15. Gucci Gucci

***Rose Damison***

“With all that blood on his face, he looks like an angry zombie."
"This is so scary to watch."
"This is more interesting to watch than most of the shit on Netflix."
Shelly and Rita comment while watching the viral video of Ethan and my brother. I have never been ashamed of Ryan in my whole life than in this week. He not only beat Ethan twice, but he also dragged his weird sister in.
Ryan kissed Emara illicitly in front of everyone. He groped her vulgarly without even caring for her reputation or consent. No doubt why Ethan got so furious after seeing him using her sister indecently and attacked.
*Ryan has more issues than Vogue.*
I remembered in my 10th grade when that bastard stole my first kiss and tried to hook up with me, Ryan got so furious he ambushed on him and nearly broke his ribs. And now, he is doing the same thing to someone else sister.
Ryan deserves it, but Ethan didn't. He got suspended for damaging the environment of college and attacking the director, whereas Ryan was freely sent away with just an expulsion warning. Nobody dares to speak against him because of our family's shares in the college trust.
I keep my coffee down with a mere disgusted as I look at the video. Flying fists are brutally bombarded on Ethan's face directly which others recorded him. Though he looks semi-conscious, Ryan didn't spare him. Instead, he continued to punch him with no emotions.
I even see an abandoned shoe of him on the ground as Ryan mercilessly pounds him with cluster of punches. My heart cracks, no it painfully slits inside the rib cage seeing Ethan being dragged like a doll.
It's been two days since he didn't talk to me, yet look at me. Or my new Gucci skirt.
I especially wore it today so he would comment or maybe just stare at it, but he didn't even spare a glance and starkly ignored my presence. I never felt so ugly. All my life I have witnessed heads turning around at me but Ethan's ignorance was like the sharp thorns in the garden of my feelings.
*Something I felt for the first time!*
I am starting to feel that I'll die a virgin because of my brother's control-freak nature. Ryan doesn't let me get close to any guy and even if a guy asks me out, he deforms his face so he couldn't ask any other girl out.
I lock the phone and sip my coffee dishearteningly. I couldn't feel caffeine in the coffee, stars in the Starbucks, and Gucci in my skirt.
I look out of the cafe, the sky is painted in orange and purple pastel colors. The billboards on the buildings come alive as they lighten up the street with their neon and bright colors. The day slowly proceeds towards the night, covering everything in its blanket of darkness.
People walk outside with their phone, bags, dogs- ETHAN! I jolt on my chair excitedly as I see him walking across the road. Tall, dark hair, lean muscles with his regular white Nike sport shoes. *That's him!*
"I-I gotta go." I tell the girls as I abruptly stand up. "Why? What happened?" One of them asks me, but my eyes continuously follow Ethan so I don't lose him. "I am not feeling well." I hastily pick up my purse and phone, then spin my heels towards the Nike guy.
I dash out of the cafe looking for him. I see Ethan striding towards his bike, ready to fly away from my eyes. I stand there with balled fists and panting heart, I never felt this strong attraction for anyone, not even for Louis Vuitton.
But I am not sure if I should go and talk to him, as boys should be the ones to make the first move, *right?*
I have an angel on my one shoulder and a devil on another, and both of them wear my face. *'Let him go, he ignored you and you deserve better.'* The angel spat with attitude.
*'No, don't let him go or you will remain a virgin for your whole life. Only he has the key.'* The devil whispers slowly in my right ear.
*'But he is not even that hot. Your brother's friends are way hotter... You can easily get their keys.'* The angel spat again.
*'But what if Ethan has the biggest key? And what about notes?'* The devil asks worriedly. She slowly sits on my shoulder and says, '*Who will help you during internals, vivas, submissions? Think Rose, just make a move. Only one move.'*
*'No Rose! Wait for him to ask you out or he will think you are a desperate girl who badly needs a D.'* The angel growls in my ear.
*'But you are desperate, aren't you?'* The devil plays with a lock of my hair as she purrs in my ear, *'What if someone else catches his eyes and the D?'*
"Ethan!" I screamed loudly, which not only made him halt and turn his head, but the pedestrians stopped too. They all spin around to stare at me with dramatic eyes. Ethan freezes on his spot as he sees me walking towards him in my CC heels.
I feel a pinch inside my chest as I look at his swollen blue eye and red ballooned cheeks. The right side of his lips appears enlarged as if got a lip job. He no more looks cute and studious but wild like a beaten monkey.
The guilt inside of me boils to the surface as I see his condition that is done by my brother's punches. "Ethan, wait." I hastily follow him as he blindly ignores my presence and walks away. I barely manage to grab hold of his arm but he quickly pulls away as if my touch burned him.
"What do you want, Rose?" He spat with ferocious intensity. It wasn't a question, but more like a warning to stay away from him. I never knew that the cute puppy look on his face can viciously bark as well.
"Why are you not talking to me?" I sniff as my eyes get moist with precipitation.
Ethan's eyes show hurt but they soon get a shade darker as he growls, “If you didn't like me, you should have told me for once, rather than telling your brother and creating the whole drama.”
My lungs refuse to take in air as I stand there stunned and frozen with my open mouth. "I-I didn't. I don't know what you are saying. I didn't tell anything to Ry-"
Ethan raises his finger. "Tell your brother to stay away from Emara. I don't want her to be dragged into his game of revenge. And go tell him I have no interest in his sister, so he better stop messing with me or my sister." His voice was like his eyes, completely drenched with resentment and fury.
*I couldn't breathe.*
I stare at him as he walks away. His words play like a broken record in my mind. Each letter, alphabet spoken from his lips, pierced deep within my heart like a wolf's claw.
"I thought you liked me." I cry out with my weeping heart. I never thought rejection could hit this bad like a full-speed driverless truck.
Ethan hops on his bike as he gives me a pitiful, heart-aching glance. "I thought you liked me too." He whispered dejectedly.
I could feel the disappointment in his hurt voice that punched my heart like Mike Tyson. *I do, I really, really... really like you, Ethan.*
*'Do something, tell him your breast size. Just stop him anyhow.'* The devil screams in my ear. *'Told ya, waste of time.'* The angel lies on my shoulder, carefree.
Tears roll down from my cheeks like a monsoon night and fall on my CC heels. I can't believe I am wearing the right shoes, still, I couldn't conquer the world. Or his heart.
My blurry vision falls on my Gucci skirt, which is wrinkled from the times I have grabbed it under anxiety. *I trusted in Gucci.*
It was supposed to be the best day. I can't believe my first love turned into an evening-mare. But not anymore, I will make my own boyfriend and everyone on the street will watch it.
*As it is said.. Bravery never goes out of fashion!*
All the caffeine in me gets active and I take a bold step towards Ethan, who is kick-starting his bike. I abruptly pull his tee, with a stunned look his bruised face turns towards me. And I immediately press my MAC lips to his swollen ones as I hold his face in one place.
He stopped breathing.
*And so did I.*