Ethan Adams

Chapter 11

Despite the fact they call and text me a bunch of times over the course of Saturday evening and Sunday, I don't talk to or see Ethan or Ella for the rest of the weekend. My mom tells me when I get back from work that he came over to see me but I don't make the effort to cross the street and ask him what he wanted.

My plan is to leave the house super early on Monday morning so I can escape getting a ride with Ethan. However, that goes to bust because the first thing I do when I stand up in the morning is rush to the bathroom and throw up.

"I think you've got food poisoning. You're gonna have to stay home today." My mom says, checking my forehead. I groan and cover my face, actually annoyed to be missing a day of class. Today was the day the cast list for The Crow went up and I was hoping I got the part I went out for.

"Do I have to?" I mumble.

My mom looks surprised. "Well, can you get up without destroying the bathroom with your vomit? Didn't think so."

"You're so mean." I say and she laughs, patting the exposed part of my head.

"Cheer up sweetie, I'll make you some Jell-O."

The Jell-O doesn't go down well – or at all. After I throw up a few times, my mom makes me eat only crackers and drink water. I spend the day watching Jerry Springer and Maury on my laptop before I get a text message from Janet asking me where I am. Realising it's around lunchtime, I call her back.

"Hello?"

"Alisa!" She screams. I wince and move my phone away from my ear, knowing it'll be one of those conversations. "Where are you? The boy-to-girl ratio of the table is ruined and Ethan's being moody because he thinks you're mad at him! Is that true? Are you mad at him?!"

I pause, letting all her questions settle in me before answering. "I have food poisoning so I'm staying home today."

"Food poisoning? Guys she's just been poisoned, nothing to worry about!" She says to the table. "Oh my God! Let's visit her after school!"

"No, J, please don't-"

"Woo! Alisa, we're coming after school today to see you!" She sings and then hangs up.

I sigh and turn back to my laptop, not looking forward to their visit. I had actually been enjoying my time away from school and – well, my friends if I'm honest. Now they're all coming over and I don't think I have it in me to play hostess. Especially when I've been pointedly ignoring Ethan and Ella this weekend.

They arrive at around four and my mom lets them in then comes upstairs to herd me out of my bed. I feel gross so I wrap a blanket around my shoulders and go to greet them, mustering the biggest smile I can.

To my surprise, it's only Ethan, Ella and Janet in the living room when I get there. It's one of the first times I've seen Janet outside of work without Anthony around and for a moment I wonder if he's parking his car outside or something. The three of them are eating Jell-O and talking about something that happened at school and I sigh.

"Hey guys." I mumble, causing Janet to jump and Ella to squeal. I don't miss the surprise on Ethan's face either but he plays it off as cool while I sit down in the free armchair.

"You look fine." Ethan dismisses with a grin. I raise my eyebrows in response and watch his grin falter. "Alisa?"

"Oh my God, Alisa, guess what happened to me today!" Ella interrupts with a big fat smile. "Josh broke up with Jessica even more publicly than he did with me and he drove me home! I guess you and Ethan didn't ruin my chances after all."