“I’ve known him my whole life… Ethan wasn’t
always like this. He was just a little cocky, liked
to play hard to get, stubborn, but he wouldn’t
<
“I remember when we were kids, I got bullied,
and he got beat up defending me. He was
covered in bruises, but he wouldn’t tell me what
happened. His dad had a temper, and if I hadn’t
gone to their house crying, I’m afraid he
would’ve killed him.
“It was probably around middle school… My
parents told me his mom had an affair. His dad
found out and beat her. Ethan tried to intervene
and got beaten too. It was a messy situation,
and their family changed after that… Ethan started going down the wrong path.”
And then came the truth or dare game. That’s
when he started to hate me.
Luke clinked his glass against mine. “It’s okay.
You’ve put up with him long enough. He made
his choices.”
I didn’t speak, just took a sip of beer. He immediately snatched the glass away. “Don’t
<
36
I laughed. “Then you shouldn’t drink either, rich kid.” I leaned closer, my eyes sparkling. “If you get drunk, I can’t drag you home. You’re built like a bear.”
Luke blushed and leaned back, muttering, “Why are you so close? Have some self–respect.”
- 33.
It was late when I got home. The lights were on; no one had gone to bed. I walked in, ignoring their stares, took off my shoes and backpack, my face impassive.
“Sarah, come here,” my mom said.
This time, it was just my parents. No Ethan.
I walked over and stood in front of them, my head held high.
“Don’t you know you did wrong?” My dad
asked, his voice rising with each word. “Staying
out this late, not answering calls or texts. Do you have any idea what you’re doing?!”
“Sarah,” my mom placed a hand on my dad’s arm. “Tell me the truth. Were you with that boy from the picture? Did you do anything wrong?”
“Shouldn’t Ethan have told you everything already?” I looked up, feeling strangely calm. “I told you, he’s just a classmate. He got hurt, I went with him to the nurse’s office. That’s all.”
“Why would you need to go with him if he was hurt?” my dad challenged.
“Because he got hurt because of me!” I threw my backpack on the floor. “Because your
perfect Ethan can’t stand me, hates me, threw
a basketball at me! If Luke hadn’t shielded me, I
would have been the one hit!”
Silence. I took a breath, looking at my parents‘
stunned faces, and laughed. “Still don’t believe
2”
I bent down, rummaged through my bag, pulled
out my phone, my hands shaking as I found the
picture.
“Look.” I handed them the picture of Ethan
kissing me. “If you don’t believe me, see for
yourself.”
- 34.
Finally, the interrogation was over, and I was in
my room. As I lay down, exhausted, a text
popped up. Luke.
Did your parents find out about the beer? Drink
some lemonade; I put some lemons in your bag.
You’re a girl; no more drinking outside, or I’ll
tell on you.
And… don’t take what your parents said to
heart. About Ethan, I’ve got your back.
I stared at the screen, and laughed. He was
Ethan’s roommate, and now he was dealing
with this mess. I remembered the shock and
く
disbelief on my parents‘ faces, a strange feeling
rising within me. My mom had turned off her
phone and handed it back to me. “Sarah… I
understand now. I’m sorry. But Ethan’s
situation…”
I shook my head. “I know.”
I hadn’t turned on the light. The room was dark.
I lay there, staring at the ceiling. Then, I heard a
noise from the balcony. I got out of bed and
padded over, barefoot.
And there, bathed in moonlight, I saw the last
person I wanted to see – Ethan.
- 35.
Ethan’s house was close to mine. He should
have been at the apartment near school, with
Luke. But here he was, sitting in the tree
outside my window, looking at me.
“Having fun with Luke?”
<
My face remained expressionless. I reached for
the curtains, but he stopped me.
“Sarah, look what I have.”
He held something in his hand. I paused, my
hand on the curtain, and saw it clearly. A lock
of hair, tied with a string. My hair, the lock he’d
cut off to appease Jessica.
I instinctively touched the uneven patch by my
ear. Ethan laughed.
“This,” he said slowly, deliberately, “is proof you
were chasing after me.”
