The Guy in the Alley

8

The flee market was pretty. There were stalls everywhere, all the stalls were decorated prettily. There were lanterns all around. There were beautiful decorations are all around us. The weather was just perfect and the sun was setting. I had complete plans of enjoying this evening

"Iris can I talk to you for a bit" Ethan came to me. The evening was already not going like I wanted it to.

"Iris came here. There are awesome waffles" Ryan called me. I took the opportunity and rushed away from Ethan. I don't think I am ready to talk to him just yet. Everybody was already there and talking to him right now would just lit up even more rumors. We both were eating some weird spicy thing. Ethan was behind us just looking at me and ryan from time to time. I offered him some food but he declined.

"You still can't handle street food?" Ryan asked Ethan. I guess Ethan don't respond well to street food. We stopped eating after that and started playing some games. Ryan was doing really good in almost all the games. We won some snacks and that was just the beginning of our snack rampage. We both got crazy with the games and lost track of time. By the time I reached back to the hotel it was already late. In all that fun I completely forgot all about Ethan and he even disappeared in between. That made me feel a little bad but I honestly can't handle anymore rumors. So I thought it was the best decision. I slept with a uneasy feeling of guilt in my stomach.

Next morning I woke up by someone jumping on me. It was Lia. She had come early morning and filling out all the necessary forms until now. It took her a lot more time because it was early morning and no one was up.

"But he waited for me and even dropped me to my room" Lia said. She had caught a interest in Ethan's friend Jacob. From the moment she arrived to until now she would find some way to bring him in the conversation. It was cute because Lia never really talks about herself and this was almost the first time.

"Is everything alright at home" I asked her when she was done applying blush on my face. We were exploring another morning market toady and Lia had taken the responsibility for my makeup to make up for the fact that she left me yesterday.

"it was already" lia started "It was their usual drama. Mom likes to threaten dad with divorce on every small thing and he gets sensitive and start crying"

I just nodded and not to pry too much. There was a knock on our door and Lia answered while I put my hair in a ponytail. It was some girl asking us to come downstairs so that we can head out.

The morning market was also very beautiful although the decorations were less. They didn't have lights around but the bright colored stalls were making up for them. I could feel that Ethan was ignoring me but I decide not to respond to it right now. I had decided yesterday night before going to bed that I will talk to him and explain him everything in private. But right now it was important to focus on the moment.

We started by playing some games. Ryan kept calling me to play games to play with him. Everyone else was also playing. Lia kept asking Ethan to come and play with him.

"Ethan!!!! Win this for me then I won't disturb you so that you can decide gift for your mom. Moreover I will help you" Lia kept asking Ethan to play the game to win her a big teddy.

Ethan complied with her request after a while then there was a whole group of girls around them just watching Ethan winning literally every game there is. Lia only kept quiet after she got the toy. Still she didn't leave Ethan's side she kept stuck on his arm but it was alright because she was smiling there. Then Lia took him to get things for his parents.

Then everyone was forced by Lia into a small market shop where she started giving everyone makeover. She was having so much fun giving Ethan like the tenth makeover. He also seemed to be enjoying this. I didn't even know that he had such a side to him. According to me he was always the quiet kid. But right now seeing him enjoy was giving me a strange feeling in my gut. I was also getting very curious about what Lia has being talking to him about all day long.

After that everyone was hungry. I was still very delighted because Ryan had not left my side since the morning.

"Let's go to a café. I am hungry" Lia said.

"There are a lot of vendors here let's just eat there. Why walk so much for the cafe" Ryan suggested.

"Because Ethan can't eat that food. We need to be considerate of all of us" Lia replied.

Then all of us went to the café. Everyone decided on what they want to eat and drink. Then Lia sent Jacob to get drinks. The moment Jacob was gone Lia went straight to Ethan and said "Tell me more about Jacob"

"I have told you everything I know" Ethan replied. Everyone was laughing at their conversation. We all had lots of fun today.

When I reached the hotel everyone was already talking about this trek that was supposed to take this night.

Later that night I was standing with everyone both lia and ryan were the leaders for their particular teams so I was left alone with only Ethan who wasn't willing to talk to me anymore.

"Ethan really what is wrong with you" I asked him after a while. We were already halfway and he hasn't even said anything.

"Now you want to talk to me"

"What are you talking about? Don't tell me this about this morning"

"I don't wanna talk to you right now Iris let's talk some other time" he said. I took his hand and stopped him.

"What do you even want? I don't understand you one moment you wanna talk to me and another you don't. I am person Iris not a robot I cant just be there whenever you feel like talking" Ethan said. I didn't realize he was feeling like this.

"Ethan I didn't know that I was doing stuff to make you feel like that" I told him.

"It's alright. I am at fault too for not telling you"

"no but I didn't give you a chance to talk"

"its really alright now lets go and catch up with everyone"

We looked around and both of us realized that we had lost everyone and as if on cue it started raining. We took a shelter under a tree so save ourselves from the rain.

"I.... Ryan...does he talk about me often" Ethan suddenly asked.

"yup. He thinks that I like you so he keeps telling me a lot of stuff about you. I know that your favorite ice cream flavor is mint choco and you would love to have a cat"

He was just listening very peacefully.

"I didn't make out with her. We were planning a surprise party for him and I was helping her put a balloon up. Maybe he saw that and mistook it"

"Did you tell him that"

"He thought I was making lame excuses"

We both stayed quiet for a while.

"I like Ryan" I told Ethan out of nowhere. Maybe it was just that I wanted to tell this someone.

I looked at him and he was looking down, he took a deep breath and passed me smile.

"I knew that already you know that"