Care to share where you were after school today?

I snorted as I read the text, my phone buzzing to life next to my half-finished math homework. Dakota clearly hadn't wasted any time telling Ethan about my fact-finding mission. I tried to ignore Ethan's text for as long as possible, but when I read the same sentence of the same word problem three times over I knew I had to address it.

Caught up on the local gossip at the Beanery

I waited, staring at the screen. Ethan's reply bubble popped up, then disappeared. A few seconds later it popped up again.

Stormed a meeting sounds more like it

I made a face at my phone, throwing it onto my bed so I could focus on the stupid word problem. As I read it over again, sketching out the geometry on my scrap paper, I wondered with annoyance when I'd ever have to calculate the wind speed based on how fast a plane made its return journey. Not my job, Mr Grant, not my job.

My phone started buzzing in earnest this time and I groaned as I pushed away from my desk. I stalked over to my bed and stared down at it, letting it ring through to voicemail. It went silent once again, only to buzz to life a few seconds later as Ethan called me back. I let that one go through to voicemail again, satisfied that I'd stirred him up enough.

I thought you trusted me.

The text came through when I'd finally finished the sheet of math problems and was happily ensconced in an episode of the Kardashians before bed. I couldn't help but grit my teeth as the list of reasons for me to not trust Ethan started multiplying in my head. Dakota's actions had confirmed what the A's had told me at the Beanery - there was definitely something up between Dakota and Ethan. She had tried too hard to be nonchalant, but the whole falling off the step stool thing had busted her veneer of indifference. If there was one thing I'd learned as an A, it was how to tell when you've pushed someone's buttons. Talking about kissing Ethan had pushed Dakota's buttons more than anything an A had ever thrown her way. Ethan accusing me of not trusting him was the cherry on top of the entire day. He had to realize I wasn't stupid enough to take that bait at face value.

I gnashed my teeth as my fingers hovered over the keyboard. I wanted to give him a good solid text lashing, but I knew that the second I started typing, the reply bubble would pop up on his screen. Clearly my lack of response had him bothered, as evidenced by the missed calls, and I debated whether replying or maintaining my silence would bother him more. After the roller coaster he'd taken me on today, I finally decided that he didn't deserve the decency of a reply.

I chucked my phone away again, the text burning in my mind. Trust him, I scoffed, like hell that would happen. The warm fuzzies I'd felt that afternoon when I thought about him had turned into a pit in my stomach. Had he meant a single thing that he'd said? Or was this all a game to him? Did he really refuse to switch lab partners because he thought I had to work it out with Tyler? Or was it because he and Dakota were a thing?

More importantly, how on Earth was I going to address this tomorrow? Did I want to be with Ethan after all this drama? Did I really have any choice? Did I have any friends left besides him? Because I sure as heck wasn't going back to Tyler and Courtney after their stunt today.

Switching off my phone when Ethan tried to call again, I lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling as I racked my mind to come up with a plan. Two things had become clear to me as I pondered my day: the first was that there was definitely something fishy going on between Ethan and Dakota. The second was that I cared - a lot. And that was probably the most unnerving. Whether it was because Ethan had become more desirable since someone else wanted him, because I felt like I was losing him to that someone else, or because I had genuinely started to fall for him, I had no idea. My head and my heart were a garbled mess of emotions, especially when they replayed my lunchtime conversation.

Then, like the jerk it was, my brain decided to replay another conversation. The words "I screwed up bad and I hurt you and I'm sorry" played on a loop until I launched myself out of bed, switching on the TV to drown them out. I scrubbed my eyes, hating myself for crying as I thought about Tyler and how much I missed him.

***********************************

"You didn't reply last night,"

I slammed my locker, turning away from where Ethan was leaning. I'd anticipated him cornering me early, so I played along with the plan I'd hatched at 2 am that morning.

"Come on, what's going on?" he said, jogging around in front to block my way.

"I have to get to class," I said flatly. Ethan sighed.

"Not until you tell me what's going on. I thought we were going to do something last night," he said, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. I ducked away from him with a glare.

"Remember when I called you a liar? Still true," I snapped. I turned on my heel, but Ethan fell in beside me.

"Are you still stuck on the Dakota thing?" Ethan asked, impatience leaking through his voice. We rounded the corner and I spotted my big chance.

"As a matter of fact I am," I said, pitching my voice a little louder than it had to be, turning heads in the crowded hallway, "And if you want me to trust you, then prove me wrong,"

Ethan frowned warily as I watched Dakota turn towards us out of the corner of my eye. Ethan had opened his mouth to say something and I seized my opportunity. Hooking a hand around the back of his head, I pulled his face towards mine. He was shocked enough that he let me kiss him for a few solid seconds before he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me off. When I opened my eyes, I wasn't looking at Ethan as he held me at an arm's length.

I was looking at Dakota over his shoulder, whose face had scrunched up and flushed. I couldn't be sure because of the glasses, but I thought there may have been some watery eyes before she grabbed her backpack and slammed her locker, stalking off in the opposite direction. In my head, I checked off a box - if I hadn't been 100% sure before, it was now abundantly clear that she cared very much whose face I sucked.

