bad boy•ethan morales✓

Twenty-Three

The way Ethan took out his anger definitely surprised me a bit. But I enjoyed it more than I would of if he yelled at me and wouldn't talk to me.

The next day in school, I wasn't sure if things would go back to normal, or if we would be like enemies again. I didn't even know if we were still together.

But I knew how I felt about him. I still loved him, more than I ever could feel for Paxton. I had to find Paxton and tell him that U couldn't be with him.

I headed towards the area where the pool was, since Paxton was a swimming coach. I spotted one of the team members.

"Hey, do you know where Paxton's at?"

"You didn't hear?"

"Hear what?"

The boy laughed a little bit before turning serious. "He got fired today."

I froze. Did he get fired because of me? And how did anyone find out? Maybe I didn't want to be as close as he wanted to be, but I still wanted to be around Paxton.

I felt terrible.

"Why did he get fired?"

"None of us know. But there's a rumor going around that it's because he had had a relationship with a student."

Oh no.

"Ok! Thanks! I've got to go then."

I ran to the bathroom, and looked in the mirror at my panicked state. Paxton had lost his job, and he probably had no way of returning to his college.

Ethan and I were in a complicated relationship. Eleanor, Devi, and I weren't talking to Fabiola currently. Everything was going to chaos.

There was only one person that could of got Paxton fired, and that was Ethan. The only people who saw Paxton were Ethan and I, and of course I didn't say anything.

I was praying that Ethan didn't tell them about me as well, or else I could get suspended, or worse.

Classes weren't going on for me or Ethan currently, and I knew I had to find Ethan. I felt as if I had confronted him for something too many times recently.

He really was bad news sometimes.

"Ethan!" I whisper-shouted.

He turned and looked at me with a smirk. "Did you hear the news? Paxton's gone."

"And I know it was your doing. Am I right?"

Ethan nodded. "He's out of the way now."

I shook my head. "Don't you think you took it a bit far? You made him loose his job."

Ethan laughed and moved a bit closer. "Maybe. But I didn't tell them the student was you. Everything's fine now."

He was somewhat right. I was safe from possibly being suspended and ruining my acceptance at Princeton.

But what about Paxton?

"We need to talk about us, Ethan. We've both done some terrible things to each other. I'm sorry for doing that to you."

It felt good to finally apologize to him after hyperventilating over the fact that I kissed Paxton all night. I just hoped he would forgive me deep down just like I had already forgiven him.

"I'm sorry too."

I was surprised that he said it so quickly. "Really?"

"Yeah, even though I was right about Paxton," he said sarcastically. "But I shouldn't have slashed your tires or left you like that."

He smiled and handed me cash. Why was he giving me this?

"I figured I'd make it up to you since you used your savings to fix your car," Ethan explained.

I couldn't even control it. I hugged him tightly and he jumped a little bit in surprise at my strong reaction. But he hugged back.

"So.... we're good?"

"We're good," he repeated, kissing my cheek.

Fabiola interrupted our moment by tapping me on the shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

I sighed and told Ethan one moment before I went off to the side with Fabiola. Maybe she was trying to fix everything that happened with our friend group.

"I'm still really sorry about the whole Princeton situation. But here's the thing: I don't even want to go to Princeton anymore."

"What?!"

After all of Devi's troubles and hatred towards Fabiola was all for nothing. All for Fab to give up her spot?

"My mom was the one who forced me to sign up in the first place. I told her I didn't want to because of Devi, but she didn't listen. And I somehow ended up being chosen. And after looking at Princeton compared to other colleges, I want to go somewhere else; somewhere where there's a spark. I want to get into a really good robotics program," Fabiola explained.

"That makes sense, Fab. I should have been more understanding when you first told us. How are we going to tell Devi this?"

"Hey, if I give up my spot, that gives her another chance to get in," she pointed out.

"Sorry, I've got to go," Ethan said, walking up to us and putting his arm around me.

"Bye Ethan!"

He left, and Fabiola and I returned to our mission. "I'll help you tell her," I agreed.