Ethan Adams

Chapter 23

            

"Sarah, the worst part was that he called me Buddy. Buddy. Like I was his dog." I complain over the phone.

Sarah and Savannah are the last people I have to talk to about this. Janet, David and I made a group chat to unpack Ethan's words from yesterday and I'm almost certain they're fed up of me: however, I can't say I blame them because I've been furious ever since it happened. And I'm barely ever furious about anything.

Ethan always manages to get under my skin somehow and I'm fed up of it. I'm fed up of this stupid crush I have on him, fed up of trying to get him to notice me and I'm fed up of all the scheming that comes along with it. But mostly, I'm fed up of just being his buddy.

It's the last day of the year and I can't believe he's commanded all my attention like this. Who does that?!

"Like you're his... his friend!" Sarah replies and then proceeds to cluck a few times. "Sav, you know he actually called her Buddy and thought that was okay?"

I hear a very muffled 'I can't believe him!' from through the phone line and I feel vindicated. Someone knocks on the door while I'm complaining about how much I hate the word buddy and I pause to check who it is. I want to scream when I see all my friends and my best buddy Ethan standing outside, chatting like nothing is wrong on this side of the door. I'm suddenly grateful that the walls are soundproof so there's barely a chance of them hearing my earlier complaints.

My blood boils when I see Ethan's dumb face. He's a stupid dumb-dumb and I'm his buddy.

I feel sick.

"Sarah, I'll call you back. My Buddy is at the door." I grumble, fed up.

"TELL HIM HE SUCKS!" She shrieks.

"Oh, I will." I shake my head and say goodbye. I take a second to compose myself and then open the door.

"Hey 'Leese!" Ethan says immediately.

I glare at him and face Janet, who is also glaring at him. "What's up?"

"We wanted to watch Spirited Away together!" She says when she looks away from him. "Where's Ella?"

I shrug and rub my eyes. There's another problem I don't want to think about. Last night, Ella was telling me all her plans to trap Ethan into kissing her at midnight tonight while all I wanted to do was sulk. As much as I want to tell her that I also like Ethan and have also kissed him, I don't want her to start yelling at me about it. But one thing I realised last night is that she has a better chance of dating him than I do since all he sees me as is his buddy.

My sickness intensifies.

"Something about getting breakfast and then going to Tiffany's. I've been alone all morning." I explain to my waiting friends.

"Well that won't do, will it! Come friends, into Alisa's room we go!" Ethan has the audacity to say. He also has the audacity to smile at me. "Time to annoy the hell out of you, huh?"

David rolls his eyes. "You're such a disappointment." He mumbles.

"I'm sorry – what?"

"Nothing." David pats my shoulder a few times as he enters my room and sits on my bed. "Janet, come show us Spirited Away."

Janet skips past me and of course Anthony follows her. Which leaves me and Ethan staring at each other. Well, he's staring at me. I'm glaring at the carpet and wishing he would go away.

"Is it me or is everyone in a bad mood?" He jokes.

I almost slam the door in his face. Instead I settle for rolling my eyes leaving him standing there and squeeze myself onto my bed between Janet and David. David gives me a side hug as Ethan shuts the door and joins us. Side note, I didn't know my bed could fit this many people on it but here we are.