nothing new |ethan landry

three. regret me

     I was once a suspect for my dads murder. Labeled as the daughter who wanted her fathers money before college. I couldn't kill someone before, much less my own father. He was probably the best father anyone could ask for. I vividly remember times he would set down his work to spend days with me, and though they were almost daily, I wish I would have gotten more time with him.

As I sat down thinking about the empty feeling I had without my father to guide me and be there for me, the aroma of coffee entered my nose.  I took in the sight of familiar details: wood carved shelves filled with bags of coffee grounds to sell, natural light shining through from the windows in the front of the room, and the different seating arrangements from couches to bean bags to normal tables. Dave's coffee shop was the one place off campus I frequently visited to meet up with my bestfriends from highschool.

At this point my thoughts weren't on meeting my friends, drinking coffee, or my dad. My thoughts were warped on Ethan Landry.

The night before he had tried to walk me and Anika home, but we ended up going back to Sams place when we noticed the police at the bodega near their home. Two people were killed by a person in a mask, the new ghost face, and Ethan just covered my eyes when we passed.

    He wasn't any different from the first time we met, yet nothing was the same. I used him. And I still hate that I did it. He was still the same guy he was before, like he was putting up an act.

My thinking was interrupted when Brooke, who was usually last to show up, sat down beside me , startling me.

    Brooke was my first girlfriend, I still swear she was my bisexual awakening, but things between us are better as friends. She was beautiful, with smooth dark skin, and a smile that could light up any room, except she wasn't smiling.

    Though Brooke got there first this day she was still late as always.

"Looks like I finally beat Mia here."

    "Yea sorry, I was kinda zoned out. I ordered you your usual, Same with Mia." I gave her the cup of hazelnut coffee, and put Mia's lavender iced coffee in her spot.

    "She did text me like twenty minutes ago and said she would be a little late. What's been going on with you?"

    "There she is. I'll tell you both." Mia came from around the corner to our small table just in time. She was dressed like Gale Weathers from her glory days, with her heels and business type outfit. As an intern outside of school, it seemed she had just came from the office.

   "Hey guys what's up?" Mia asked in her usual cheerful tone, but now it felt like she was faking it.

   "You two heard about Jason didnt you?" I looked at them both, waiting for their faces to change. That's always been my thing. Watching facial expressions, trying to interpret their reactions, looking for any signs of deception, I've been doing it since I was younger.

    "We did. That's why I was late. I was with his parents. The cops think he killed someone." Mia said, letting us know that she wasn't at the office, her suit was like a safety net for her. It protected her from looking a mess when she actually was one.

  I was surprised to say the least. Jason wasn't someone I pictured as a killer. He had a temper, but not one that would cause him to take the life another person. Yet he did. Despite being able to read faces, I've always been a poor judge of character,

    "Could he have really done that?" Brooke asked.

     "I don't know. He's never been violent or atleast to me." I granted, earning a second opinion from Mia.