10 Things

Chapter 5

I let out a scream as I ran around outside.

“RILEY IM GOING TO HURT YOU WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!” I yelled and wrung my shirt out. We were holding our annual car wash at the local car dealership and she had carried out her tradition. The tradition of: Let’s Dump A Bucket Of Ice Cold Water On Iris’s Head. A tradition that I didn’t like.

“You have to keep up with me to hurt me!” she yelled and I laughed and picked up the hose, forming my plan in my head.

“Is that a fat joke Riley?” I asked in a sarcastic tone and chased after her. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to face me.

“Ris- I didn’t mean it like AHHHHH!” she yelled and ran away from me as I sprayed her with the hose. I laughed and dropped the hose and chased after her again.

“Payback is a bitch right?” I asked and she laughed.

“True that.” she said in her face gangster voice which had a secret meaning behind it that only her and Iris understood.

<><><><> Four Hours Later <><><><>

“How many cars did we do today?” I asked Riley as I counted out the money we had made.

“Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, and one pulling in right now.” she said with a smile on her face. I looked over and smiled. Ethan had told me that he was going out mudding soon, but I didn’t think he meant this soon. I looked at the car in horror. I so didn’t want to clean that. The sound the a door slamming shut brought me out of my daydream.

“Hello cupcake!” I said in a sing-song voice and he smiled.

“Hey.”

“How are yo- fuccck!” I said and began to fall forward only to be caught by two strong arms wrapping around my waist.

“I’m pretty sure you really don’t want to say hello to the pavement with your face right now.” he said and I nodded.

“I’m pretty sure that you’re right.” I said still staring at the ground. He hoisted me up right and looked me in the eyes.

“Good.” he said and I smiled.

“Thank you Ethan.” I said and looked into his eyes for some sort of emotion. I saw nothing and it frustrated me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked and I shook my head and blushed at how well he still knew me.

“I’m trying to read your emotions and right now, it’s not working out so well.” I said and he smiled the crooked smile that I loved.

“I’m still good at hiding my emotions. I only learned from the best.” he said and I giggled.

“So I have to clean this thing?” I said and pointed my thumb towards his car. He laughed and nodded.

“Yeah, but don’t fret. I’m a willing volunteer.” he said and flexed his muscles at me. I laughed and poked his muscles.

“My my Mr. Ethan, have you been working out?” I said and picked up the hose and started spraying the mud off of his truck. He laughed and discarded his shirt on top of my purse. I immediately looked away and blushed.

“Maybe, maybe not.” he said and picked up a sponge out of the bucket and worked on the windows.

“Well it kind of looks like it.” I said and he smiled.

“I guess I could take that as a complement.” he said and continued washing the windows.

“Did mom like the cupcakes?” I asked and he nodded.

“All of the strawberry ones are gone.” he said and faked a frown.

“Oh you poor baby.” I said and wiped away an invisible tear out from under his eyes.

“I’ll make you some more.” I said and he smiled.

“Why thank you my lady.” he said and did a bow.

“No problemo.” I said and sprayed him with the hose.

<><><><> Later That Night <><><><>

I put two towels in my bag and put my hair in a messy bun as I walked down the stair to answer the door. I opened it and smiled when I saw Ethan standing there.

“Can I help you?” I asked and stood in t door way.

“Umm maybe you could let me in the house?” he asked and I smiled.

“Now why would I do a thing like that?” I asked him and he smiled.

“So I can help you with your list?” he asked and I smirked at him, but moved aside anyways.

“I don’t think you want to help me with this one.” I said and closed the door behind him.

“Why what one are you doing tonight?” he asked and plopped down on the couch and grabbed a hand full of cheese doodles out of the bowl.

“Do you really want to know?” I asked

“Okay now I’m not so sure.”

“Riley and I are going skinny dipping over at Waverly’s Pond.” I said and sat down next to him. He didn’t say anything as we watch a random cartoon on the television. I few minutes later the phone rang and I skipped to the kitchen to answer it.

“Hello?

“Iris?”

“Riley?”

“Yeah. Listen I have to bail tonight because mom and dad stuck me watching the brats tonight.” she said and I frowned.

“it’s okay, I’ll just do it on my own.” I said and hung up. I walked back into the living room and Ethan must have saw the frown on my face because not even a minute later I heard him say,

“I’ll go with you instead.”