Reality

Chapter 9

Catherine's POV:

I sit on the grass, waiting for Ethan to get here.

The past two months have been the worst ever.

My grade went down in 6th period thanks to Ethan "accidentally" running over the doll.

The doctor said that if Lily didn't wake up soon, she could wake up and not remember anything. Not me, or my mom, or anything at all.

So I came to the park.

I always brought Lily here when our parents were having an argument, and she was too young to know what was going on.

I remember pushing her on the swing, her screams of fear as she went higher, and me laughing.

Tears form in my eyes, and I feel a single drop roll down my cheek.

Then Ethan sits down next to me, and wipes it off.

"Hi," I whisper, closing my eyes.

"Hey," he replies.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to see me like this," I say, standing up and brushing the dirt off my jeans.

"I did expect something else when you told me to meet you at the park," Ethan admitted.

"Yeah, well..." I don't get to finish my sentence.

"You need to cheer up," he says, smiling. "Come with me."

He offers me his hand, and I take it.

It's warm and strong and makes me feel better.

During the past two months, we'd become really close. Best friends even. But that's it. He doesn't want to see me the same way I do.
***

"Hey," greets Chris, one of the guys on the soccer team. He's slightly taller than I am, with straight, shaggy dark hair, and tan skin. He has big brown eyes, and is really cute, but I've never talked to him before.

"Hi." I say.

The entire team is here, at Zack's house, apparently they do this every weekend.

We're in Zack's basement, which has a pool table, a snackbar, a wide screen tv, and a couch. It's like a heaven for these guys.

I sat on the couch and watched as Ethan did his weird bro hand shake with his friends.

Then he started to play a game of pool with them and left me alone.

Alright then.

I put in my headphones, but Chris sat next to me.

"So you're Ethan's girlfriend?" He asks.

I'm pretty sure I'm blushing.

"Uh, no. We're just friends."

"Oh, cool." he says.

Not really.

"You look bored," he says.

"Oh that's probably because I am." I say.

"Well, how about you tell me who you're listening to, and I teach you how to play pool," he says.

"Deal," I say. "I'm listening to Imagine Dragons."

"They're a sick band."

He stands up, and I follow him to the pool table. We get strange looks from the other guys, but I ignore them.

"Okay, so you grip the pole like this," he gripped the pole, and then asked me to do the same.

I did, but I failed. Then he went behind me and moved my hands to the correct position.

I looked up at Ethan, who looked upset.

I gave him a weak smile, but he looked away.

"Then you have to hit that ball, and try to make it hit others so they go into the holes," Chris says.

I attempt to do as he says, and to my surprise, succeed.

"Great," he says. "And now you can more or less play amateur pool."

I grin at my triumph.

"You see this, Ethan?" I say, still smiling.

"Yeah," he says, as he pushes Chris away. "But, if you curved it like this," he takes my arms and changes their position."You would be able to have more control over the ball."

I aim, and hit the ball, causing two to go into the corner.

I turn my face toward Ethan, and realize he's still right behind me. He's so close, if I moved an inch, I could kiss him.

"Just kiss already!" Yells Zack.

Ethan lets go of my arms an gives Zack the evil eye.

Wanting to change the topic, I ask Zack where Carly is.

"She's on her way," Zack says, his eyes brightening at the mention of her. Carly really deserves a guy like this.

"Okay," I say.

The guys all return to playing pool, and I'm just watching them, until Carly arrives.

She hugs me.

"Omg hi! I didn't know you'd be here," she says. Then she walks over to Zack and he gives her a long kiss, long enough to make everyone else in the room awkward.

Ethan catches my eye, but I look away, my face burning.

Carly comes and sits next to me, trying to come up with a ship name for a ship that won't become canon, until it gets quite late and Ethan drives me home.
***

"What was that?" I ask him, already in his car.

He looks over. "What was what?"

"You pushed Chris," I say.

"He's a player. I don't want him to make you his next target."

I think my stomach was experiencing roller coaster syndrome.

"Why?"

"Because...."

"Uh huh?"

"I care about you. And... you're my friend."

My heart dropped.

"Okay." I say.

"You don't sound happy."

"I just wish you'd be smarter." I tell him, a little on the angry side. " I thought that after 3 months you'd get a hint of what..." I stop myself before I can go on.

"A hint of what?" He asks.

"Nothing."

He sighs. "Why are your species so complicated?"

"My...species?" I ask, lifting an eyebrow.

"First you want the cake, then you get the cake, and then you don't want it," he says.

"Who said anything about cake? Who's confusing now?"

"Forget it."

And we stay silent the rest of the ride.