summer romance (e.d.)

two

ethan

my eyes immediately roll when i see the girl hesitantly and cautiously walk into the kitchen the next morning.

she avoids my eyes and lowers her head which wears a white nike visor.

"good morning, anna," my mom smiles sweetly, sipping her chai tea. "have you eaten? sit down, honey. robert can make you something."

grayson begins to scoot his chair over so she can sit down, but i send him a glare that makes him stop.

cameron just looks confused. she wasn't here to meet her last night.

"oh no," anna politely declines. god, even her voice sounds so fake. "it's alright. i ate a bagel. i just got a message that i would be driving someone at nine?"

i check my watch. grayson and i's set time to golf in the morning is 9am, but i do not want her driving me.

i fake a cough. "grayson, you'll have to go without me. i'm sick."

he sends me a look that says, stop being an asshole.

mom shakes her head, putting a hand to my forehead. "ethan, you're fine. you could use the practice, anyway."

my face heats up at the mention of my golfing "skills" and i see a laugh forming in anna's hazel eyes. i stare at her until the humorous look is wiped away.

i suck at golf.

suck is an understatement, actually. i'm so bad that one time i was asked if i learned how to putt with a blindfold on while doing the macarena.

my entire family are pros, and my dad golfed professionally at one time. he always wanted me and grayson to carry on the legacy.

if only i could actually hit the golf ball 90% of the time.

i clench my jaw. "i'm not going, mom," i say through gritted teeth, glancing at anna for a split second.

"you are," she says, and i can see in her eyes that it's final.

i sigh, but grayson talks over it. "hey, we should go before it gets windy," he says.

anna nods and escapes the kitchen, head down.

my mom hands grayson the keys to the golf cart, and tells him to give it to her to keep.

"wait," i cut in. "she gets the keys?"

she locks her jaw. "yes, ethan. she drives it."

i roll my eyes and follow grayson out to the garage. i pass our car collection and smile for the first time of the day at how much they shine.

he slings his golf bag over his shoulder, and practically throws mine at me.

"be nice to her," he says firmly. "you're being a—"

"guys," anna says, a smile on her face. she must've used the side door. "do you have the keys? i forgot to get them from your mom."

grayson throws them underhandedly and she catches them. "thank you."

gray and i load our bags into the back of the white golf cart, and he slides in front next to her.
i happily take the second row.

"so," she mumbles, turning the key in the cart. "you're going to have to show me where to go for this first time, but i promise i'll remember for next time."