"So Cinder, I remember you mentioning something about not talking because you don't want to, But If I say that I want to be friends with you right now, would you talk to me?" Ethan asked me with his eyebrow raised so much that it actually disappeared into his hairline.

We were still sitting by the waterfall, enjoying ourselves when he asked this out of the blue.

Friends? Oh… He wants to be friends with me? Wow...That's new. No...No, forget new, it is absurd. We have known each other for what, a week? I felt that he had gone mental and that must have showed on my face. Hey, come on, you can't blame me, it's not everyday that a person comes and asks you to be their friend, well at least not to me.

I also felt a bit hesitant about the talking part, because it has been a long time since I talked. I don't like to consider myself mute because that make me feel like a broken doll but I guess I had gotten mute over the years.

I briefly consider the offer and bit my lip. I mean, you gotta take chances in life right? What could go wrong? A million possibilities floated into my mind but I pushed them way and forced myself to look at bright part. I could gain a friend, my first friend in years.

I looked up at him and nodded slowly. A small smile made its way to his face, making a cute dimple appear on his left cheeks and tiny creases near his eyes. I looked at him astounded, I had never seen him smile before. He was always this prim guy who wouldn't even talk with a warm tone. His smile lightened up his whole face and made him look almost young and innocent.

"So come on, talk something. Wait…say my name first" He ordered.

I rolled my eyes at his bossy personality. Then attempted to open my mouth and I hate to admit but I put up quite a show before I muttered his name in a slow voice.

"E-Ethan Missouri?" It sounded more like a question than a statement but it was dead embarrassing to talk after such a long time. I felt like I wanted crawl into a hole and never come back.

"Cinder" He replied almost immediately.

I glared at him mockingly.

"Twat" I said in my new found voice.

"Gosh… I can't believe girls these days. First they don't talk at all and after they do, the second word they is twat? Wow..Keep it up. I'm sure you'll end up in a big place someday" He said sarcastically.

"You keep this act up and Im sure the next word I'm gonna talk is going sound worse" I still talked in a slow manner, afraid my voice would just disappear if I went too fast.

He rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue like a 5 year old and I chuckled a bit.

"What happened to you, Ethan? Last week, you were all I-Hate-people-And-I'm-prim-and-proper-and-I-never-smile-or-joke kind of guy, but now I am wondering if you actually a child in disguise." I asked him curiously.

It is true. I really thought he was worse than my 6th grade chemistry teacher who is sourer than a lemon and looked like he needed a two year lesson on how to smile or take a joke.

"Well, that is not who I am. It is just… I don't know. Can we talk about something, anything else?" He almost pleaded.

I shrugged my shoulders, not wanting to stick my nose into his business. I mean, who am I to talk? I was the one who wore a thousand facades everyday to hide who I really was.

"Sure, I'm going to take it that this nice change of scenery has brought the best in us." I replied.

He nodded and opened his red lips (Which I was definitely not tempted to kiss.) to talk again.

"So what are we going to do about that project, huh?"

"Dunno. And I don't care if I fail either. I mean I'm pretty sure, this isn't the only time I'm going to attend high school. I have plenty of centuries to get a good grade." I said coolly.

He looked at me with an Are-You-fucking-kidding-me look?.

"Hey! What? I didn't know a 120 year old vampire like you cared about grades. Aren't you supposed to run after your Great-grandchildren or something?" I asked, smirking.

"Ha ha. Very funny. I think I might give myself a laughing fit." He replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, whatever. So truthfully, how old are you?"

"I was 19 when I was turned."

"You and I both know that wasn't what I asked about. But I'm going to let that one go because I don't wanna make you cry now, do I?"

"More like, you don't wanna make me kill you now, do you?"

I puffed my cheeks at my new friend and felt a smile stretch my lips up. Who knew that today was going to be such a exciting day? First the voices (Though that wasn't exciting at all in the slightest, more like creepy), then the long-sought peace and third, I made a friend. An unlikely friend too. Who would have thought Ethan could actually mock and tease and smile?

"Nah, you wouldn't. I have found your secret!" I shouted excitedly.

He stiffened visibly and his eyes went wide but I chose to ignore it.

" You are just a big cuddly bear inside and I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't hurt a fly." I said confidently.

"No… Cinder. If I were you, I wouldn't be too sure about that."

There was a pregnant pause, he just looked at me with a stare that basically sent chills down my spine. The trees fluttered around us but I was still unable break out of his gaze. I failed to see the horror the words had but discarded it as meaningless.I felt that my silence was ruining everything so I jumped back into my giddy mood.

"Oh My God! Please don't tell me I'm sitting next to a Teddy bear killer!" I exclaimed in mock surprise.

He chuckled at that and shook his head, sending his rings of blonde waves dancing around his head.

I looked at the sky and noticed that it was getting dark. The moon was already in the sky, barely visble but I could still see it. I got up slowly and dusted my pants and removed some twigs from my shirt. I looked back at Ethan who was looking at me with me What-are-you-doing look.

"It's getting late, come on. We should go home."

"Oh… Is it time already?" He whined and pouted slightly.

"Yep. Get your lazy ass up."

I turned around; looking at the path we should take to return home when I heard him get up. I suddenly had an unbelievable urge to ask a question to Ethan. It was going to be dead embarrassing to ask (at least to me, yeah I get embarrassed easily).

"Hmm.. Ethan?"

"Yep"

"We are going to remain friends even after we leave the forest right?"

"What kind of a stupid question is that anyway? Of course we are."

Of Course, we are.

A/N- Sorry for the long wait. I had the biggest writers block and i was thinking about abandoning this story but it was just after i attempted to write it again that i understood why i loved writing in the first place :) so you can now count on me to finish it

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(P.S- Don't forget to leave a comment)