Ethan Adams

Chapter 19

Today's the opening night of the three day showing of the Crow. I'm supposed to have all my energy focused on that but Ethan's acting weird and I don't know how to get him to stop. He won't make fun of me, not even when I say something completely stupid that deserves to be teased.

It's been two days since the group meeting at his house. Except the fact Ethan's barely speaking to me (I didn't realise how much of my day revolved around his insults but I guess that's the way it goes), everything has been normal. It's supposed to be comforting but it really isn't.

"Alisa, you gotta cheer up." Sarah says as I help her get into costume. "You'll be in the spring play, everything will be good."

"Yeah, you're right." I sigh. Telling her why I'm really down would mean trouble.

However, I give Sarah a lot less credit than I should. "You're upset about something else?"

I shrug but she stares at me until I'm uncomfortable. "Yeah, Ethan's acting weird. He hasn't made fun of me in two whole days."

"You did destroy his ego."

"I do that on a daily basis! That's just the nature of our relationship."

She gives me a wry look. "For some reason, I don't think you tell him he's uglier than Nick Jonas on a day- to –day basis."

"I do." I lie, feeling salty. "It's whatever, I should focus on the matter at hand. Turn around, I gotta paint a feather on your back."

We slip into more casual conversation but I'm thinking about what she said. It's not like Ethan to suddenly switch up on me so maybe I really did hurt his feelings. But it shouldn't be that deep. That's just the way the two of us are with each other! He told me I have to stop being so nice but when I do, he gets hurt.

That's what I get for listening to the advice of a man. If he couldn't take the heat, why did he come into my kitchen?

Suddenly, there's a loud shriek from behind us. I stop painting scars onto Sarah's face to see what's going on and immediately wish I didn't. Emily Fitz is currently throwing up into a bucket and weeping loudly about how her acting debut is over, right before it even started. Mrs Apendale is also berating her loudly, talking about how disappointed she is and that the show must go on, even if it's without her.

"Oh my God, Emily get yourself together! Today is your big break! It's the day!" She shrieks.

"I'm sorry, Sophia and I ate bad seafood last night and now –"

I wince and look away as she throws up some more. Sarah and I share a look, both of us pitying her entirely.

"Lemme finish you off." I tell her, sighing.

As I start painting the last few scars and feathers on Sarah, Mrs Apendale approaches us. Her face has gone completely red from yelling and she looks way flustered.

"Alisa." She says, her voice strained. I wince, wondering if I drew something on wrong. I'm no makeup artist: I just wanted to contribute because I like the stress of being behind the scenes. "Please tell me you memorised all the lines to the Crow's Wife."

I frown. "I mean, of course I did."

"Good. Go suit up, you're playing the role." She snaps and starts walking away.

"Oh okay – wait, but isn't Sophia available..? She is the understudy."

As she walks away, she points towards the sick buckets. Sophia currently has her head buried in one of them.

I blink and scratch my hair. "I guess that happened."

Sarah gasps as a few people start swarming over me, pulling me over to the costumes to get ready. About twenty minutes later, I'm suited up and Jamal's crimping my hair, adding a few displaced leaves and a lot of black tinted hairspray. I won't lie, I'm digging how I look brunette.