He Used Me as Practice for Her Chapter 05
I was afraid Ethan would wake the neighbors, so I hurried downstairs and opened the door.
The second he stepped inside, he lifted the pizza box in his hand with a grin.
“Look. You probably haven’t eaten yet, right? That food truck you love was finally back tonight, so I
grabbed you a pizza on the way.”
“On the way?” I said flatly. “From the east side all the way to the west side?”
His hand paused halfway through opening the box.
Then he acted like he hadn’t heard me and pulled out a steaming slice instead, pressing it into my
hand.
“You talk too much. Eat.”
He dragged a chair over and sat down beside me, stuffing a cheese-loaded slice into his mouth. A satisfied sigh escaped him as he chewed.
The movement made the four-leaf clover bracelet on his wrist impossible to miss.
When he noticed me staring at it, he deliberately raised his arm.
“I got it back,” he said quickly. “I know you hate when I lend my stuff out, so I’m not letting anyone else borrow it anymore.”
“Mm.” My response came out quiet and dull.
He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest. His voice dropped softer, colder, almost coaxing.
“Charlotte… can we not break up?”
“I never went back to beg you,” I said stubbornly.
“Fine. I was wrong, okay? I came on too strong earlier.” He tightened his hold on me. “I left the party before it even ended because I was worried about you. Let’s not break up. Please?”
The clean scent of lemon mixed with alcohol lingered on him.
He kept murmuring into my ear.
“Charlotte, I really do like you. I like holding you. I like kissing you…” His voice grew lower. “Seeing
you dressed like that tonight drove me insane. I got jealous.”
His fingers slid around my waist.
“You’re not allowed to dress like that for anyone else. Only me.”
His voice turned hoarse.
“And you’re definitely getting punished tonight. Walking around looking that hot just to piss me off? You practically gave every idiot at that party free eye candy.”
His burning fingertips slipped beneath the thin fabric of my summer top.
Every touch screamed possession.
His lips brushed against my neck, hot breath fanning over my skin.
Then suddenly, a loud scraping noise came from the next room.
Furniture shifting.
A heavy thud.
Grandma.
I jerked violently and shoved Ethan away before sprinting toward the bedroom.
My grandmother had fallen onto the floor beside the bed, groaning weakly in pain.
She must’ve tripped over the chair when she got up during the night. She tried several times to stand, but every attempt ended with her collapsing again.
“Ethan!” I screamed toward the front door. “Help me! My grandma fell! We need to get her to the hospital!”
No response.
Panicked, I rushed back into my room to find him.
Empty.
I looked out the window just in time to see Ethan swinging onto his motorcycle.
When he spotted me, he waved casually.
“Something came up! I’ll be back later!”
“Ethan! My grandma…!”
But he either didn’t hear me or didn’t care.
The motorcycle disappeared into the night before I could finish.
In the end, one of the neighbors helped me get Grandma to the hospital.
The line outside the ER felt endless.
I tried calling Ethan. His father was the hospital director. Maybe he could help speed things up.
No answer.
On the third call, the line was abruptly disconnected.
A moment later, the ER curtains opened.
Ethan walked out carrying Chloe in his arms.
“I can walk now,” Chloe mumbled shyly, burying her face against his chest. “Everyone’s staring.
Put me down.”
“Quit moving,” Ethan scolded. “You can’t even hold your liquor. Why’d you drink so much?”
“I was upset…” Chloe’s voice trembled.
Ethan softened instantly. “Didn’t I already promise I’d go to Silverport with you? Why are you still
sad?”
Chloe laughed bitterly.
“Are you going for me… or because of…”
Ethan suddenly stopped walking.
That was when he noticed me standing there, staring at the two of them.
Wrapped around Chloe’s left wrist was a four-leaf clover bracelet.
One that matched Ethan’s perfectly.
