"You are so cute." I pulled Ethan's nose.
"So cute." I laughed and shut my mouth.

Why was I laughing?

"You're drunk." Ethan answered.

"Oops. I said that out loud." I laughed again.

"I call shotgun!" I ran towards the car and jumped in. "Woho! Happy new year everyone!" I clapped my hands.

Ethan chuckled, "When you wake up tomorrow, you're so gonna regret it." He buckled me up.

"Is that a challenge?" I asked.

"Just the truth." He released the handbrake.

"You're afraid that you'll loose." I laughed, making him raise his brows.

"Then it's a challenge." We made a deal, "If you win, you get anything you ask for. And if I win, I get anything I ask."

I nodded and said 'Okay' in a slurry.

After, a while we arrived in front of my house.

"Why are we here?" I asked.

"Why not? It's three in the morning. You need to sleep too."

"No!" I said, before he pulled me out of the car. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

He scratched the back of his neck, then sighed.

"Fine."

The drive to Ethan's house was done in silence. Not an awkward one, but a peaceful one. Both of us were too worn out to do or think much.

"Much better." I said, as he pulled me out of the car, and closed the door behind me.

Ethan put his arm around my waist to support my drunken self.

"Everyone must be asleep. Stay quiet." He put a finger on my lips to hush me, and carefully opened the front door.

It was quite dark, and my dizzy head was not helping either.

But then someone decided to switch on the light, and I was just about to say thank you, that I noticed Ethan's mother. "Oh, hello Isabel." I waved my hand.

She didn't reply and watched as Ethan took me to his room.

"Please Mom, not now." I heard Ethan's hushed words to Isabel.

"Why ar-" Ethan put his finger on my lip again.

He pushed open the room door and settled me on the bed.

Just before Ethan left, I caught his arm.
"Make me feel that again." I asked.

At first, he was confused and then shook his head.

"Please. It doesn't have to be sex, just make me feel good."

He shook his head again.

"Please," I pleaded. "I'm feeling really shitty right now."

He searched my eyes, "Why?"

"Well," I played with my fingers. "There is no news of Mom. And, I feel like I'm being a burden to you. All my problems are starting to become yours too. So, just please. Make me feel good."

Somehow, my drunken self could explain how I had been feeling since the past couple of days more better than I could.

He sat down beside me, "Okay, but remember. You asked for it."

I nodded and he sighed.

"Just this once," he confirmed.

"Please go slow."

He pulled out my dress, and unhooked my bra. There wasn't much clothing to remove.

Ethan's fingers played with my nipples, making them harder than ever.

His other hand fidgets with my panties.
Making sensations run down my spine.

"You're already wet." He pulled down my panties.

His fingers caressed my thigh, creating an empty space in my center. I pulled Ethan's hand over my center, unable to take the wait.

He glanced at me, seeing the rush.

His fingers carefully traced the edges. They kept making me hungrier at every touch.

"Yea- ah!" I moaned as he entered.

"Does it hurt?" He asked and I shook my head.

"No, it feels great. Keep going." The feeling was addictive.

Ethan's fingers entered and exited me. Stirring my insides for more.

From the corner of my eye, I notice Ethan's bulge.

The space was too empty, I couldn't help it. I put my hand around his bulge.

Without any second thoughts, Ethan slapped my hand away. "No."

Ethan stopped abruptly, his fingers stop moving and his face fell.

"What happened?" I asked.

He sat down on the edge of the bed silently. "You're drunk." He said after a moment. "I can't do this. Our relationship will become toxic if we depend on this to feel better."

I sighed, understanding what he meant.

"I'm sorry. It came over me in the moment."

"I know." He smiled back at me, "I want you to know, that you are not a burden to me."

This felt very real, "Thank you." It felt promising. Not fake, but sincere.

"And," I crawled on the bed. "I want you to- woh!" I laughed. Ethan caught me just on time, before I fell off the bed.

"Clumsy." He laughed.

"Hmm, still feeling a bit dizzy." I said.

He fondled with the tip of my hair and watched, as I watched him, "I love you. I don't know if it's forever and ever and ever. But at this moment, what I know is that, I love you." I admitted. The words that left my mouth tonight, made my chest feel lighter. As if some kind of burden had been lifted.

"I know, and I do too." He kissed my forehead as I fell asleep in his lap.

×××

"This isnt working." I laughed and kissed him back.

Ethan had come over to study. But studying didn't mean innocently studying anymore.

He traced my bra, while I traced his bulge.

"Ethan studying..." I reminded him.

"Hmm." He moaned, "You see." He unbuttoned my shirt. "We are studying."

"How so?" I moaned as he kept rubbing my inner thigh, making me desperate for more.

