Stuck Between Bad Brothers

Chapter 6

 Lindsay calls me that night to ask about the date that didn't happen and we go over again and again why Jolene is more important than Ethan. Lindsay thinks I used Jo as an excuse, too afraid to go out with Ethan and for things to go wrong. I call it 50-50.

In the morning, I knock on Lindsay's door, the way I do every morning. We've been walking to school together every morning for years, except when we're sick, have dentist or doctors appointments, or Lindsay's family goes on vacation. The door opens and Ethan stumbles out, laughing. He's in the same jeans and t-shirt from last night, hair rumbled.

"Vee?" he says confused.

Lindsay comes out after him and acts surprised. I'm not sure why, considering I pick her up here, at the same time, everyday.

"Oh shit. Vee. Hi." Lindsay slings her backpack over her shoulder and pushes Ethan down the stairs, past me. He keeps giggling, all the way to his truck parked on the street.

I stand there, confused and started as I stand with Lindsay, watching him pull away. He's down the street when I hit Lindsay on the arm.

"What the hell," I hiss. "What was that?"

"It was awesome, Vee. He came back to my house to get in his car and I heard him, so I asked what happened. And he just started crying. Like really crying and I've never seen a guy cry, let alone a hot one. It was so beautiful and heartbreaking, and then we just sat in his trunk, listening to music and talking. By the time we stopped it was one in the morning and I just snuck him in."

"Did you hook up?" I ask, not sure how I'm feeling exactly.

"No. We did sleep together in my bed, though. There was plenty of room for two people, you know that. Actually, it was just like you sleeping over, except it was Ethan Dolan! He looks like an angel when he sleeps."

"And you talked? That's it? About did you even talk about?"

"Everything," Lindsay starts, heading our usual path to school. "About you. About life. How he felt on the road, hugging all those people he didn't know. It was strange, since he barley knows me too, but I feel like something changed. He even called Grayson in front of me, explaining how you turned him down. That's when I left and called you. And I would've explained what was happening, but I didn't get it and I didn't want to make you feel bed. You don't feel bad, do you?"

"No," I fib. "Not at all, I'm just confused. Are you guys dating now?"

Lindsay laughs, little blonde ponytail shaking at the nape of her neck. "No way. I wouldn't do that because he chose you first. If anything were to happen, he'd have to work for it and you'd have to be completely okay with it."

Sometimes Lindsay genuinely surprised me with her maturity and level-headedness in complicated situations. She always does what's fair and best for all parties involved.

"It was an incredible night, though. He was so cute crying, and I could tell he was embarrassed but also relieved to be talking to someone. He's got a huge Grayson complex. Like everything he does he compares to his brother. Those boys really need therapy. I mean, at least Ethan does."

She said she wanted the sensitive type and I guess she got it. Lindsay's smile is cheeky, impossibly wide, and she's almost glowing, her skin dewey with infatuation.

"But you really like him," I say. It's not a question. She's liked Ethan for a long time, before she even met him. She's a real fan. Maybe I should have been checking with her if it was even okay to say yes when Ethan asked me. It couldn't have been easy to watch her celebrity crush ask out her best friend.