Last Flight to L.A.

chapter thirty-six: old news and darker hues

  "Sometimes we love people so much that we have to be numb to it. Because if we actually felt how much we love them, it would kill us."  

~Riding in Cars with Boys

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An easy smile spread across Althea Stellan's face.

She wasn't just beautiful, she was stunning.

Kelsey wished she could disappear or melt through the floor. Anything to get away.

Althea took a step forward, but Ethan intercepted Kelsey's view.

"Here you go," he said, handing her a glass of punch.

Kelsey opened her mouth to warn him, but a finger tapped him on the shoulder.

Ethan turned and froze.

Kelsey held her breath.

There was a moment unlike anything Kelsey had experienced. There was static in the air, followed by suffocating silence.

Althea lifted an eyebrow. "Hey, stranger."

Ethan's face was void of any color. Once he got over his shock, his jaw clenched. "Althea."

She shifted her eyes to look at Kelsey. A sweeter smile graced her pretty face and she extended a hand. "Hi."

Kelsey shook it, reminding herself to breathe. "Nice to meet you."

"I'm so happy you and Ethan found each other," she said. "You looked really happy out there."

Kelsey blinked and tilted her head to the side. "Um, thank you."

Ethan took Kelsey's arm. "Let's go."

"Oh—" Kelsey was about to follow him when Althea stopped them.

"Hey, I hope there aren't any hard feelings," Althea said. "I've changed since what happened."

She cast her eyes downward.

"Glad to hear it," Ethan replied curtly.

"I wanted to apologize," she added.

Ethan almost turned to leave again, but Kelsey stopped him.

"Ethan," she whispered.

He cut his eyes at her.

"I'm really serious," Althea continued. "I feel awful about everything."

"I should hope so," Ethan said. Kelsey realized she'd never heard him angry before.

Althea bit her lip. "I guess I was hoping that you'd understand, you know?"

"Understand? Understand what? Althea, there's not a fiber in your body that could possibly want to change."

"Ethan!" Kelsey gasped.

Her emotions clashed with one another inside. She was shocked and terrified to meet Ethan's ex-girlfriend. She'd be terrified even if Althea wasn't the one who went crazy and exploited him to the media. But she seemed so genuine.