“I thought you’d be coming with him.”
“I never said he was coming with me.”
“Why not?”
“Because it seems too soon.”
“Haven’t you been out a few times already?”
“Not that many.”
“I’d have liked to meet him.”
“Why do you care so much about this?”
My sister casts me a loaded stare.
“Isn’t this supposed to be your night?” I ask, nodding towards Ethan, who’s chatting to someone at the table beside ours – his brother, possibly. “Why are we wasting all this time talking about me?”
“Because I care about my brother and his heart.”
I drink to ignore the fact that my heart has started to beat erratically whenever a certain someone enters my thoughts.
“And I want to meet the man who’s managed to get your head out of your beloved books.”
I smile at my sister.
I really wish that were the case. I wish I had actually met someone who was really interested in me, and not just pretending.
It’s true, I could’ve asked Eric to come along. Our agreement works both ways; but I don’t want my sister to become part of this whole farce, even though those kisses started to seem pretty real – at least, to me.
“Can you excuse me for a moment?” My sister gets up from the table, phone in hand, bringing me back to the present.
“Everything okay?” I ask. She seems nervous, and I don’t think it’s because of this evening.
“Sure, everything’s great.” She slides her phone back into her bag and smooths her dress. “I just need to step out for a few minutes.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” I get to my feet, worried.
“No, it’s fine. Sit, chat, get involved.”
I look around.
“I mean, these people will be my family, right?” Mila says, her tone not quite convincing.
She plants a kiss onto my cheek before heading into the restaurant bathrooms. I follow her with my gaze until she disappears, then sigh dejectedly, scanning the room in search of someone to talk to.
My sister and Ethan have started to get serious. Or, at least, it seems that way. Ethan has been in her life for about eight months and things seem to be going fairly well. That’s why she wanted to organise this evening: so that I could get to know the family of the guy who seems to be her future.
I wish it were true. I really hope that it’ll last this time.
I’m not Ethan’s biggest fan, to be completely honest. They met here, at work. This is Ethan’s family’s restaurant, where my sister works. Mila told me it was love at first sight – much like all her previous loves. That’s why I’m a little concerned. She tends to dive into everything head-first, before losing interest at the same speed. Ethan seems like an okay guy, but I’m not sure he really knows what it means to be with Mila.
She’s like a tornado of chaos. She drags you in, consumes you, deprives you of all strength. Then she moves on to the next adventure.
I’ve done my best over the years to make sure she doesn’t get hurt, but Mila is thirty-two. She’s not a little girl anymore, and I can’t keep taking care of her, trying to stop her from suffering.
“Hey. Have you seen Mila?” Ethan approaches me.
