Last Flight to L.A.

chapter thirty-seven: the longest night

  "Some see death as having some greater purpose, but when it is one of your own, it is hard to grasp anything good comes from it."

~Warcraft  

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Ethan yanked his coat back on and smoothed his hair down, the music playing on the speakers pounding his head in time with the beat.

The blue lights were nauseating, like he was drowning in the ocean.

Why had he said all those things to Kelsey? Why did he take out his panic from seeing Althea on her? He hadn't meant any of it, it just all came out before he could stop it.

He passed by the ice statues and was almost to the door when a voice stopped him.

"You really showed her your true colors. Finally."

Ethan clenched his jaw and turned around. "Althea, please. Not now."

Althea looped a strand of her short blonde hair around her finger and crossed one arm beneath her elbow, offering that coy smile that used to make Ethan weak. Now it made him sick.

She stepped closer. "See? You're not that different from me, now are you? When one tiny thing goes wrong, you slip right back to where you belong."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't? Really?" A smile slid across her face and Ethan felt like she was digging into his soul. "I spent four years with you," she said, "and you don't think I know you? You were the guy everyone liked just because of what you could offer them. They all tried to stay on your good side because it benefitted them. You've always been a pushover; a coward." She rolled her eyes. "I know you better than anyone."

Blood throbbed in Ethan's veins, but he inhaled for a moment before speaking. "Maybe you would've known me better if you could see past anyone but yourself."

Althea pursed her lips. "How—"

"Look," Ethan interrupted, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Althea sneered.

Ethan nodded. "I know I was a jerk back then. I know it better than anyone. And I regret it. I wish I could've done things differently, but I need to move on. And so do you."

Althea flinched, showing the first sign of emotion since they'd met. "How? How could you do that?"

"Do what?' Ethan asked.

Althea blinked and Ethan thought he saw tears in her eyes. "Move on! How can this be so easy for you?!"

Ethan bowed his head and faced her squarely. "It's not."

"Oh really?" she scoffed.

"Yeah," Ethan deadpanned. "I lived four years with you. And now I realize how awful it was. For both of us. The life we used to live was so empty."

"And now you just pick up your new life and get some nobody to fall in love with you?"

Ethan gave a small smile. "Kelsey isn't a nobody."

Althea's lips pursed before she shouted, "Why do you get a happy ending?!"

Ethan looked down.