Ethan Adams

Chapter 15

The next day, I arrive with Ethan who alternates between calling himself my husband and my best friend. At first it's super annoying but then it gets to the point that it's just background noise.

We get into homeroom, laughing and joking as usual. For once, Janet's there early and she waves at me.

"Hey! It's the Calabasas couple!" She says and starts laughing along with me. However, I stop which causes Ethan to stop and stare at her. It takes her a while to realise but then when she does, she gives me a confused look. "What?"

"Nothing. I'll catch you later." I say briefly.

Ethan and I go to sit next to Sarah who seems surprised but doesn't mind. I don't see Ella come in but I notice the two of them talking and looking towards me. It bothers me more than it should but I shake it off and start goofing off before Mr Winter tells us to be quiet.

This trend pretty much continues. Sarah notices that something's up and miraculously asks me to hang out with her at break. Ethan doesn't tag along but he messages me telling me that Ella's pissed.

At lunch I'm still sitting with some of the other theatre kids when someone taps me on the shoulder.

I look up, mid laugh. "Oh, hey Ella! What's up?"

She glares at Sarah before answering me. "Can we talk in private?"

I shrug. "Sure."

The two of us exit the cafeteria and I can't help think that this is very dramatic. Janet joins us moments later and the two of them fold their arms and stare at me. We have an unnecessarily intense stare off.

"What's up with you?!" Janet cracks. "You haven't been talking to us all day, what did we do? Is it because you hate my new hair – or do we smell? Did we piss you off? What's wrong?"

I pause, taking in all her questions. "You don't smell."

"So we pissed you off?" 

"You're just being petty! The last thing I need right now is for Jessica to see me without –"

"Could you stop thinking about Jessica and Josh for one second?" I interrupt Ella. She stops, mouth wide open so I take that as a cue to continue.  "I just don't feel... included with you guys anymore."

Janet gasps. "You don't feel welcome? We always welcome you, we sit with you, talk with you – we do everything together!"

I sigh. A part of me knew this would be hard, talking to them like this. "Janet, when was the last time we hung out together outside of school? Without Anthony."

She thinks. And thinks. And thinks some more. "Um... when we went shopping last weekend?"

A bitter taste fills my mouth. "I didn't go shopping with you last weekend."

Her cheeks go pink. "Oh, that was just... me and Ella."

"You didn't invite me."

Ella sighs. "It's because we were gonna talk about boys and you don't care about stuff like that. I don't need you to distract J from my current boy situation, talking about cartoons or something." She snaps.

I blink a few times. "If you want me there, I'll be there for you, no matter what I care about? I'm your friend, Ella, not someone you can just decide to like selectively." I tell her.

"Whatever, I can't deal with this right now." She flicks her hand in my direction and pushes through the double doors into the cafeteria. I sigh, wondering why I didn't even get a chance to explain how I'm feeling properly.