Chapter ~ 15# ~ Captive

Ethan ~ POV

As I sat with Noah next to me, I couldn't help but feel relieved. I know snapping at him was wrong; I just wish I could keep my anger under control better. Though I couldn't help but wonder if I missed something. After Noah hit me just above my eye, I couldn't help but notice a faint blush. Did Noah like me… in that way? The thought kept with me through the rest of school. I mean, honestly, Noah's cute looking; not going to lie. His slim frame and the way he tends to geek out had this weird charm to it. But did I like him like that? That question bounced around in my head through most of my classes.

At home, I was in the garage. The MMA club was still canceled, so I mostly tried to keep myself distracted while working on something; anything. And considering the last time I fought with grandpa ended with me sore and losing. I knew that wasn't an option, especially since I still can't figure out how he throws me so easily. So I turned my attention to something else, working on my old electric bike. I still planned to sell it to Rebecca when she had the money. Plus, she might need the baskets, so I don't have a problem selling them with the bike. I was cleaning out the old basket I would sell with it when I heard someone walk into the garage. Looking back, I could see it was grandpa. He smiled down at me as he walked in.

"So, what's on your mind?" He asked me as he walked over.

"Just thinking…" I said as I looked over an emergency tool kit I left in the saddlebags.

I already made a new emergency kit in case the bike broke down. So It's not like I need another; my thoughts were interrupted when Grandpa spoke up from behind me.

"You know avoiding problems isn't going to solve anything." I couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Swear this man; always reading me like a neon billboard.

"I'm not avoiding a problem… I want to know the battlefield before I step into it." I said to grandpa without looking back.

One of his greatest lessons he taught me is to wait and be ready.

"Preparing and avoiding are two different things." He said; not sure why but I stopped what I was doing.

I turned back to him.

"So, what am I avoiding?" I asked and crossed my arms.

Grandpa shrugged his shoulders.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" He asked as he looked me in the eyes.

"Then what makes you think I'm having trouble with something?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"Because I raised you… I know you…." He said as he stepped forward, inching closer to me.

We both remained silent as we looked at each other. I could feel grandpa's sharp gaze staring through me. I tried keeping a tough act up. Though it stopped quickly when I knew I wouldn't win either way.

"I think someone… likes me… in that way," I said as I looked away and rubbed the back of my neck.

I could see from the corner of my eye that grandpa smiled as I said this.

"What do you feel?" He asked, curious as he stepped over and grabbed two folding chairs for us to sit in.

He flicked the chairs open easily before setting them down. We sat down, and I couldn't help but feel a slight uneasiness in my chest.

"I… honestly don't know…." I was confused out of my mind.

No one had shown me romantic love so feeling it for the first time is new. Up till now it's all been one sided on my end and now that someone feels something to be is… very weird. Grandpa sat quietly with me before he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You know… it's ok to not know…. It's ok to be confused" He said as he looked at me with a soft smile.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do. Your generation has to deal with things I didn't think I would see in my lifetime. I mean, heck, when I was your age, I didn't think we would have electric bikes or mini-computers we carry around in our pockets." He said with a chuckle as he motioned to the bike I was cleaning.

"What should I do?" I asked grandpa as I looked up at him.

"All I have to say is this… make sure you know how 'you' feel before trying anything…. Otherwise you might step on a landmine." He said before standing up.

He walked over to the fridge and began searching for something. That was when grandma stepped into the garage. I looked at her and couldn't help but notice the concerned look.

"Ethan… Sheriff Olivia is here. She wants to talk with you." I didn't need to look to grandpa to tell him he was a little worried, just like me.

Olivia was standing in the foyer; she was looking at a framed photo of Grandpa and me standing on a shooting range. I remember that day because it was the day grandpa got me my first rifle to train me on. She was dressed in her Sheriff's uniform along with one of the deputies behind her. Olivia pulled her hat off her head as she looked at grandpa and then at me.

"Ethan… I need to speak with ya… privately." She says, aiming the last part at grandpa and grandma.

There was a weight at that moment that I could feel quickly. Like something was hanging from my shoulders. I felt a hand instantly take hold of my shoulder. Looking back, I could see it was grandpa; he stared straight at Olivia and was about to say something. Though I patted my hand against his chest, getting his attention. He seemed to calm down a little as he let me go. I stepped out in the front yard, ensuring the home security system and could see us. Though with the distance between us, I don't think they would hear what we would talk about.

"I'll cut straight to the point, Ethan… have you seen Ben?" She asked, looking me straight in the eyes.

I could have sworn a sled hammer hit me as I heard the question.

"Why do you ask?" What could I tell her that wouldn't make me look like a suspect?

Was she asking me if Ben was going with Mr. Davis and Nathaniel or something else had happened.

"Ben didn't report for duty today…." Olivia said simply as she stared at me.

Swear almost feels like I'm being stared at by grandpa with how much pressure I feel from her.

"He might be home… I mean, Olivia, even sheriffs are allowed days off." Ben was a good cop but he did have slacking habits.

Like any normal human that's been overworked.

"His wife hasn't seen him in two days. She mentioned going to meet up with an old friend. That was it… And I got an anonymous call saying you were the last to speak with him." She looked me dead in the eyes.

I swallowed a lump in my throat. Olivia wasn't wrong about that. The last time I saw Ben was when… suddenly, everything clicked in my head. Either something happened to Ben, and that woman has him, or he's gone into hiding like Mr. Davis and Nathaniel. My brain raced miles in seconds as I tried coming up with something. I couldn't tell her I saw him after we broke into a hotel room. That'd get her cuffs around my wrists in no time.

"The last time I saw him was a few days ago. At the park… he questioned me about that figure I saw running off." I said honestly, that was the only thing I could come up with.

Olivia nodded in understanding.

"Ethan… I know you wouldn't do anything to Ben… and honestly, I believe the rumors of you being the creep as much as a chicken trusts a coyote. But even I can see you know something… now please tell before someone gets hurt." I held myself back.

I wanted to tell her how Noah and I found that hidden computer room. Ben and Mr. Davis knew each other from before they arrived here. But I couldn't see what that would do to Noah's life; his parents were forced to move away if he was questioned by police for interfering with an investigation. So instead, I looked at Olivia, who gave me a sympathetic look.

"I remember seeing him at the house… where I got my ass kicked. Other than that, I can't think of anything." I say as I look Olivia in the eyes.

She stared at me, looking for even the smallest piece of a lie. Finally, after two long minutes, Olivia looked away and let out a sigh. She looked to the other deputy, who nodded and climbed into the Sheriff's vehicle. Oliva turned to me with a smile and patted me on the shoulder.

"Thanks for your time." She said before walking away.

Back inside the house, Grandpa gave me a silent smile as I walked back into the garage. Grandpa was right about something; avoiding the problem won't help anyone. I sat in the garage alone as I thought about; if someone placed that call anonymously, it would have been that woman? I mean, I only had contact with her when we fought. Slowly my mind began to drift through my memories; was it possible she saw me from some of the other times we crossed? I mean, first, there was the school, then the thing at the park near city hall. Suddenly my mind drifted to Noah; I don't know why but as I thought about him began feeling weird. Was I still feeling guilty about blowing up at him? I know I apologized, but looking back on it, I should have done more.