Two Locked Hearts (Part 18)

Ethan's cell phone began to ring off the hook again. He didn't like that because it'd go off at night and wake both he and Sawyer. Sawyer had never seen anything like it. He knew people received messages often, but Ethan got them all night.

"Just what do you have over you Ethan? A love spell or something?" Sawyer asked one night nearly asleep. "Everyone is all over you constantly."

Ethan pondered Sawyer's remark. "It's the sports Sawyer. I excelled in all of them and took first place in every one of them. I think the only sport I didn't play was tennis."

"Oh," Sawyer said before he started snoring.

Ethan smiled over that.

He had his overhead lamp on finishing his homework. He had it hooked to the railing of his bunk bed. He stayed up two extra hours every night catching up in all of his classes. Calculus was the only challenge. Sawyer helped him there. The tutoring sessions for that continued once again. Ethan now needed it. Sawyer didn't have a problem with it, especially since he had signed a contract agreeing to do it anyway. Plus, Ethan was his new best friend so he rather benefitted from the time.

When Ethan turned the light off, Sawyer surprised him by saying his name. "Ethan."

Opening his eyes, Ethan responded.

"Yes Sawyer?"

"Did you know I went on a date with Annabelle Newson two days before you went to the hospital?"

Ethan's heart started beating rapidly in his chest.

"No Sawyer I didn't."

Ethan eventually wanted to tell Sawyer how he felt about him. Ethan was in love with him, yet hadn't told him yet.

"Yeah. She came up to me one day after school and asked for my number. We talked for several days and then she asked me out to the movies. We went and saw Final Fantasy Dream ..... I wanted to know what your opinion was. Do you think she's sexy and worth my time?"

Ethan carried a sour look on his face he knew Sawyer wouldn't want to see.

Ethan pretended to snore to put an end to the conversation. Sawyer just looked up and said incredible. Then went to sleep himself.

Ethan laid sideways and thought for a moment. Sawyer likes a girl. A very pretty girl to. Ethan didn't know what he could do to compete with that. Closing his eyes, the tears started to pour. Several minutes later Ethan was out.

Ethan could not get the thought of Sawyer going out on a date with Annabelle Newson out of his head to save his life. All throughout the day and in most of his classes Ethan continually thought it over.

Annabelle wasn't even popular. She was pretty and had a very beautiful smile, but Ethan had never even heard of her in any social circle he'd been in. The only reason he knew her was because he saw her around over the years growing up once or twice and happen to see her name and picture one year in his yearbook. Aside from that, he knew nothing about her. He never saw Sawyer talking on the phone either.

"Ethan, you need to get your head out of the clouds." Mrs. Seedie snapped. "I can see you daydreaming from here. Sit up and pay attention. I don't do all this talking and teaching for nothing. Either listen or go to study hall."

Ethan sat up and refocused.

"Ok. I'm back."

Half the class laughed. Ethan just looked on innocently. "So this clause here insinuates ......." Mrs. Seedie went on with the lecture, rebuking her students.

Ethan pretended to listen with a little more effort. But eventually his thoughts returned to Annabelle. Ethan didn't enjoy this breaking news about Annabelle at all. In fact it was borderline torture.

Ethan sat on the top bunk reading a book assigned to him for a book report due in one week. Sawyer walked in suddenly with his book bag. He looked at Ethan and smiled.

"Hey Ethan."

Ethan pretended he didn't hear Sawyer. Sawyer tapped him on the leg.

Ethan looked up. "Yes?"

"I said hey," Sawyer declared.

"And?" Ethan remarked.

"Excuse me?" Sawyer asked. "What's with the attitude all of a sudden?"

"Sawyer, leave me alone, ok. I am tired and don't feel good. I'm up to my eyeballs in schoolwork and I need some much needed space."

"Well excuse me for acknowledging you. I won't do it again."

Sawyer sat on his bottom bunk and laid down to take a nap. His day had been long and exhausting. Ethan could hear him snore from up top and had to fight the urge to smile. Sawyer really was funny. And had the worst temper to. Ethan tried to focus on his homework but Sawyer's words kept echoing in his ears. "I won't do it again." I hope I didn't ruin anything between Sawyer and I, Ethan thought to himself. He went back to his book only slightly into it.