riley played with her shaky fingers as she sat in the passenger seat of ethan's jeep. nervous was an understatement. being all alone with him was something unexplainable.

"you're really quiet." ethan chuckled, turning down the radio as he drove. riley nodded looking out the window. she wished she could make conversation but her mind wouldn't let her. she was the type to find a conversation topic hours later.

ethan seemed to notice this so he decided to start a conversation. "how old are you?"

"fifteen." riley replied, quietly.

"hm. what's your favorite color?"

"i thought i was supposed to be interviewing you?" riley asked with a small laugh.

ethan shrugged. "i just want you to talk. it never hurts to learn things about you as well."

"well it's blue," she answers his question, making him smile. ethan pulled into the parking lot of baskin robbins. she had no idea where they were going but she was perfectly fine with this. "baskin robins?"

ethan nodded as he parked, turning his head to look at riley. "i'm in the mood for ice cream."

"okay."

"i don't get to eat it often because grayson gets onto me about being healthy twenty four-seven. i can't help it. pizza and ice cream have my heart." ethan explained to her.

"definitely." riley agreed.

the two walked into the ice cream parlor knowing exactly what ice cream they wanted. riley wanting strawberry, ethan wanting snickers. riley suggested eating outside and ethan was okay with that for the fact that he wanted riley to be comfortable around him.

"so, i couldn't help but overhear a few things today." ethan broke the silence as the two ate their ice cream.

"mhm?"

"well basically, you feel that you're lonely and you should be with someone."

"oh. ." riley looked down at her shoes. she was pretty sure ethan was not supposed to hear that.

"it's not a bad thing. i think it's perfectly normal for your age," ethan began. "for the past few days i've noticed something about you. you might think that this is weird but it's something i want to change."

"y-you want to change?" riley stuttered, unsure of where this was going.

"mhm, that is if you let me."

".. do what?"

"well for one you won't be lonely anymore, you'll have someone you can count on. two, i don't want you so nervous around me. three, i just have this urge to change you. in a good way of course."

"you're not hard to figure out, riley. i just wanna make you feel good." ethan stared intensely at her. riley wasn't sure if ethan meant that sexually or not but for a moment she was okay with it. although, there was this barrier telling her not to be, she didn't know ethan and what he probably had up his sleeve.

"uhm," riley ate her ice cream, not sure what to say. then, the thought of wanting to feel like she mattered went through her mind. ethan was basically saying that and that's all she's ever wanted. so not thinking about anything else, riley made up her mind. "okay."

being what ethan wanted to hear, he smiled warmly at her. "so this will be our thing, okay? hanging out with each other. like you'll have to get used to this."

riley nodded, hoping for the best of what they were about to do. the two finished their ice cream with small talk. "i want you to tell me more about yourself, riley."

"like what?"

ethan shrugged. "anything. your favorite thing to do when you're bored, your view on life, your favorite book, whatever you want to tell me."

riley thought about it for a moment. she wasn't used to telling things about herself so she'd tell him the things she's always wanted to say. "i'm really passionate about art. i like drawing and writing so i like to do that when i'm bored. my view on life would have to be just living for he small things. i do that a lot. everyone says live life to the fullest which i agree but what really is living life to the fullest? i don't know, i have too many thoughts on the world. my favorite book is the namesake by jhumpa lahiri. nobody really pays attention to indian or specifically bengali culture but i find it interesting. i love that book."

riley let out a breath as she looked back up at ethan seeing him already looking at her. looking at him just reminded her of how dull and boring she sounded.

"damn, riles. that's cute." ethan grinned as he ran his fingers through his hair. he came to a conclusion that he loved riley's soft, cute voice. "i've never heard you talk so much at one time but i'm glad you did. i literally just learned so much about you and you don't even realize."

she shook her head, blushing. "i'm really boring."

"you really aren't." ethan protested.

"i mean and then there's you, you play almost every sport, you have tons of friends, the whole school knows you." riley tried to reason. it wasn't that she hated her life, she just wished she was cool and wasn't a lame.

"and you're riley. the whole school doesn't have to know you because that literally doesn't matter. you're yourself and that makes you interesting. you said nothing wrong and that's admirable. alright?"

"alright." riley said stubbornly, making ethan chuckle with a shake of his head.

he gathered their trash before standing, and spoke. "c'mon, lets get you home, riles."

the atmosphere still felt awkward to riley. she had no idea what she was getting herself to agree to. the ride back to her house wasn't bad. they agreed that they would spend the next day after school to hang out again. it was the last day they'd spend together because on thursday he would have practice.

"thanks for the ice cream." riley gave him a closed mouthed smile as she stepped out of the car.

"no problem. i'll see you tomorrow, riles." ethan waved goodbye. riley was beginning to like the nickname he had for her. nobody's ever really called her that but the way ethan said it gave her butterflies.

"hey ri, how was your interviewing with ethan dolan?" mrs. mitchell asked from the kitchen once riley walked through the front door.

it was then she realized the unknown grin on her face and slowly let it fall. "it was fine." she simply replied, kicking off her shoes at the door despite the pet peeve that her mom had.

"he's treating you well right? nothing bad happening?" her dad called from the small office they had in their house.

"dad!"

mr. mitchell, chuckled. he knew who the boy was, ethan being known for good things. "i'm just asking, riley."

"everything's fine." she assured him.

"alright, well go get ready for dinner."

"riley has a boyfriend?" riley's younger sibling, khalil, questioned curiously. he was only twelve and still managed to control riley's life as if he was the older one.

"no i do not, khalil. definitely not." riley laughed, shaking her head. she honestly wouldn't mind it.

riley went upstairs, throwing her backpack down and immediately pulling her phone out to call cleo about her afternoon.

++

thoughts on where
ethan and riley
are headed?