Ethan Adams

Chapter 5

I don't get out of bed on Saturday until Janet calls me. It's just past two in the afternoon and I was planning on doing nothing until one of my parents came to yell at me but I guess not.

"Hello?" I mutter, lazily.

"Alisa! We're meeting at Ethan's at four thirty, are you ready yet?!" She half yells into the receiver. "Are you sleeping? Alisa!"

I yawn. "Calm down, I live across the street from him."

She sighs loudly. "Oh come on, you know you're going to procrastinate and be late! That's what always happens to you, even to school."

"Janet, are you talking about yourself?" I ask, a little confused.

She pauses and I hear her clear her throat. "I should go get ready now."

I chuckle. "See you later."

We hang up and I chill in my bed for another half hour before going to take a shower and dressing up in a pair of blue denim shorts and a black crop top. A quick look at the weather forecast tells me that my outfit's appropriate so I pile my hair into a ponytail and head on downstairs.

My mom's doing some yoga in front of the TV but she abandons it when she sees me.

"Ooh, you look nice! Who are you dressing up for?" She winks at me and follows along into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table while I get some milk out the fridge.

"Nobody, but thanks." I make myself a bowl of fruity pebbles and then sit beside her. "How's the yoga?"

"Same old. Tedious but I'm trying to show my students new moves." Then her eyes light up. "You and your friends should come to one of my classes one day!" She nudges my arm and I try my hardest not to pull a face.

"I think we're good." I finish my cereal and lean back in my chair.

She pouts. "Why not? Alex said he'd come!"

My brother has a very warped sense of humour. He likes to tease people – especially our very gullible mother – and gets a kick out of seeing them figure out he's only messing with them. He practically used to terrorise me before he went off to college two years ago and declared suddenly that I was his favourite person on Earth. We're actually pretty close now and he keeps the teasing to a minimum unless I 'had it coming'.

"Sure he did, mom." I stand up and put my bowl in the dishwasher and then check the time. It's coming up to four now and I sigh, knowing I'll have to meet the others soon. "My friends and I are going roller skating."

My mom squints at me. "You're terrible at roller skating, Alisa."

I shrug. "It'll be fun."

"But – okay, just don't come to me upset if your friends laughed at you all day." She stands up and heads back to her yoga.

Janet texts me saying that she and Ella are outside so I get my bag, say bye to my mom and leave. Sure enough, the two of them are having a heated discussion right on the path. I'm a little wary of approaching them because I don't want to be dragged into an argument but then Janet spots me.

"Hey Alisa!" she says and waves. The two of high five and I give Ella a hug.

"What's up?" I ask them and take a step back.

"Well," Ella folds her arms. "We were just debating which house was Ethan's."

I raise my eyebrow. "Is that it?"

Janet throws her hands up. "I think it's that one over there." She points down the street to a house owned by the resident cat lady.

"It's obviously next door to Alisa, that's what she always said. They're neighbours, dummy!" Ella snaps.