What Happens in Fairy Tales

Chapter 2

You shouldn't lie to yourself. You shouldn't lie to others. This is what we are told since we are old enough to listen. Yet, we grow up doing exactly that without even knowing better. We grow up with "Happily Ever After" so we expect it but, more often than not its not there. We grow up waiting to be swept off our feet but we keep standing and waiting. The sum of it all is depressing but, once you come to terms with it it's tolerable, just like anything else life throws at us.

The next day at school, I kept to myself even more than usual. I didn't look at anyone in the hall or in class, and in class I didn't speak, I just watched the class function. Almost like I was separate from it from everything.

Ethan was the first to notice (even though it had already been a week). "Jessica are you okay?" he asked with a worried look on his face.

"Yeah why?" I asked.

"Because you've... well you seem... depressed," he said with a nervous half smile at the end of his sentence. He looked away. He seemed super nervous.

"Yah know what I've never understood about you, Ethan?" I asked with a smile, trying to change the subject.

"What's that?" he said chuckling.

"Why are you ALWAYS happy? I mean, seriously, you're never upset or even just kinda sad. You're always happy when I talk to you."

He started laughing nervously "Y-Yah," he said in between laughs "I guess you're right," he answered.

"You're doing it again!" I said. I was laughing to now. It felt good to laugh. Maybe I should be more like Ethan. Maybe I should be happier and laugh more.

~~~

It had been three weeks since my "break down" and I was keeping honest to my promise about being more upbeat like Ethan. During this time he and I had become really great friends. He was probably my first best friend. Being with Ethan was different than being with other people. He was the only person I could be real with. I could be myself. I didn't have to be Molly's sister, I could just be Jess. One day when when we sat down at lunch he looked over at me and stared for a long time.

"Jess, I need to tell you something," he said.

"Okay..." I said, alarmed by his tone.

"It's been bothering me for awhile now..." he said. I was really freaking out. My mind was racing What the hell was going on?!

"I think I'm in love....." he said quitely. Oh my god! No No this wasn't happening. Everything was perfect. I didn't want Ethan as a boyfriend I wanted Ethan as a friend, MY friend MY BEST friend. I though in panic.

"..... with your sister." he said even quiter. Oh thank the lord. I though. And then suddenly my content was over powered by a tsunami of anger.

"WHAT THE HELL?! MY SISTER! MOLLY, THE WORLDS WORST PERSON? YOU'RE

IN LOVE WITH MOLLY-" My rant was cut off by his next sentence.

"I know it wasn't fair of me to make you feel this way-"

"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT IT'S NOT!" I screamed. By this time half the cafeteria was looking at us. After noticing this Ethan grabbed me by my arm and lead me into the gym which was empty.

"Look Jess, I'm really sorry I shouldn't have given you false hope like that-"

"What? Excuse me? That's what you think this is about?! YOU THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU DON'T YOU?!" I shouted. Ethan was really quite for a minute and I could feel my blood begin to boil. I couldn't take this and stormed out without another word.

"JESS! Wait come back!" I heared him shout from behind me.

When I got home I ran upstair and slammed the door as hard as I could. What is wrong with you. I thought angrily. Why do you care? Every guy at school has it bad for Molly. Why is this one different. And then it hit me, or at least I thought it did. I wasn't mad at him for loving her. I was mad that she could never ever understand how lucky she was. She would never understand how wonderful this guy really was. She'd take all the little things for granted. Like the freckles across his nose and cheeks, or how when he smiled the whole room seemed to light up, or how when he got angry his nose wrinkled. How when he laughed hie eyes sparkeled. Molly would never understand how amazing my best friend Ethan was.