When Worlds Collide

Chapter 5

To my disbelief, and absolute relief, Ethan was still idled in front of my house, waiting to drive me to school. Some pressure was finally lifted from my chest, as I had been tossing and turning all night long fearing that Ethan and I's friendship had been thrown to the grave.

He was fiddling with the console, startling a bit when I opened the door and slid in. He gave my greeting a tight smile in return. I sighed, feeling that pressure return to my chest yet again. I played with my fingers anxiously, unsure if I could even look at Ethan without feeling this strange emotion; an emotion that only made my heart constrict uncomfortably. Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly as he pulled away from the curb of my house, sparing me a quick glance before he began to speak.    

"So, Ivan, my mom wanted to invite your family to our barbeque this afternoon, at our place. She would really love to meet your family," he said in an even tone, chewing on the corner of his mouth as he squinted against the morning sun. Or was that a wince in response to the God awful tension that now filled the car?

I stared at Ethan's profile, tan skin glowing with the sunlight coming in through the front windshield. His soft brown hair was disheveled, and his overall posture was very rigid and stressed. This wasn't the Ethan I knew. The Ethan I knew was relaxed, outgoing and living life to the fullest. I didn't like this look on Ethan at all.

"Um, I'd have to ask of course, but I'm sure it would be no problem," I replied softly.

Ethan nodded, and the thick silence had returned. Should I say something else? I had no clue what to say, I had barely a clue as to what was even going on between us. So I simply said nothing. Ethan had pulled into his parking spot and parked, and I still said nothing. We walked into the school, saying nothing, and parted ways without a single word passed between us.

Walking into first period, I sat at my usual spot by the window, my right ear perking up as Vera thundered in. She slammed her text book on the desk, making me jump as she threw herself down in her chair.

"God, It's only the second day of school and I already want to fucking wring this girl's neck. She told Catherine-"

Vera stopped suddenly, not like I was really paying attention, I was too busy mindlessly scribbling on a piece of notebook paper. "Ivan? Hello?" She asked impatiently.

I looked up, meeting Vera's soft brown eyes with the broken stare of my blue ones. "Sorry, Vera. I'm listening now."

She huffed, slumping in her seat and resting her chin on her hand. "No, Ivan. I'm not going to complain about stupid people to a sad person. What's troubling you?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, concentrating on the piece of paper in front of me. What was I upset about, really? That Ethan wasn't giving me attention? It just sounds fucking pathetic, and it definitely wasn't something I was going to discuss among a bunch of vultures in the shape of students, some of them willing to give an arm or leg just for the opportunity to ruin someone's life.

"I'll explain it to you. I swear. Maybe just not. . . here," I sighed in aggravation.

Vera nodded, suddenly leaning over my arm and writing a set of numbers on my paper with a purple glitter pen. Grinning to herself, our gazes met again as Vera took out her collection of colorful note-taking pens. "That's my number. We're having a sleepover this weekend."

~

I was panting out in this residual summer heat, my chest rising and falling as I walked my next lap around the track. Ethan was chatting with some other hunky dude on the other side, I think I recognized him from the football team from last year. He had sandy blond hair, and was definitely a looker, allegedly his tongue had the ability to make girls just lose their minds. I shivered just thinking about it. Since they were jogging, the duo managed to catch up to me fairly quickly.