So I was really conflicted about where to put this A/N, but I decided at the beginning made the most sense in the end. So, if you're interested in reading the steamy equivalent of this chapter, then you can find it on my profile and in the external link.
Chapter Twenty
About halfway back I stopped and asked myself what on Earth I was doing. I couldn't go and sleep in the same room as Amber, she'd crucify me. I'd probably end up waking up with half my hair chopped off.
Bouncing from heel to heel, I crossed my arms, and knew where I was going.
Liliana would have been my first choice, but after today she'd likely slam the door straight in my faceâor chop my hair off herself. Ethan, on the other hand, would at least let me in and give me some advice. He was angry at me, but what I said to him was forgivable. I could make it up to him.
So I navigated my way towards the teachers' rooms. I hadn't been near them since the tour on my first day, but I was quite sure they were relatively close to the students' dorms. At least, I hoped they were.
I remembered each person's room having their name on it, so that was a blessing at least.
Keeping my arms wrapped around my waist and attempting to ignore the uneasy feeling in my stomach at the fact I was going to see Ethan again, I strode onwards. It was weird walking around the Academy in the middle of the night, but kind of calming. It was a spectacularly pretty building and at night I didn't have to deal with people.
Finally seeing a sign that directed me towards the teachers' rooms, I swallowed and pushed the door open.
It was probably a horrible mistake, if I got caught Ethan would lose his job, but I honestly wasn't sure what else to do. I could have gone and slept in a toilet cubicle on the floor and frozen to death, I supposed, but if someone saw me before I got to his room I could just say I was looking for advice since he was my personal tutor, anyway. That was believable.
I didn't recognise any of the first few names I came across. The people teaching the final years probably had some kind of excessively posh room on the top floor. I came across Ethan's room about half way down the corridor and took a deep breath before knocking, nerves hitting me like a train.
I really didn't want him to hate me.
He opened the door in just a pair of boxers and it was more than I could have hoped for. It was the first time I'd seen that toned chest and muscly legs without fabric covering them. Even if he slammed the door it might have been worth it. I gave him a quick once over before trying to control my gaze.
He dragged me into his room. "What are you doing here?" He eased the door shut quietly, flicking on his light and crossing his arms across his bare chest.
I shuffled uncomfortably. "I'm kinda scared to go back to my room, I think Amber might execute me in my sleep."
Any harshness on his expression softened and he slipped into a t-shirt. "What happened?"
"Amber and Leon broke up today and Leon came knocking on our door asking to speak to me, so Amber kind of dragged me out of the room and Leon told me he liked me." I shifted my weight. It was still a bit awkward, even though Leon had handled my response well. "So I think I'd probably be in for a pitch-forking if I returned."
He sat on the bed and I wasn't sure whether I was allowed to sit down next to him. I stayed standing.
"You're going to have to request to move dorms, you know?"
"I know," I admitted. This was definitely going to have pushed it over the edge. I wasn't actually worried about going to sleep until now, but I couldn't let Amber come near me whilst my defences were down. I was a little bit worried she was actually a psychopath. "You think they'll definitely let me change?"
"They will. I'll back you up if they try and decline your change, anyway."
"I'm really sorry about what I said." My hands were clasped together so tight it was painful. "I was just hurt and upset and I didn't mean it at all. I just have this horrible tendency to say awful things when I'm miserable and I didn't want to offend you. I really didn't." I kept my eyes downcast, because if I'd been looking up at him I would have been tempted to cry.
His hands landed on my upper arms as he stood opposite me, but I kept my gaze on the floor. When he wrapped his arms around me, I was engulfed in my second hug of the evening.
Leon's had been nice, but I clung to Ethan desperately and buried my face into his chest. "I'm so sorry," I repeated again. "I didn't mean to be a bitch."
"It's okay." He rubbed a soothing hand up and down my back and his lips were in my hair. I wanted to savour the moment for as long as it would last. "It doesn't matter."
It did matter, but if he was willing to forgive me, then I could live with that. "Thank you."
We stood in silence for a few minutes, just holding on to each other, before Ethan pulled back. "You can stay here tonight. I think waking up Mrs. Mellier right now wouldn't grant you a favourable outcome. If you go tomorrow and explain you had to sleep somewhere really uncomfortable all night because you were scared to return to your dorm room you might get more sympathy."
