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Roared through the whole house, leaving me speechless.

I covered my mouth and felt like crying. The whole room was covered in my favorite color, with pink and purple balloons. The center piece had to be the cake, placed on the coffee table in the middle of the room. Each tier was one of the colors in the room, and there was lime green splashed throughout the whole thing, with candles on top, just waiting to be lit.

I jumped into Ethan’s arms, thoroughly overjoyed. “Is this all from you?! Did you do all of this?”

“I did decorations and colors and Ian did the cake, naturally.” He said, looking down, looking as happy as I felt.

“I helped with the frosting!” Nick said, smiling widely. Not gonna lie, it was adorable.

“Yes, yes you did.” Ian said, looking at Nick seductively.

Before anything happened, I heard my parents clear their throats, Nick and Ian turning red.

I surveyed the rest of the room and my eyes fell on the pile of presents. My jaw dropped and I looked around the room at everyone. “All those are for me? Really?”

Everyone nodded, smiling.

And I thought they forgot.

I kissed Ethan. “I couldn’t possibly take those.”

“Shut up! Stop being so modest and accept them. Honestly. Put yourself before everyone else at least once a year.” Ethan said, messing up my hair.

I swatted his hand away, laughing, and his hand fell back onto my waist.

“Besides, I wouldn’t let you not accept them anyways, and I’m sure everyone else is behind me with that.” Ethan said in his I’m better than you tone.

I let out a little laugh, looking at everyone, and they were all nodding.

God damn.

I threw my head back. “This is so unfaaaairrr.”

“No it’s not. Now sit down.” Nick said, pushing me into the chair I was sitting in at first, shoving two colorfully wrapped boxes in my lap.

A good chunk of the evening consisted of me opening presents, loving them, saying that I can’t take them, and being forced to keep them. I mean, come on! Shoes?! And a new pair of skinny jeans?! Just from Ian and Nick, too. It was starting to become too much.

After Mom and Dad gave me some cash and gift cards for some of my favorite stores, I saw one box left, a small little gold one that was buried in the others.

“I want to light the candlesss!” Ian whined, stomping his feet in a tantrum. “I baked the cake!”

“So?! I so called it in the car! You know I did!” Nick whined back.

“Why are you arguing about that so early? Riley still has one more present to open.” Mom said.

They sat on the couch, sticking their tongues out at each other.

I took the box off the floor, realizing it was the only one from Ethan, which was weird.

“This is the only one from you?” I asked, looking behind me, since he stole my spot.

“Yup, just that one.” He grabbed me around my waist and pulled me into his lap so I was sitting sideways. “And don’t worry, this didn’t cost me anything.”

I looked at him in disbelief. It didn’t cost him anything, but he probably stole his parents’ money. I shook the box, hearing nothing. Maybe he was being a smartass and it was just an empty box, which would deserve a slap.

I carefully unwrapped the box, not wanting to rip the wrapping paper. It’s such pretty paper.

Underneath the paper was a plain black box. Curiosity was eating me from the inside out, so I slowly uncovered the box.

Inside, on the bottom of the box, drawn and colored in crayon, was a heart.

I smiled as tears came back to my eyes again. “What is this supposed to be?” I asked quietly, afraid that if I spoke any louder the tears would start falling and I would totally lose it in front of everyone.

“It’s my birthday gift to you. I give you my heart.” He said, pushing my hair out of my face, revealing the tears that were falling down my cheeks. "It's in a box so you never lose it."

I was still smiling as I leaned to kiss him tenderly. “This is the best gift I’ve gotten, not only tonight, but of all the gifts I’ve ever received. I’ll hold onto it for the rest of my life.”

Ethan kissed me, tears threatening to fall from his eyes as well. I heard Ian and Nick sniffling behind us.

I pulled away from his lips, keeping my hand on his cheek. “I love you, Ethan.”

He smiled, pulling me into a hug. “I love you, too, Riley.”

I heard a little “aww” come from Nick and Ian. I looked behind me, and they were holding each other, smiling at us, holding in a squeal.

“Are you guys fucking serious right now?”

We all directed our attention to the twins standing in the doorway.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Ethan snapped at them.

“We came by to pick up the last of our shit, and walked in on this.” Kaedyn said. They both scowled, walking through the house.

“Oh no, you’re not walking past this cake.” Ian said, standing in their way.

“Oh yeah? And why not?” Keegan said, putting his hands on his hips.

“Because everything you touch is destroyed.” Ian snapped back, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What, like this?” They both shoved Ian, making him fall into the cake, breaking the coffee table.

Everyone gasped in shock, but Ethan shot out of the chair, making me stand up and almost lose my balance.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM?!” Ethan yelled, grabbing both of the twins by the collars of their shirts. “Do you two really think you can come in here and trash the place? You don’t even fucking live here anymore. You have no fucking right to be here.”

“You don’t have the fucking right to tell us off, this isn’t your house, and it’s never been your house. Let us go and get out of our way.” Keegan said.

“No fucking way. Get out of this house.” Ethan snarled.

They looked at each other and smirked.

“If you put a hand on him, I swear to god-” I said, getting up, seeing right through their plan.

“Riley, shut the fuck up. You can’t hurt a fly, don’t even try and threaten us.” Keegan said, scowling at me.

Ethan’s fist made contact with Keegan’s face, making him fall to the ground.