It was their first date after they had convinced Mr. Crocker that they could be trusted to go on a date without friends or some other supervisory body going along with them.
They'd gone to a movie, sitting in the back so that they could make fun of it and talk to each other during it without bothering anyone else. A formality, in retrospect, seeing as they had laughed so hard at what they were saying that they were constantly being glared at by the people in the further up rows.
It'd been a great date, Ethan had even walked her to her door, only going so far as to hold her hand the entire walk home. The porch light was on as they got closer.
"They must be expecting you," Ethan sad, glancing at the house.
Lauren rolled her eyes, "I'm surprised Dad didn't turn on every light in the house."
Ethan laughed, "Maybe he's starting to trust me?"
Lauren smiled back, "Or Mom's managed to distract him."
Ethan gave her a look of mild horror as he caught her meaning, making her laugh at him and lightly shove him, "Oh gross that was not what I meant!"
Ethan let himself be shoved, smiling at her, before grabbing her other hand in his and looking at her, "I, uh, I had fun tonight."
She smiled nervously at him, "Me too."
There was a pause, both of them waiting for the other to make the next move, only for Ethan to clear his throat nervously and pull his hands away. He stood straighter as he buried his hands in his jacket pockets, "I, uh, I should get–,"
She didn't let him finish his thought as she grabbed the lapels of his jacket to kiss him.
The front door banged open and Duke Crocker's voice yelled, "Hey!"
Ethan was pretty sure he'd never run so fast in his life.