Ethan kept his hands in his pockets, his expression neutral. “I’ll explain, but first, food.” I wasn’t hungry, but I knew he wouldn’t talk until I agreed, so I reluctantly did.
We found a quiet booth in a nearby diner, and I picked at my chicken tenders while my mind raced. I only made it halfway through the plate when my patience snapped.
“You have the eating habits of a child,” Ethan chuckled as I took a bite of my meal.
I tossed down my tender as angrily as one could toss a food off the kid’s menu. “Listen, I get it if you think it’s best to wait until after you feed me to spill our nation’s secrets, but until you do, I prefer we eat in silence.”
Ethan grinned, clearly completely recovered from going toe to toe with Jason not twenty minutes before. “I know this seems unnecessarily ridiculous, but I swear there is a point,” he promised.
“Then get to it.” I waved a chicken tender at him.
He sighed at my demand. “The short version?” he said, meeting my eyes. “Jason doesn’t care about you any more than he cares about telemarketers.”
So, this is what getting shot feels like?
He wasn’t telling me anything I hadn’t already guessed myself, but hearing it brought about a brand-new pain, as well as humiliation.
“The long version?” I forced out.
“Jason hasn’t been capable of genuinely loving a girl for a very long time now.” That seemed relatively short and inconclusive for the ‘long version.’
“And you know thishow?”
“We were best friends not too long ago.”
“How long?” I challenged.
“Last month.”
I sat back in the booth and let this information sink in before continuing, “Why aren’t you friends anymore?”
He only said one word, but it felt like a million. “You.”
My eyes widened. “Me?” There was a pause before I couldn’t prevent the giggling from surfacing. Ethan stared at me.
“Why are you laughing?” he asked in confusion.
“Because that’s ridiculous.” I fought to contain my laughter. “Why would you stop being friends overme?”
“It was bad enough when I helped him trick sorority girls into his bed, but—” His eyes gleamed as he watched my expression. “Enough is enough.”
“So, you refused to help him… trick me into his bed, and that’s why you guys can’t be within five feet of each other?” I retorted. The warning was a little late.
“More or less.” He really knew how to flatter a girl. “I just wanted you to know the truth. This is a game for him, and when he’s done, he’ll move on to the next girl. I’ve seen him do it a million times.” He shrugged.
I stared at my plate and thought about Jason’s hands on my body, grabbing me, owning me, and now I was being told it was all a lie. Maybe I already knew, but that didn’t make it sting any less. Especially after the morning we had just spent together.
How many times did I need to fall for the same act and be devasted to learn better?
“I would like to go now.” Suddenly, I had lost my appetite.
Ethan waved down the waitress and paid the bill before escorting me back to Pink Cherrie. We didn’t speak on the way back; my mind was racing with questions that I couldn’t handle the answers to.
“I’m sorry I had to tell you this way,” Ethan finally sighed.
I shrugged off his apology. “I needed to know.” It was something Jason did frequently enough that Ethan felt it was necessary to warn me. I just wished that warning came sooner.
Cars sped past us while we waited for something to say.
