“Don’t worry,” she said, sensing my fake
sadness. “I know plenty of nice young men at
work. I’ll introduce you.”
“Mom!” Ethan interrupted loudly, dropping his
chopsticks. “This fish is way too salty!”
Mrs. Evans rolled her eyes. “Don’t eat it then.
Cook your own next time.” She turned back to
- me. “So, about those boys…”
I smiled sweetly. “I’m not too picky about looks, Mrs. Evans. Just someone nice. I like guys who
are easygoing and humble, not arrogant and cocky.”
<
“So, the opposite of Ethan.”
Ethan slammed his chopsticks down again. “Liv, don’t push it.”
I feigned surprise. “What’s wrong, bro?”
“Don’t call me bro, you manipulative…” He
trailed off. He couldn’t exactly air his dirty laundry, could he?
46
After dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Evans went to bed. I didn’t want to be alone with Ethan, so I retreated to my room. Around 2 a.m., I got hungry and went to the kitchen for a snack.
I didn’t turn on the lights. As I reached the
coffee table, I stubbed my toe, hard. I stumbled,
about to fall, when a hand caught me. I landed
in a warm embrace.
Ethan’s breath tickled my ear. “Trying to kill
yourself?”
>
11:29
“Why are you still up?” I asked.
“Thinking about earlier.”
“…Earlier?”
“You never answered my question, Liv. Are you having fun messing with me?”
How was I supposed to answer that? In the darkness, I could only make out the contours of his face. Even in shadow, he was breathtaking. He was definitely more handsome than three years ago. Older, but with that lingering boyish charm. The perfect combination.
“I can’t answer that,” I said, “because. I wasn’t messing with you.” Three years ago, I just
needed closure. How was that messing with
him?
Ethan just scoffed.
46
- ))
46
<
11:29
“Okay, Ethan,” I said after a moment, feeling magnanimous. “If you really want to know… let me mess with you now. See how it feels.”
09
I’d gone to high school in the city. Being back for the holidays meant a class reunion. A lot of people showed up. I sat in a corner booth with my best friend, Chloe.
“Still not talking to Ethan?” she asked.
“Kind of…” I wasn’t sure how to describe it. It was weird. That night, after my “offer” to mess with him, Ethan had gone quiet for a long
moment. Then, very seriously, he’d said,
“Okay.”
I’d been totally thrown. “I’m kidding,” I said, equally serious. “I’m over you.”
In the darkness, I’d felt him deflate.
<
We’d barely spoken since. He was busy visiting
relatives. We’d pass each other in the hallway,
but that was it.
My thoughts were interrupted by Ethan’s arrival.
A group of people swarmed him. This was
another Ethan special. He’d always been the
center of attention.
Chloe pointed to a girl next to him. “Remember Veronica? She was homecoming queen.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“She and Ethan have been pretty close lately.”
The pretty girl was now leaning against Ethan, pouring him a drink.
People started teasing. “Homecoming queen and king, finally together!”
“After all these years, you’re not a couple yet?”
<
“Should we just bring a justice of the peace
here?”
Ethan didn’t smile. Veronica giggled shyly. “Oh,
stop it, guys.”
Then someone said, “Hey, didn’t Liv used to follow Ethan around like a puppy?”
All eyes turned to me.
“Everyone knew Liv had a crush on Ethan,” someone chuckled.
I laughed along. “Ancient history. Love is about being in the same league. I gave up on that a long time ago.” The implication being, I knew I wasn’t good enough.
Ethan looked at me, his gaze sharp. He seemed about to say something, but Veronica spoke
first.