"Buttercup, I'm all for making out, but in the middle of the hallway? What's that about?" Ethan was demanding, forcing me to tear my triumphant eyes away from Dakota's retreating back.

"You're the one who said you liked me yesterday," I said, resting my hands on his arms since he was still gripping my shoulders, "And PDA is how I want you to prove it,"

Ethan cocked his head, his eyes searching my face.

"This seems an awful lot like you're trying to mark your territory," he said carefully, watching for my reaction, "And I think it's more than a little ridiculous,"

"What, you don't want to be seen kissing me? I guess you're proving me right then," I shrugged, turning away, "You are a lying liar with a thing for Dakota,"

Ethan grabbed me around the waist with something dangerously close to a growl, yanking me towards him to crush his mouth against mine. There was nothing romantic about this kiss and when he finally broke it off, I wondered if my lips would be bruised. Ethan was angry, but he was trying his best not to show it, forcing on that lopsided grin as he reached for my hand. It was the ice in his steely eyes that betrayed him.

"Let me walk you to class," he said, still holding that forced grin in place. I smiled, satisfied that my plan had worked so brilliantly. I hadn't intended on doing much more than scaring Dakota off by kissing Ethan, but finding her in such a public place so early in the day held the added bonus that everybody would be talking about our kiss by lunchtime. In one fell swoop I'd claimed Ethan for my own, all while rubbing Dakota's lying face in it. Ethan's anger was little more than a side note to me, especially since the conclusion I'd reached during my late night soul searching was that my interest in Ethan was solely because he was attempting to play me. Today, I'd won and I intended on savoring it.

With a smug smile, I let Ethan lead me towards French class. When I looked up, my eyes caught a pair of hazel ones across the hallway. Brett was leaning against Vicky's locker, the pair of them scowling as they watched us. As we came towards them, I felt my insides freeze as Brett pushed off the locker, a murderous expression on his face. Vicky's hand shot out to grab him by the arm, her knuckles white from her grip on him. Her blue eyes were narrowed as she watched us, leaning up to whisper something in Brett's ear. The muscle in his jaw clenched, but he didn't make another move towards us. I forced myself to look away from them, well aware that they'd probably seen the whole thing.

*************************

I'd known the Clairview gossip mill to be efficient, but I never dreamed that news of Ethan and me would have spread through all of Junior year by morning break. I had changed out of my second period gym uniform and was reapplying my makeup in the girls' locker room when Danielle Burke came and set her makeup bag down next to mine.

"So you and Ethan Wheeler huh?" she asked, as she powdered her face. I glanced over at her in the mirror, saying nothing before I figured out what it was that she wanted.

"I'm happy you're not hanging out with those A-list bitches anymore," she said, leaning forward to swipe on some mascara, "I always thought you were nicer than them anyway,"

"Thanks, Danielle," I said, pausing in my makeup reapplication. She smiled at me in the mirror.

"If you want to stop sitting with the band geeks, you and Ethan are always welcome at our lunch table you know," she said, putting on some lip gloss as her eyes met mine in the mirror, "Because I'm pretty sure he won't be welcome back at his old table after your little stunt this morning,"

I snorted despite myself, looking down at the compact in my hands.

"You sound like you know something I don't," I said, carefully neutralizing my expression so I could figure out exactly what it was Danielle was implying.

"I saw him having lunch with Dakota on Sunday," Danielle said, zipping up her bag and turning to face me in earnest this time, "And it was more than just a friendly lunch, that much was obvious. But then I guess you already knew that based on your move this morning,"

Busted. Apparently Dani Burp was smarter than she looked. I met her gaze squarely, waiting for her to say whatever it is she'd wanted to say.

"But frankly, I like you much more than I like Dakota," she continued, linking her arm with mine and pulling me towards the lockers, "And I like that you've gotten Deanna so pissed off. I think we should be friends, so if landing Ethan Wheeler is what you want, I'll help,"

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm set," I said, smiling to soften my words. Danielle smiled back.

"It's just a friendly way of saying I'm willing to watch your back. You're going to need all the friends you can get now that you have the A's and the activists against you," she said, "Think about it,"

"I will," I promised, as she collected her purse and gave me a little hug goodbye. I stared at my own locker as my thoughts collected themselves. From A-lister, to queen of the freaks, to new B-list sidekick...even I couldn't keep track of exactly where I was on the social ladder anymore.

I made my way to chemistry class keeping my eyes out for Ethan. When he'd dropped me off at French that morning, he'd still been forcing his smiles. I was expecting some sort of retaliation, especially since we shared chem class with Dakota. If he was going to throw in the towel and stop trying to win me over, he'd probably waltz in with Dakota on his arm to negate my very public display this morning. But if he still thought I wasn't on to him, I was curious to see what he'd do to keep up the charade.

***********************

Sorry about the big delay guys! Last week was my birthday and the entire week ended up being filled with lots of surprise plans with family, the bf, his family, and my friends. Writing time took a major back seat, but I should be back to normal now (albeit a little older XD).

So what do you think Ethan's up to? And what about Maddie, do you think she's doing the right thing by playing along or should she just turf him altogether? If you liked it, please don't forget to vote and comment! :)