.6.
Ashton’s team won the game.
<
I heard Ethan was distracted the entire time
and even got penalized for a foul.
The gossipy girls in class said he seemed to be searching for someone in the stands.
They said someone tried to give him water
during the game, and he snapped at them.
Seriously, what a jerk.
I packed my bag and was about to leave when I
bumped into Ethan coming in.
He looked furious. Losing the game had clearly
put him in a foul mood.
Ethan had always had a temper, so I tried to
avoid him.
As I turned, he called out to me.
His voice was cold, but with a hint of something
<
like… disappointment. “Why weren’t you there?”
The class started whispering. No one could
believe that the person Ethan was looking for in the stands was his little tagalong, Mia.
But it seemed to be true.
Why?
I turned to look at him. In the past, I would have
felt sorry for him. Now, I just felt a surge of
amusement.
“I don’t like watching basketball.”
Ethan’s eyes flickered, his jaw twitched, but the
words seemed to catch in his throat.
Zach, standing behind Ethan, looked nervously
at us. He whispered in my ear, “What are you
doing? He lost the game, he’s in a bad mood,
and you’re saying this stuff to him? Are you
く
Was I crazy?
Should I have done what I always did, fawned
over him, only to be met with indifference?
I glared at Zach and looked at Ethan. I hadn’t
planned on saying any of this. I just wanted to
slowly distance myself from him. After all, the
current Ethan didn’t know anything yet.
“I never liked watching basketball. I don’t like
fetching food and drinks for people. I don’t like
erasing the blackboard for them. Doing all
those thankless tasks… if I stop doing them, I’m
crazy? He lost the game because he wasn’t
good enough. I have no obligation to comfort
him.”
Just then, my phone vibrated. It was a text from
Ashton.
[I’m waiting for you at the school gate.]
<
[I won.]
I put my phone away, looked at Ethan’s grim
face, and walked past him.
Zach grabbed my arm. “Ethan sprained his
ankle. Where’s your first aid kit?”
I used to carry a kit around because Ethan was
always playing basketball.
I shook off Zach’s hand, my expression
indifferent. “I threw it away.”
Ethan, already on edge, finally snapped. He
kicked the desk next to him, his voice tight with
anger. “Good riddance!”
He stormed past me, and Zach chased after
him.
Under the watchful eyes of my classmates, I
calmly walked out the back door.
<
always playing basketball.
I shook off Zach’s hand, my expression
indifferent. “I threw it away.”
Ethan, already on edge, finally snapped. He
kicked the desk next to him, his voice tight with anger. “Good riddance!”
He stormed past me, and Zach chased after him.
Under the watchful eyes of my classmates, I
calmly walked out the back door.
The whispers followed me.
Something about me being crazy.
I was used to it.
