Chapter 10 #2
Olivia and I got a container of nachos to split and two waters.
Then we started up the stadium stairs to find a seat.
It was crowded but we found two empty seats between a group of teen guys and a family.
Lucky me, I got stuck sitting next to one of the too-loud boys who’d never learned the meaning of ‘personal space.’
As soon as I got situated, my phone chimed. I handed my water to Olivia to hold and pulled my phone from my hoodie pocket.
Ethan
My heart pounded as I swiped my phone on and read his text.
Ethan: I think I see you. You’re the only person crazy enough to wear a hoodie in seventy degree weather.
My cheeks heated as I glanced around. When I didn’t see him, I furrowed my brow.
Me: Where are you?
“Who are you texting?” Olivia asked as she craned her neck to look at my screen.
I tipped my phone toward my chest and shook my head. “No one,” I lied, knowing full well that my reaction to his text was most likely giving me away.
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay.” Then she nudged me with her shoulder. “Please tell him that I expect him to introduce me to some eligible guy.” She dipped a chip into the cheese and then stuck the whole thing in her mouth.
My phone chimed again. Thankfully Olivia was engrossed with eating so I took what time I had to look at his message.
Ethan: I have eyes everywhere
Me: Okay now that’s just creepy
I got a clown face emoji in response. Laughing under my breath, I started to type more but he beat me to it.
Ethan: Hey, did you know you’re wearing our rival’s colors? Try not to get into any fights up there.
I looked down at the sidelines but it was packed with marching band members and cheerleaders. I spotted some jerseys too, but not Ethan’s dark hair or familiar build.
The guys next to me were laughing over something and then they were pushing and shoving and…yours truly got an elbow in the shoulder.
“Oh man, sorry,” the blond next to me said.
“No biggie.” I forced a smile.
His friend shoved him again and I was unceremoniously bumped again.
“Yo, cut it out,” blond guy shouted at his friends.
He gave me another apologetic wince. “Sorry, my friends are idiots.”
The last shoving contest had spilled the guy’s popcorn on the ground and I was leaning over to help him pick it up when my phone dinged again.
I focused back on my phone as soon as the guy beside me turned away. The eagerness to see what Ethan had written was making me feel ridiculously girly and giddy and…if I wasn’t careful, I’d start getting giggly.
I never did giggly. I was so not a giggler.
Ethan: Are you here with someone?
I glanced over at Olivia who was still munching away before I texted back.
Me: Of course.
What, did he really think I’d come alone? I might not have been crazy popular, but I did have some friends, thank you very much.
Me: Speaking of…Do you have any single friends?
I waited. The three little dots kept appearing and disappearing. Finally, his message came through.
Ethan: Why?
Me: Because you have a single friend.
Ethan: (confused expression emoji) You’re single? When were you dating someone?
I furrowed my brow and then burst out laughing. He thought that I was talking about me. And when I scrolled back up to see autocorrect had changed “I” to “you” I felt my cheeks flush. Great. Now he’d think I wanted him to set me up with one of his friends.
How freakin’ mortifying. I scrambled to make things right.
Me: Ack! I meant I have a single friend. You. I didn’t mean me.
Crap. What was wrong with me? I hadn’t even been able to finish my text before I accidentally hit send.
Ethan: I’m single?
I stared at the phone, heat pulsating through my body with every beat of my crazy, spastic heart. Why did my phone hate me? Why did fate do this to me?
Me: Tried to type I again and instead my phone changed it to you. And then my big, fat thumb hit the send button before I could finish.
Three little dancing dots. I held my breath, waiting to see if I needed to fix this again, or if he understood what I was trying to say.
Ethan: Who needs a boyfriend?
I was making a mess of this. I contemplated spelling my current relationship status out for him but feared what my phone might do with it: might as well have spelled it out for him. I am available. Super single. Never been kissed, in fact. Ask me out now, please and thank you.
Ethan: So…you’re not single?
Yup, I’d officially made a mess of this.
He was probably really confused right now.
Heck, I was confused right now. I stared at my phone, trying to think of a response that didn’t make me sound pathetic or lame.
With all the time we’d spent together, if I had a boyfriend, I would have mentioned it.
He couldn’t really think I had a boyfriend.
I had no idea how to respond so in a fit of bravery I decided to try something terrifying.
I was going to flirt.
Me: I’m in hot demand, didn’t you know? I’ve got men in every city.
I added a little winky face emoji and sent that text and then waited for a response.
Ethan: I believe it. I’d say you beat them off with a stick, but I’ve seen those legs of yours. You don’t need a stick.
I swallowed as heat raced to my cheeks. There was a laughing emoji at the end. Was he making fun of me? Or was he just teasing? I couldn’t tell and my first reaction was to assume the worst. After all, if that’s what I thought about myself, it only made sense that others thought it too.
Not sure what to do and the band starting up, I slipped my phone back into the pocket of my hoodie and shoved my hands in as well. I didn’t want to get upset but I couldn’t help but fear what Ethan really thought.
Was I just fooling myself to think that he could really care about me like that? Or was I just a girl who had an empty studio for him to use? If that was the case, then he might as well date my mom for all I cared. I had access to the same things she did.
My phone chimed again, but I chose to ignore it. I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. I was used to other people making small jabs at my weight but I never expected it from him.
I was the idiot who’d begun to care for him.
Olivia was cheering as the team ran onto the field, followed by the cheerleaders. It was salt in the wound when I saw just how skinny and perky the cheerleaders were as they shook their pom poms and chanted something about being aggressive.
A rock had settled in my stomach as I wrapped my arms around my waist and leaned forward. I wanted to run home and hide in my room where Ethan couldn’t hurt me. Juilliard couldn’t hurt me. And I’d be alone, which was okay with me. I’d accepted that fate a long time ago.
I just needed to endure this game and then I’d be free.
These things only lasted like an hour, right? I could last an hour.