2
Handsome, with a mysterious family
background, tons of girls crushed on him, but
–
from afar. Jake had a reputation – short
temper, rebellious, didn’t care about anyone or
anything. Rumor was he’d driven another
English teacher to quit that week. Even the
principal couldn’t control him. And this was the guy Sarah had fallen for.
“I know he has a bad reputation, everyone’s scared of him,” she said, her cheeks flushed. “But he saved me when some guys were hassling me the other day. He’s not like people say, he’s actually really nice, just…
misunderstood.” Her eyes lit up whenever she talked about him. Not like when she looked at
- me.
I remembered our wedding day. Even her best
friend had cried, begging me to take care of
her. But Sarah? A polite, distant smile, nothing
more. I realized later it was because she didn’t
love me. She was detached, like an observer.
<
When she really loved someone, it poured out
of her, even if she tried to hide it.
“Ethan! Why are you so quiet? You can’t just
judge a book by its cover. I’m not making excuses for Jake, I’m just saying…”
She’d already made up her mind. Asking my permission was just a way to rope me in. If her parents found out, she could blame me, say I encouraged her. She’d always done that. I was older, always the responsible one, cleaning up her messes. She took my help for granted. Not this time.
“Fine, fine,” she conceded. “I want to go. Just help me out, okay? Don’t tell my parents. If they ask how tutoring’s going, just say it’s fine.” She leaned closer, her big, pleading eyes locked on mine. “Please?” She knew exactly how to manipulate me.
I was about to answer when a commotion
<
erupted outside the classroom. “Whoa, it’s
Jake! What’s he doing here?”
He stood in the doorway, tall and imposing.
Even as a guy, I had to admit, he was strikingly
handsome. Enough to make anyone feel
inadequate. He leaned against the doorframe,
looking bored. “So? You coming or what?”
The whispers intensified. “He’s here for Sarah?
But isn’t she supposed to be studying with
Ethan tonight?” “Duh, Jake or Ethan? Jake,
obviously! He’s hot!” “Seriously, focusing on
this kind of stuff in junior year? They’ll regret
it.”
Jake scowled, his eyes scanning the room. He
kicked the door. “You all want your tongues
ripped out?” Silence.
Sarah looked at me, pleading. I said quietly,
“Go if you want. It’s not my business.” After
everything, I’d learned one thing: mind your own
>
business, respect other people’s fates.
Sarah jumped up, ecstatic, and even hugged
