Ethan Adams

Chapter 8

I walk to school alone the next day, leaving at the latest possible moment. Ethan doesn't come knock on my door like I'm used to and after I walked out on him before we watched Adventure Time, I'm feeling too awkward to knock on his door and ask him. What if he was super mad at me for leaving last night and left without me? I don't know what I'd do if his dad had to tell me with a pitying glance that his son had gone to school already.

However, he's not at school when I arrive, just before the bell. My friends are a little shocked that I'm so late but I brush it aside as me oversleeping instead of telling them what's really up. I'm pretty sure that Janet won't let me live if I tell her that I waited for Ethan and Ella would probably also assume something's going on so it's for the best that I keep it to myself.

"Alisa, where's Ethan?" David asks me at lunch. He's the first person other than me and his class teachers to mention his absence.

I shrug. "I have no idea."

He hums and puts his lunch tray down next to me, opting to sit with us anyway. I always just thought he hung out with us because of Ethan. David and I became friends a few months after Ethan exposed my crush on him in the fifth grade but we barely hang out. Mostly because he teased me about that (long gone) crush every time we do and I'd rather not relive my past embarrassment.

"You're in the drama club, right? You auditioning for The Crow?" He asks me.

I shrug but then nod. "I'm trying out for the Crow's wife."

"Cool." He says and then stares at his phone.

I fiddle with my apple before clearing my throat. "How'd you know about the play?"

He looks back at me and grins. "My sister's helping out with the costume design and stuff. She's roped me and my mom into doing it too."

"Your sister? Carli, right?"

"Yeah, she's super into textiles, she ordered all the stuff last night." He sighs and picks up his water. "You know, I always thought that stuff was sorta corny."

Once again, I shrug. "It is but I like it."

David smiles at me. "That's great, Alisa. Hey, I might come watch on your opening night. You know, to see my handiwork in action."

"I promise that if I get the part I won't break the wings."

I wonder if he's always been this nice. No wonder I had a crush on him when I was eleven.

Just then, Janet and Anthony come bounding into the cafeteria, hand in hand. I can tell by the goofy grin on her face that she's got something to tell me and it can only be good news from the way she's skipping over. They sit down and immediately she opens her bag to hand us each three granola bars.

"What's the occasion?" I ask, slightly sarcastically. To my surprise, she grins at Anthony and points to a necklace I hadn't noticed she was wearing. The pendant's a big 'A'.

My eyes and I gasp at what this may mean. "Is this-"

She nods and grabs onto his arm. Anthony stares at us with a proud expression on his face. David and I share a look before showering them with congratulations about their new relationship.

I'm feeling lonely after drama club when I have to walk home by myself. It's pretty safe to say Ethan's disappeared from the face of the earth and as much as I hate to admit it, it's bugging me. Despite having a chill conversation with David at lunch, it was still a little awkward without him to act like a buffer. And the day was boring because I didn't argue with anyone.

My mom's hanging around when I get home, making something in the kitchen. She's a great cook so I wander in and start prying around to see what she's making.

"Ah! Perfect timing, Alisa. Do you still have your shoes on?" She asks once she notices me. I nod and she grins. "Great, I want you to go across the road and give some soup to Ethan."

"Soup to Ethan?" I ask, slowly and peek into the pan. "You're making soup... for Ethan?"

"Are you broken?" She asks, chuckling. When I don't answer, she scoops some of her famous chicken soup into a flask and hands it over to me. "Thanks, Alisa."

I leave the kitchen in a daze and leave the house, walking across the street to Ethan's. Feeling a little odd, I knock on the door and wait for him to come out, knowing that his dad is probably at work.

Ethan appears at the front door. His nose is bright pink and his hair is an absolute mess. Oh, and he's also wearing his pyjama shorts and a faded Power Rangers shirt.

"Alisa." He says, sounding stuffy. "Nice of you to visit me."

"You're sick?" I deduce, surprised. "You're... sick?"

"Are you okay?" He asks and then sneezes. "I'm cold, Alisa."

This prompts me to remember the soup. Sighing, I start herding him into the house and hand him the flask once he's in the kitchen. "My mom made this for you."

He puts his hand to his heart dramatically. "Your mom is an absolute sweetheart. You know she came over today after my car didn't leave the drive and started checking up on me?"

"Sounds like her." I mutter and run a hand through my hair. "No wonder you weren't at school today."

He grins at me and pours some soup into a bowl. "Did I miss anything?"

"Anthony and Janet are an official couple now." I say and sit at the island counter. "He got her a necklace with an 'A' on it."

"Nice. Corny, but nice."

I chuckle. I don't know what I was assuming happened to him but I didn't think he'd just be merely sick. A part of me is happy that he's not mad at me for yesterday, though. "What did you do today?"

He shrugs. "Watched cartoons. Ate some bread. Slept."

The ever enthusiastic Ethan Adams. He sits next to me and moans with delight when he tastes my mom's soup.

"Why didn't you call me in the morning and tell me you were sick?" I ask, not really thinking. It's definitely the wrong thing to say because Ethan puts his spoon down and turns to me with his eyebrow raised.

"Well, Alisa." He says, starting to smile. "I didn't realise you cared so much."

I roll my eyes. "I just needed to know."

"Why?"

"Because." I say and fold my arms.

"Huh." He says and then pulls his phone out of his pocket. In a matter of seconds, he's typing super-fast and I, the ever nosy Alisa Anderson, peek over his shoulder to check what he's doing.

"You changed my name to 'Alisa Who I Should Call in Times of Crisis?'"

"Yup." I shake my head but he grins at me. "Is there a problem?" He asks and then turns back to his soup.

Once again, I shake my head. "I just wanna know how you did it so fast. You were literally on my contact within three seconds. Do you have me on speed dial or something?"

He freezes, his spoon mid-air. "Er... No?" Then he lets out an awkward laugh. "Why would I have you on speed-dial?"

"Because I'm your friend?"

"Oh, we're friends now?" He raises his eyebrows and his whole demeanour changes. "What happened to the acquaintance thing?"

I stand up, thinking of all the homework I have waiting for me at home "You want to be downgraded? Because I'm happy to comply."

"Whatever, Wise Girl." He mumbles, sounding fed up. However, I can see he's trying not to smile. "You going home?"

"Yeah, I've got things to do."

He nods. "I'll see you soon... friend."