Friendly Dating - Kira

Chapter 33 - Waking Up

I hardly slept last night, but this time it was not because I talked on the phone with Ethan for too long... it was the opposite.

After talking to Delia, I went up to his room to see if I could apologise or make peace or just explain myself a little better than I'd done earlier in our kitchen. Ethan wasn't there. He'd gone for a run. A run that went on and on and on for hours.

He only goes on runs that long when he's had a particularly bad fight with his father. I hate that I was somehow the cause of that run, and to be honest, I still don't quite understand why he is so mad at me.

I went home, did my homework (sloppily) and waited and waited, reading my novel until I finally saw a light in his window. His curtains were drawn, and they were still drawn this morning. Usually, he opens them when he's at least wearing pants.

I missed receiving silly messages from him or hearing him whistle to gain my attention. I waited for both, but neither happened. I wanted to send him a message, but the words wouldn't come, and those closed curtains were extremely intimidating. Ethan doesn't like having them closed.

I finally decided to speak to him face to face today and fell into a fitful sleep.

Here he is in front of me now, but I've lost my voice and my reason and wordlessly hand him the container filled with the lunch I made him. I don't even know why I'm giving it to him now. Perhaps I'm hoping that it will open the door to conversation, but it's not. Ethan's eyes are dull and distant. I'm not even entirely sure that he is seeing me.

"Thanks for bringing my bag," I whisper, feeling uncomfortable and out of place.

"Sure," he grunts, taking the big lunchbox from me. "Thanks."

Why do I have to have first-period maths today when I really don't think I can be at the desk next to Ethan's?

Opening my schoolbag to retrieve my textbook, I slide The Pirate Who Knows Stuff out as well and, rising from my seat; I weave among the desks to tap James on his shoulder. This task at least affords me a minor break from Ethan's proximity.

"Hey," I say when James turns his head to look up at me. He seems startled to find me by his side, and a slightly nervous smile is touching his lips. Oh, no! Did Ethan tell him about our fight? Is he mad at me too?

"Hey..."

"I brought you something," I say before he can add any more salt to my already burning wounds and hand him the book. "I finished it last night."

"Wow! Thanks!" His smile has lost its confused edge and is very sincere now. "Did it stay good until the end?"

"Oh yes! I'm going to write my report on it."

"Oh," he is a little disappointed now, but then he shrugs. "Uhm... two people can report on the same book, right?"

"Can't see why not." And now I'm standing here, feeling awkward again. I get along with James pretty well, but he is Ethan's friend, and we don't generally hang out very often unless we're in a large group.

"I brought you something too," he surprises me, digging in his bag when I'm about to turn away and return to my seat. "Here."

And there in his hands is the second volume in The Pirate series. The Pirate Who Lost His Mind... I can relate. I may not be a pirate, but I'm definitely in the process of losing my mind.

"Awesome! Thank you!" I take the book and hug it to my chest. Finally, something a little more cheerful to start the day with. I'll drown my sorrows in the joys and mishaps of the bungling crew of the Happy Harpy. "Hey," I say, hit by inspiration now that I'm cradling a juicy book in my arms. "Since I'm just starting with this one, and you're starting that one. I'll do my report on this one."