“Argh… And here I thought I was doing such a good job hiding!” I smile at her persistence to get me out of my funk.
My mom is standing in my doorway. “I just thought you’d done enough hiding out and thinking. You need your friends around.” She gives me a knowing smile, turns, and walks away.
“So,” Paige drags the word out, and when I don’t say anything, she asks, “Boy troubles?”
I let out a nervous laugh and nod my head. “Let’s get out of here, and I’ll fill you in. Do you want to get a bite or a mani/pedi?”
“Is that even a question? Both!” She pulls me up off the bed.
The flood gatesopen when we begin talking and I fill her in on the drama surrounding Ethan and Caleb. I hold nothing back. She gives me a sympathetic look when I finish my story but stays quiet. I wait for her to give me her opinion, and when she does not respond, I give her an exasperated look and ask, “Well?”
She raises her eyebrows. “What do you want me to tell you?”
“What do you think?”
“You know who I like better out of the two. But the way you tell the story, you already know who you are choosing based on who you thinkyouare good enough for… And that, to me, is just plain stupid. If you don’t let Ethan know how you feel, then how will you know if he really only likes you as a ‘friend’?” She air-quotes with a roll of her eyes.
“I told you, he had a girl with him at the bar last weekend. He was all over her! You should have seen her… She was tall and Barbie-like.” I feel frustrated I can’t compete with that.
“And?” She looks at me and pauses before continuing, “You had sex with Caleb the weekend before. Both of you are with other people. You don’t want him to be with any other girl, but it’s okay for you to flaunt your relationship with Caleb in front of him? You’re being the hypocrite now, sweetie.” She shrugs her shoulders and frowns tapping me on the nose.
My face falls at this realization. I hadn’t thought about it that way, and Paige is the only one blunt enough to throw it in my face when I need it the most. I shake my head at her, not wanting to admit the truth she just made me face. She nods her head with a tight-lipped smirk.
“So…” I take a huge breath in and let it out slowly. “I guess you’re right. But…what if he really doesn’t like me? I will lose his friendship.”
“Can you really be friends with him right now anyway? Can you see him with other girls?” I shake my head. “Then it is a moot point.”
Our phones chimewith incoming texts as we are getting our nails done. A friend of ours sent a group text to meet at the Setter Bar tonight. Paige turns to me cocking a brow.
“What?”
“Don’t try and get out of it. We’re going!”
“I know. There’s only so many nights I can spend with my sis before I strangle her anyway.” I smirk.
* * *
Paigeand I walk into the Setter and find a few of our friends at a pool table. I sit next to Josh, another good friend of ours, beginning to relax and enjoy myself. No Caleb or Ethan to worry about or focus on. The night progresses with a few drinks and stories of our first semester.
I get a strange sensation that someone staring at me, so I look around finding Ethan at the bar looking directly at me with a sex kitten hanging on his arm. She is wearing a skimpy, barely-covering-necessary-parts dress with bold, glittery makeup. I look away as my heart pounds hard against my chest and my breathing becomes shallow and fast. Shit, why the hell is he here? I need to leave.
“Paige.” I scurry to her at the other end of the pool table. “Ethan is here with someone. Can we leave?” I plead, eyes wide.
She glances to the bar then says, “Preston just went to buy us another round. What are we going to tell him?”
Before I can think of an excuse I hear, “So…this is where you’ve been hiding?” Ethan’s voice is dripping with disdain.
I turn toward Ethan, and I work a smile onto my face. He continues almost sneering, “I haven’t seen you around lately. As a matter of fact, I haven’t heard from you either.” His body is tense. The sex kitten is standing next to him looking lost and out of place.
My smile fades as I respond, “Well, hello to you too. Excuse me.” I push past him, walking away to avoid any further confrontation. I make my escape and head straight into the bathroom. As soon as the door closes behind me, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. After composing myself, I walk out and run right into him standing by the door.
“Why do you keep running away from me?” he asks, stopping me in my tracks. The angry guy who was at the table now looks sad and confused.
I give him a small shoulder shrug. “What’s that supposed to mean? I haven't run away from you. Why would you think that?"
He steps closer to me, placing his hands on my waist. "You didn't stay for the last show, and I get here and I barely get a hello before you walk away. I’ve been calling and texting, and you respond with one-word answers. What's going on?" I don’t know how to answer honestly without giving away my feelings.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to think that. I’ve been in a funk and avoiding everyone. Paige barely got me out of the house today." I want to be wrapped in his arms.