Stay here... in his bed.
I almost wished I wasn't wearing my pyjamas, I probably would have looked far cuter in one of his shirts.
Whilst my skin was already becoming heated just from the possibility that we might be getting frisky tonight, I was a bit scared of straining our relationship even more. If he'd forgiven me my outburst then we were back on friendship ground and that was probably sustainable until the rest of the year.
My stomach, which flipped pleasantly as I stared at the bed, urged me to risk anything to have sex with Ethan.
"Thank you." I still waited for him to make the first move.
"I always sleep on the left side, so you can get in first."
His bed was pushed completely against the wall. "How come I have to have the wall side?"
"It's also the radiator side," he pointed out, crossing his arms. There was no way I was getting his side of the bed. I didn't even really want itâI just liked to tease him.
"I'll probably be boiling if I'm sharing a bed with you, anyway." I wondered just how thin the walls of the teacher's dorms were. Hopefully people weren't currently listening to me banter with my teacher. I didn't often hear the people in the dorm next to mine, but that didn't really mean anything.
Ethan tapped his foot and I chuckled, slipping into his bed. I hadn't really realised how cold walking the corridors in some flimsy pyjamas, barefoot, had made me, but I snuggled into the covers with a content smile on my face.
"How have you been?" Ethan asked, following suit and laying on his back. I resisted the urge to turn and stare at him with my best bedroom eyes.
He didn't see my shrug. "Fine. I'm not talking to Liliana anymore."
"How come?"
"I told her blowing up the plant was a vanity scheme."
He chuckled. "You weren't kidding about that destructive mouth when you were upset, huh?"
"Well, it was kind of true in this case. But, whatever, Liliana and I didn't even have anything in common. I just... I just don't know how to deal with not having any friends."
"You can always chat to me, you know, and I don't even do anything on the weekends. I can probably drag a DVD player into the ballet studio and we can watch films without anyone caring."
Laughing, I wished it was possible. "I don't think it would be worth the risk, but I appreciate. Give me your number and I'll just pester you with texts all day long instead. I'll find somewhere private so I can Skype you without being paranoid."
"Sure. In the morning, though, I'm far too comfy, now."
"I hope you feel special that you're the only person here that I care about," I teased, giving in and turning onto my side to look at him. It wasn't entirely true. Liliana was nice and I still wanted her to do well in life. Even Leon was bearable. He was kind of cute, just not someone I was interested in personally. In a different life I might have been really good friends with the twins.
Ethan's hand met mine under the covers and he laced our fingers together. "And you're the only person here I care about, too. So I hope you feel special, also."
I grinned. "I do."
Ethan dragged me towards him, staying on his back and letting me hover my face over his, our chests pressing together. "You know I like you too much to have you in my bed without having sex with you," he murmured, his fingers leaving mine to trace down my back and over my bum.
My skin burned at his ministrations and I swallowed, pressing my lips to his gently, my hand cupping his cheek. Our soft kiss lasted a surprisingly long time as we revelled in the feel of each other's bodies coming together. His fingers brushed against the bare skin of my back and I shut my eyes, trying to stop myself wishing that I could do this every day.
The pleasure soared through my body as Ethan deepened the kiss and shifted my hips so that I straddled him.
We lost ourselves in the passion, barely able to contain our groans and cries that left our mouths.
Afterwards, everything ached in that glorious way.
Body now slack, Ethan rolled off me and allowed me to cuddle into his side. I traced lazy patterns on his chest, which was rising and falling quickly, and he reciprocated the gesture on my arm. "I should just live here instead. Chances are we'll probably never get caught."
Ethan chuckled, making a contented sound at the back of his throat. "If only."
We didn't allow that to damper the mood. I snuggled further into him and revelled in the warmth of his body. "Thank you for letting me stay."
"Anyâ" he'd been on the verge of saying anytime, but reined himself in. "I can't wait until you graduate," he settled on, instead.
I pressed a kiss to his chest. "I definitely can't either. And I know we go back to friends after this, but I'm cool with that."
"I'm sorry, but it's just the way it has to be."
"I know. I'd definitely rather it was like that than there being nothing at all. Dancing with you is almost as good as sex anyway."
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Thank you so much for all the votes and comments everyone, I'm nearly at 500 votes! So grateful to everyone who has been enjoying this story so far.
I hope this bit of action was good ;)