"We're studying each other."

I nodded in agreement. It makes so much sense.

"Let's continue this on the bed."

"No," he lift me up and placed me on the table. "Let's continue this here."

"Here?" I asked, "On the table?"

Not waiting for an answer, I pushed aside the books.

He crouched and pulled down the jeans. We both laughed as my jeans got stuck on the crook of my feet.

I got off the table and bent down to his level. Ethan raised his brows, "This is new." I laughed as he stood up, allowing me to open his zipper and pull down the jeans.

"Next," I took a grip on the elastic, "The boxers." Pulling the boxers down, his length came in view.

I took a grip on his length, and he put his hand around mine.

"Does it feel good?" He nodded.

I tightened my grip, thinking it would make him feel more better. Instead he flinched, "Not so hard babe."

I laughed and loosened my grip.

"Is this funny to you?" He glanced down at me. "Well then, let me show you how you moan for me."

He picked me up, and put me on the table again. Instead of entering he bent down and started sucking.

I smiled at the pleasure, unable to bite it back.

His tongue caressed me, and his hands spread my legs wider.

I moaned, and he smirked at his victory.

"More," I pleaded and his smirk grew wider.

His fingers traced my opening, "This is just the beginning of the torture."

He stood up and took his length. I got in position but he didn't enter. His length traced my opening. "Ethan!" I shouted.

"Call me baby," He argued.

"Eddie." I said instead.

He traced my entrance again, making me feel more empty.

I laughed at his way of torturing me, "Baby." I gave up.

Without any more words getting exchanged he entered, "God! You're so tight."

"It's all your fault." I hung my arms around him, as he rode me.

"Stop." I said slowly and Ethan abruptly stopped.

"Are you okay? You want me to stop?"

I groaned as he misunderstood my words, "Babe just stop talking and go on."

I moved my hips to let Ethan know I was okay. He then carried on slower.

"You look so sexy whenever we fuck." He whispered in my ear.

"Hmm." I moaned.

"And you taste so fucking good."

I smiled at his dirty talk.

I kept biting my lower lip harder and harder, as both of us were reaching our limits.

"You actually bought the condom here with you." I laughed, a bit out of breath.

"I knew it wouldn't just end as studying. Besides," he leaned on the table. "How can I concentrate when someone so sexy is sitting beside me."

Ethan came closer with a knowing look on his face.

"No..." I warned, "We have to study."

Ethan pouted at my rejection.

"But... we can make an exception for today." I grinned.

As we both sat exhausted on the couch I looked over at him.

"By the way," I poked him. "Did you tell the police about the trip to find my Mom and what we found out about him?"

He nodded.

"Did you tell them about the others?"

He shook his head.

"Hmm," I hummed in agreement. "Same."

×××

I was going broke, so I took on the part time job again.

Things were going back to normal, except for the fact that the police didn't make any progress.

There were flyers all around town for a missing person. With Mom's photo, name, age and other physical features, but there seems to be no response from anyone.

I switched off my phone and placed it in the bag.

The door of the staff room opened and Rebekha made way.

She gasped.

"Oh my baby." She came and hugged me. "I'm so releived to see you safe and sound. The flyer really scared the hell out of me."

She patted my back in concern, "I'm really sorry to hear bout' Sharon."

"It's alright. Not like she's dead or anything... right."

"Aw, my baby. If you need anything, know that I'm here."

I nodded, "Always."

She gave me a final hug and left, "I'm heading out for shopping now."

"Leo." I waved at Leo who was sitting bored at the counter. "Not much crowd today eh?"

He closed his eyes and frowned, "It's my girl. She's really pissed."

Considering the expression on his face, he hadn't seen the flyer yet.

"Tell me about it."

Leo and I had a long, a very long chat until a customer broke our conversation. I turned around to see who it was, and was greeted by Engine's father.

"Oh, hello there Ida. It's been a while."

"Hello!" I smiled, it had really been a while.

"I'll take your order." I switched on the tab.

"Thank you. It'll be a takeaway." He said.

I passed the order to the kitchen and removed a water bottle from the fridge.

"Small or big?" I asked, showing the two sizes.

"Small." He said.

I kept the take away box near the counter, and as soon as the food was ready I packed it and passed it to him.

"Thank you." I said, as I streached my arm out for him to take the bag.

For a second, I thought I saw the same half of the Ace tattoo.

Don't over think it Ida! Tattoos arn't rare.

Regardless of the fact that the tattoo could not mean anything, and that it was just my imagination, a chill ran down my spine.

As Engine's father left, I rubbed the side of my arm. Trying to reduce the goosebumps.

Something felt off.