Dear Ethan: A Second Chance Romance

Chapter 12: Alone

*Jodie*

I heard heavy footsteps coming up behind me and my shoulders stiffened. I told Ethan to back away but he was probably going home at the same time anyway. I glanced back before coming to a full stop. 

It wasn't Ethan, It was Mattie. Wearing steel-toed combat boots.

He looked at me with an almost bored expression on his gaunt face. 

We had known each other since elementary school but we weren't exactly close. Just acquaintances. I nodded back at him before walking again. He walked a few steps behind me.

"He seems a little heartbroken." He said, just loud enough for me to hear.

"What?" I whirled around. The amount of conversations I've had with Mattie over the years was a grand total of two. Once when he asked me for a pencil and another time when he asked me what I was doodling on my hands.

He blew out some smoke, the skull rings on his slender fingers catching the light. "Majors. He looked crushed when I passed by him."

I scoffed. Since when did Mattie Hawkins pay attention to anyone aside from Macy?

"'I'm sure our football star is doing just swell," I said, my voice sarcastic. Ethan was fine. He was the golden boy, an A student, and now he was dating one of the most popular girls in school. Everything he did just made sense. Of course, he wouldn't be interested in anyone else.

It was like someone had stabbed me right in the stomach. 

And why did I ever think he would be interested in me? I was never someone's first choice. Always coming in second. Or not even registering in his brain.

"Didn't seem like it," He shrugged. "Your little walking buddy looked devastated."

I rolled my eyes inwardly. "I'm sure he'll recover. And why are you following me anyway?"

He rolled his eyes back at me. "I'm just trying to head home, Jodie. Maybe you and Majors don't realize anyone else when you're both in your own little world."

Mattie brushed past me and I recoiled at the contact, rubbing my arm as he walked away slowly, taking another drag of his cigarette.

What was that supposed to mean? Did people think we were a couple? Hardly, I thought bitterly. That wasn't the case at all.

And there it was: the truth. It was never going to be like that because Ethan was going to be out of reach. He was the popular guy at school, the star athlete.

And I was what? The girl with average grades and average looks. The girl that was always waiting on the sidelines waiting to be seen.

It wasn't me. I wasn't the one.

-

*Ethan*

Jodie didn't speak to me after that. When I waved to her in the hallways she would avoid my eyes and walk in the other direction. After practice sometimes I would see her coming out of the gym and head home, not looking back.

At first, I followed a few paces behind but I didn't want to make her uncomfortable so I took a longer route home. I didn't really understand why she was icing me out all of a sudden but maybe something happened at home. The stress might have gotten to her. 

When I spoke to Sam about it she just smiled at me and said she would come around. But she never did.

Prom was a blur and then came graduation day. Somehow I had managed to finish first in my grade and was selected as valedictorian. I had to make a speech in front of everyone. Mom was proud but I reviewed my cue cards a million times hoping I didn't start sweating up there. Public speaking wasn't my strong suit.