Page 25 of Trick or Treat Nurse at My Feet
Gavin appears at my side, eyes wide with shock. "Uh, I think someone's looking for your nurse," he whispers.
Before I can respond, Ethan's face breaks into the biggest smile I've seen all night. He jumps up from his seat beside me and weaves through people while yelling. "That's Sylas!" His arms wave enthusiastically. "Over here!"
Ah, so this is the best friend.Suddenly, everything clicks. The glitter, the confidence, the way he's scanning the room like he's both ready for applause and prepared for a fight.
Ethan returns moments laterwith his arm wrapped around his friend's waist while Sylas scans the room suspiciously, one arm protectively around Ethan's shoulders.
"Holy shit," Emily breathes, materializing next to them. "Your makeup is INCREDIBLE!"
Sylas pauses, the suspicious scan of the room halting as he focuses on Emily. "Thanks. It's for?—"
"Hedwig and the Angry Inch," Emily finishes, practically bouncing excitedly. "We're doing it next semester in the theatre department! Please tell me you'll help with the makeup design. Please!"
Just like that, Emily whisks Sylas away toward the kitchen, peppering him with questions about techniques and products, leaving Ethan standing there looking amused.
"Your girlfriend just kidnapped my best friend," Ethan tells Drew, who's appeared beside us.
Drew laughs. "She has that effect on people. Theatre majors, you know?" He wanders toward the kitchen, presumably to rescue Sylas from Emily's enthusiasm.
Ethan and I find ourselves alone again, and I don't want to waste a second of this chance to talk to him. The chaos of the party continues around us, but it might as well be happening in another room for all I notice.
"So—" I start to say, but I'm interrupted by a loud crash followed by chanting from the living room.
"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"
Ian appears in the doorway, swaying slightly. "Tyler! The pledges are doing the Cinnamon Challenge! Mark just snorted it instead, and now he's?—"
On cue, a freshman in a Batman costume staggers past, face alarmingly red, making desperate gasping noises like a dying vacuum cleaner.
"Oh god," I mutter, grabbing Ethan's hand. "Let's getsome air before Batman decorates the floor with all that nasty. Our porch has a strict no-vomit policy."
Ethan laughs as I lead him toward the back door. "Is that in your fraternity bylaws?"
"Article seven, section three, right after 'No lighting furniture on fire unless it's a sanctioned event.'"
We head out to the back porch, where the cool October air feels nice after the hot, packed house. The string lights hanging from the awning cast everything in a soft glow.
He turns to face me, leaning his hip against the railing. The movement brings him closer, and that electricity crackles between us again. "Seriously, though, thank you. Today could have ended a lot worse."
"Happy to help," I say, meaning it. "Though I should probably confess something."
Ethan tilts his head, curious. "What's that?"
I take a deep breath. "I've seen you around campus before. A lot, actually." The words tumble out before I can second-guess them. "At the library, in the quad. I may have been too nervous to say hi."
His eyes widen slightly. "You... noticed me? Before tonight?"
My head moves up and down while heat creeps up my face. "Hard not to."
There's a beat of silence as Ethan processes this information. I've never been this forward with a guy before. My heart hammers against my ribs, the weight of what I've just admitted hanging between us.
Dancing was one thing that could be played off as friends having fun, no matter how much I knew it was more. But this? This is me putting it on the line. No plausible deniability, no walking it back. I have been looking at him, and I want him to know.
What if he only wants something casual? What if he's not looking for someone who's just figuring out their sexuality? After what he went through with the ex, who could blame him for wanting someone with more experience, someone who's been out and confident for years?
Great job, Tyler. You managed to hide your feelings from everyone, including yourself, for years, and now you're about to blow it on Halloween while dressed as a psycho killer. Nothing says "date me" like fake blood and excessive blood stains. Maybe the costume is fitting, I'm practically bleeding out here.
But I don't want to be another guy who hides his feelings about Ethan. He deserves better than that. I've spent the whole night watching him light up this place, and I can't pretend I don't want more than just tonight.
