A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. I had another writer's block, and finals were coming up.

Disclaimer: I do not own D.O.T.M., but I do own Ethan.

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Serena ignored Stanton calling for her as she made her way out of the park and onto the street. Don't look back, don't look back. She kept telling herself, but she couldn't help herself. She turned to find Stanton following behind her in no hurry to catch up.

"Damn it." She cursed under her breath and picked up speed hoping to lose him, even though she knew it would be a waste of effort.

She ended up in a light jog. She raced past houses and traffic lights having no idea where she was headed. When she thought it was safe she turned to find Stanton a ways behind her. Serena sighed in relief turning her head back around. She came in contact with another person, and she jumped.

"Serena?" A familiar voice said.

She looked up to find Ethan staring at her. She turned back around to see whether or not Stanton saw, but he was still too far behind to see anything.

"Um…hi Ethan." She greeted hesitantly.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." She replied quickly, "I'll see you later." She looked behind her again to see where Stanton was.

Ethan followed her gaze, and saw Stanton lightly jogging now to get to Serena.

"Is that your boyfriend?" He asked.

"Yes, no…" Were they? She rubbed her face in her hands in frustration, "Look I really got to go."

She sidestepped around him, but he grabbed her arm, "What-"

"Let me give you a ride." Ethan offered, staring intently at her.

"No Ethan I don't think-"

"Just this once." He said not making it a choice. He dragged her over to his silver Audi TT.

Serena stared at the car astonished that a guy her age could afford such a car.

"My parents helped pay." He said as if reading her mind.

She nodded in response, and continued to follow him.

"SERENA!" Stanton shouted, now sprinting in their direction, "STOP!"

She shook off the urge to look back again, and slid into the passenger side.

"SERENA HE'S-"

But Stanton's cries were drowned out by Ethan gunning the engine, and squealing out of the parking space.

"Jesus." Serena cried as she was thrown back into her seat.

"Sorry." Ethan muttered, "It looked like he was catching up…so…where are we headed?"

She paused at the question realizing that she was sitting in a car with a man she barely knew.

"My house." She answered quickly.

He smiled at her, "You're going to have to let me know where you live."

"Uh right…take a left here." Why was she so nervous? She observed Ethan out of the corner of her eye and realized how he looked better than he did before. His light blue eyes were a huge contrast to his brown/black hair. The shirt he was wearing accentuated his lean muscles, not to mention it seemed to be a designer shirt. So far Serena could make two things out of Ethan, he was hot and rich. He seemed perfect, but then again nothing in this world is perfect.

The ride fell into an awkward silence with Ethan staring intently at the road, and Serena gazing out her window. Every once in a while Ethan would turn to glance at her as if ready to say something, but would catch himself midway and turn his gaze back towards the road.

"Tell me about yourself." Serena said breaking the silence.

Ethan sighed and didn't reply at first, to Serena it seemed like he was trying to figure out how much to tell her.

"There really isn't that much to know about." Ethan responded.

"Well do you have any siblings?" Serena asked urging him on.

"No I'm an only child."

"What about your parents?"

"To tell you the truth I really don't talk to them all that much." Ethan said in a forced whisper, "My parents still help me pay for everything, but they would just rather not deal with me."

Serena found herself nodding at his statement, and said no more trying not to force the topic on him anymore.

"Well now it's only fair that I get to know some stuff about you." Ethan smirked.

Serena laughed, "Alright."

"Let's start off with your boyfriend. What's going on between you guys?"

Any question but that. Serena thought bitterly, she really didn't feel like talking about Stanton right now. The thought that he picked Cassandra over fighting the atrox together, was too painful.

"Pass." She mumbled.

When Ethan didn't respond to her mumbling she turned to look at him. His expression was unreadable, and Serena didn't know what she said wrong. She thought back to when Stanton was still chasing them. Before Ethan floored the gas pedal she remembered Stanton shouting something. He said that Ethan was…

She felt her body tense as everything came together, why Stanton didn't like Ethan, and why it seemed like he could read her mind.

"You're a follower aren't you?"

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A/N: Well there's another chapter for you!! Please don't forget to review!! I'll try and update as soon as I can, but since its summer now I got a lot of things going on so please be patient with me!! Thanks to all my readers, you guys are the greatest!!

Jennifer