23 Chapter
“Congratulations, Pen. I wish you’d put Kelly in her place after all,” David wished her.
Glass after glass, and the intoxicating liquor hit her head.
“Everybody dance,” Sam shouted and turned on the fast, rhythmic music.
“Congratulations, Pen,” she didn’t even notice Ethan approaching her.
“Thanks, but I didn’t invite you,” she replied rudely.
“And I had the nerve to come over.”
“Of course you’re always deciding things for other people, I’ll give you that.”
” I’ve never made up my mind for you.”RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
“Really? Look, Ethan, I have no desire to discuss anything with you now, so I ask only one thing – do not spoil my holiday.”
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this, Pen.”
“You really don’t? Then you’re a complete idiot,” she said, and walked away from him.
Ethan did not follow her, he hoped that after the party was over, he would still have a chance to talk to her again.
“Pen, how did you like the party?” David asked her.
“It was great, really.”
“Why, then, aren’t you dancing?”
“I’ve been dancing so hard tonight, and the days before the pageant, I just can’t feel my legs.”
“I see, but I’m going to go dance with Amanda,” he said and left her alone.
Lucky David has a girl, she even came to support him, and I have no one. There is no one who will pity me when I need it, who will support me when I need it, and who will love me as much as I love him,” she thought.
Pen didn’t want to stay here anymore, so she took the key to the gym and went there.
She sat down on the mats, and began to remember her whole life. She’s not happy, she’s lonely. Why does she need all these victories and joys if she has no one to share them with? – She asked herself that question more than once.
Only her parents had supported her, but they were gone, no more! The memory of that awful day, when she had seen everything with her own eyes, brought tears to her eyes. She cried, her tears turning to sobs. And it was good that no one could see her at this moment, and that she would not have to turn her soul inside out to explain her condition.
Suddenly the door to the gymnasium opened, and Pen saw Ethan in them.
“Why are you here?” She asked him.
“Are you crying? “He noticed her distraught expression.
“You don’t have to worry about it, go away. Let me be alone. Do you ever do what you are asked to do? Not what you want?!”
“Pen, I wanted to talk to you, but I can’t find you anywhere.”
“I don’t want to listen to you now, much less talk to you about anything.”
“No, you will listen to me, I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m not going to listen to you, I’m going to go now,” she wanted to leave, but Ethan threw Pen down on the mat and sat on top of her.
“Get off me, you jerk!” she demanded, beating her little fists into her chest.
“No, I’m not getting off until you hear me out.”
“Ethan, you said all your feelings about me in the hall, so I won’t hear anything new from you.”
“But you jumped right into George’s car without even giving me a chance to apologize for what you said.”
“You shouldn’t care about that, all right!”
“Did you have a thing with him?”
“Ethan, are you serious right now?”
“Pretty much. Did you or didn’t you? ” he asked, holding her wrists painfully and looking into her eyes.
“We’re back to where we started.”
“You didn’t answer me.”
– I’m not going to. Even if you did, you shouldn’t care.
“Pen, why won’t you tell the truth?” He was already whispering in her ear, holding her wrists in his grip with one hand while the other began to stroke her leg.
“You drive me crazy, you know that?” He whispered in her ear, tracing her lobe with his lips. His hand traveled up her leg, reaching under her dress.
” Don’t you dare,” she warned, but he didn’t want to hear or hear her. He continued his actions, ignoring all the rules of decorum, and not even fearing that someone might walk into the gym and catch them.
“Pen, stop resisting this.”
“Ethan, get off me, please,” she asked calmly, and Ethan granted her wish. He got up from her and sat down beside her, as hard as the decision was for him.
“Thank you,” she thanked and adjusted her dress.
“You are my air. It’s hard for me to breathe without you, Pen. I don’t know what George told you, but it isn’t true.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well, you believed him.”
“Yes, he told me what you were like. And that was enough,” she said.
“I can’t change your mind.”
“And you shouldn’t.”
“Pen, let me kiss you and I’ll be gone forever. You’ve won the contest, you won’t need my help and material support anymore. I’ve decided to go back to Italy.”
“Why?” The only question she asked and wanted an answer to.
“Because of you. I can’t take it anymore, you really fell into my heart and won my heart. I’m not saying this to seduce you, it’s how I feel. No less.”
“So this will be our goodbye kiss?”
“Obviously, yes,” he answered, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. Then he took her face in his hands and brought his lips close to hers. She didn’t resist any longer, so he pressed his lips to hers, kissing them tenderly. The kiss escalated to a more demanding one when Pen grabbed Ethan by the hair and pulled her toward him. Ethan couldn’t tear himself away from her sweet lips, and he didn’t want to.