Page 12 of Something New

"Yeah, I go out there to work with my brothers on Fridays. She was telling me you were a teacher here. But I still was shocked to see you."

"Your brothers are doing an amazing job on that tunnel," he said.

"Thank you, I think so too. It's a great project, though. I've never seen anything like it."

"I know," he said. "I saw it the other day, and I just love what they're doing."

"Yeah, it's cool," I said.

"Ethan comes home singing every time he sees you. He kept singing a certain song that first night—about the monkeys jumping on the bed."

I laughed.

"He said you taught it to him. I couldn't understand what he was trying to say at first. He said the monkeys fell down and bumped their heads, and they got fussed at, and I had to search it on YouTube."

I laughed at that. "Did you find it?"

"Yeah, and I knew the song. I had heard it. I just had to figure out if that's the one he was talking about."

"I think I was trying to encourage him not to fall off those rocks. That firepit is insane."

"My parents met there," he said. "That's why they bought the property."

"Your mom told me. She said that's why she's building the tunnel. Are they going to rent it out, you know to groups or whatever? That property is so cool—all those trails, and the canoes."

"Did you walk out to the lake?" he asked.

"No, but my brothers did, and they were telling me about it. I saw the baseball and soccer fields. It's crazy that the whole thing is your parents' house now."

"It is crazy," he said. "I went out there a few times when I was a kid and I always thought it was the coolest place. I don't love it that they live so far away now. I know it's just an hour, but I was used to having them right there in Wake Forrest."

"Yeah, I bet that's different."

We walked slowly on the sidewalk, and no one was around.

"All four of us still live in Raleigh, though, so Mom will be here a lot."

"Are you talking about your siblings when you say all four of us?"

"Yes. Me and my three sisters."

"That's right. I think I knew you were the only boy. I'm the only girl in my family."

"I hardly recognize you without your sunglasses. I'm glad I saw your bag."

"Me too," I said, smiling at him.

He was actually the best-looking guy I had ever met in person. He might be the best one I'd ever even seen on television. I was blown away by how attracted I was to him.

"I don't want this to be awkward at all, and I definitely don't want you to feel like you have to agree to what I'm asking you…"

I knew it. I just knew he was going to ask me out, and I could feel excitement building in my body.

Chapter 5

"Ethan just likes you so much. He's been asking about you almost every day even though you two have only met a couple of times."

I thought it was sweet that he mentioned Ethan. I smiled at him, still wanting him to ask me out and thinking he was still building up to that.

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