Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 163

Ethel stops dead in his tracks and does a complete 80. "Okay, Onai, buddy, I guess you're all I've got." He stands in front of him.

Onai glares at him. "Get away from me."

Ethel pales again. "... Alrighty then." He turns towards Aiden, his last hope. Aiden doesn't immediately glare at him, so Ethel moves closer. When he gets close enough, Aiden puts his hand out.

Ethel looks genuinely surprised. "Really? Man I was just joking, but okay." He reaches out towards Aiden.

Aiden puts his hand on top of Ethel's head and turns him in the opposite direction. "Not in your life."

It's like a dagger to Ethel's heart. He braces himself on the table, staring at all of us like we left him to die in the street. "Et tu, Brute?"

Onai and Aiden have no sympathy in their gaze, but it works on Krys. She rushes over to him, just as dramatically. "No, Ethel!" She basically slo mo runs to him. "It's okay." She hugs him, much to Brittany's distaste. "There, there." She pats his back.

When he sees Brittany's face, he tries to slowly get away from Krys. "It's alright. I'm fine now."

"No, I've got you. There, there." Krys continues to pat his head even though she has to stand on her tippy toes to do it.

Ethel's basically running away from her at this point.

I turn away from that disaster and look at Brittany. Then Onai and Axel. Carson and Aiden. They're not saying anything, and they're still not going anywhere. What are they doing? I clear my throat. "What are we supposed to do now?"

That seems to snap them out of their heads. They look at me, then at each other, then back at me.

"Oh well, there's really nothing planned at the moment," Axel says. "School still isn't over yet, so you have some time. You could wake up your brother and leave, or hang out around here."

"Oh," I say. "Well... if I stay here, what are you guys gonna do?"

Brittany's the first to speak up. "I'm heading to our indoor gym. What about you guys?" she looks at the others around her.

"Paperwork," Aiden says. Then without anymore delay, he quite literally leaves the room. I expect Ethel to follow him, but he doesn't. I guess that excuse to Coach Kenet really was just that-an excuse.

Brittany rolls her eyes. "Now we all know he's not gonna do no damn paperwork." She tries to suppress her laughter and fails miserably.

Axel clears his throat, along with Ethel, who just got done running from Krys. But I can see the upturn in their lips. They're trying to save face.