The Guy in the Alley

5

I stood there looking at those have the most serious conversation of all time. I tried imagining all the possible things that could've happened there and all the possible things they could be talking about. I mean to think about how Ethan would do something like that to his friend that too best friend. Too mean.

I waited Ryan to leave so that I could talk to Ethan. They talked for a really long time. For once I even thought that Ethan would have yeeted Ryan. He looked so angry that one time. But soon Ryan left leaving a very angry looking Ethan who kicked a can which was just lying there not causing any harm to anyone except for the environment.

I after taking a few deep breaths approached Ethan cause now the cat was already six feet down in the ground.

"Hey" I greeted him when I was close enough.

"What do you want?" he looked really angry.

"Nothing. Look I.... I don't think I have any business here but what happened inside"

"Yeah right you really don't have anything to do with that"

"Yeah.... I mean obviously. It's just that I really thought that we could have been friends"

Then for the second time since the morning he looked at me. Unknown emotions in his eyes.

"I.... Ryan.....he..." he was trying but it was fruitless so he threw his hands in the air. I could see that he was trying to find some sort of excuse to put the blame completely on Ryan but I couldn't let that happen. At least not on my watch.

"Look Ethan you can't keep blaming others for your mistakes" An icy gaze was thrown my way. "You may not like Ryan but you really cannot try to hurt him like that"

He looked angry again.

"Why do you think I hate him?"

"I don't know maybe because you jealous" If he was just angry before now he was furious. You could practically see the fire in his eyes.

"He told you that didn't he?" he said scoffing. "What else has he told you that I made out with Julia even though I knew he liked her because I was what? Jealous. Bullshit what does he even have for me to be jealous of?"

I really must have really lost my mind that I thought a guy like Ethan will realize his mistakes and be like 'yes oh my god you are right. I should probably go and apologize right now' no he is actually way worse than I thought.

"You.... I really thought you were a good person Ethan. I feel sorry for you"

"Me too Iris. I feel sorry for you and as you said we are friends, a friendly advice it would be very good if next time before assuming things you actually get the whole story and from a reliable source"

And with that he just walks away.

I tried not to think too much about my super awkward conversation with Ethan just now. Instead I walked back in the cafeteria to get my bag. Lia had already left during the commotion in the lunch she texted me telling me that she has to urgently go somewhere. I started walking in the direction of my next lecture after getting my stuff from the cafeteria.

I stopped at my locker to get some stuff for the next lecture when I spotted Ryan. He came to me the moment he saw me.

"Sup?" he greeted me with his million dollar smile.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him

"Ohh...well my next lecture was supposed to take place here" he told me pointing towards the hall where my lecture was also supposed to take place.

"You go to this one too" he asked and I nodded

"Okay cool.... Well we just received a message saying that this class is cancelled for today so do you want to go get gelato together"

Did he just ask me to hang out with him?

"Yeah. Okay" I replied trying really hard not to lose my cool right there

Then we started walking towards the gelato place. After about 5 minutes Ryan spoke up "I saw you talking to Ethan" I looked at him my eyes wide.

"Look, Iris, he is not...." He trailed off probably thinking about Ethan.

"Again, how did you meet?" Ryan asked. "Well.... I got locked in a room with him and o the night of the party he helped me when I had some problem with my dress" I told him leaving the details about the alley.

"Ohhh... that's awfully less interaction given how he just stopped the moment you said that" he said "And also for how you went to check on him afterwards."

It was then when I realized that Ryan had totally misinterpreted my actions. "That was not like that I-" he cut me off and kept talking.

"You know he was cute when we were kids, always stuck to me and then there was this time day when he got hurt, he did not cry at all. He kept shaking but did not shed a tear. But on reaching home he ran directly to his mother and cried there for like 20 minutes" Ryan told me.

An unknowing smile came on my lips and who could not smile after hearing baby stories of someone they liked but unfortunately this one was more about Ethan.

He talked all about Ethan until we got our ice cream to when we reached back at the campus. I am more knowledgeable about Ethan's past than I am about his present. Not that I want to know about either of them but didn't seem like he was planning to stop anytime now.

Standing in front of a class after Ryan received a call we were now bidding our goodbyes when ryan suddenly said "This was just a hunch until this morning but now I am clear. You like Ethan"

I LIKE WHO NOW!!!???