Change | E.D

Nine

Charlotte

"Charlotte, honey!" Lisa says excitedly after she's climbed into the car just ten minutes later, "I haven't seen you in so long!"

I turn around and get a glance at her, at the woman that's been more of a mom to me than my own mother, and see her familiar face. I missed Lisa and Sean. The two of them are the sweetest people I've ever met.

I smile happily back at her after turning in my seat, "I know, two years!"

Lisa leans forward and slaps her son's shoulder, scolding him, "Ethan, I can't believe you kept her away for so long. What the hell is wrong with you?"

I giggle at Ethan's expression, which is a mix of playful yet real guilt. "I know, I think I missed you more than I did him!" I laugh, telling Lisa.

The two of us start laughing and when I look over to face Ethan, I see that he really doesn't find it all too funny. He has his knuckles tightened around the steering wheel, so tight that I see white, and it makes me wonder why he seems to be so mad. He knows that his mom and I are just playing, so why does it look like he's taking everything so seriously?

Lisa obviously notices the same thing as she says, "E, sweetie, you know we're just kidding."

I see his grip on the wheel lighten up a good bit, but he's still holding so tight that it worries me. Shouldn't he be happy that I'm not sincerely bashing him in front of his mother? If I didn't love the woman like my own mother and didn't care what she thought of me, I'd have half a mind to rant about how awfully he's treated me for the past two years. But I can't do that. Lisa thinks the world of her son and I really don't have the heart to ruin that.

He clenches his jaw. "I know."

Lisa rolls her eyes dramatically so that only I can see and I bite down a laugh, knowing that it probably won't make it any better. After a few moments she asks me, "So how've you been?"

Knowing that if I tell her the truth, that her son has made my life as pathetic as can be, it'll only hurt her, so I say fakely, "It's been good, I guess."

She nods, "Good, good. How's school? I know Ethan has been struggling a bit with the work load."

Ethan? The golden boy has been struggling with his grades? I find that hard to believe.

I shrug and say, "I've been doing okay. I'm trying to get a scholarship so..."

She cuts me off excitedly, "Honey where are you going? Ethan is going to Florida State for baseball, it'd be great if you could be around there!"

I didn't want to tell her that I'd hate to be so close to him, that I just want to get the hell away from him because this hold he has over me is insane. I smile, "Anything away from home would be great."

Her eyes automatically turn sympathetic as she asks me, "It's still bad, sweetie?"

I can feel Ethan's eyes on me, reminding me of the afternoon where he stopped by to drop off my jacket and witnessed just how bad it's gotten, but I ignore his pity, "Nothing I can't deal with."

She nods and says, "Well sweetie, if you need to you're always welcome to stay at our place. We still have that guest bedroom with your name on it."

Even though I know I'd never stay at that house again just because of everything that's happened with Ethan, I still say thankfully, "I'll keep that in mind."

She laughs, "Don't let my idiot son keep you away, alright?"

Although I secretly hate that her son has made the decision to keep me away already, I just giggle and say, "Alright."