“Liv, you should have figured that out sooner,” she said. “How many times did Ethan reject
you? If you’d given up earlier, he wouldn’t hate you so much.”
I smiled. “True.”
“I heard Ethan’s going to grad school at
Stanford. Top of the line. Give it up, Liv. You’ll
never reach his level.”
Crack. Ethan slammed his glass on the table. “Can you shut up?” He glared at Veronica, the
temperature in the room plummeting. He hadn’t cursed, but the message was clear.
Veronica flushed crimson. “Ethan, what’s wrong? I thought you hated Liv…”
“I hate you.” Ethan shrugged off his jacket and threw it on the floor. “You touched this? I don’t
want it anymore. Stay away from me. And stay away from Liv.”
<
11:29
Veronica was speechless.
10
46
The awkward moment didn’t ruin the reunion.
After a while, the atmosphere lightened. We
started playing Truth or Dare. Ethan was
chosen first. He picked Truth.
“How many girlfriends have you had?”
“One.”
Chloe leaned in and whispered, “He had a girlfriend? When? Did you know about this?”
I shook my head. “Probably at Berkeley.” I was surprised it was only one. He’d posted so many
pictures with different girls; I assumed they
were all girlfriends.
Someone said, “Got a picture? We want to see
the lucky lady who snagged Ethan.”
<
“That’s another question.” Ethan said smoothly.
The game continued. Soon, Ethan was chosen
again. Truth.
“When was your first kiss?”
“Freshman year, winter break.”
I almost choked on my Coke. That was… with
- me. Ethan glanced at me, his expression unreadable.
The game was in full swing when the door opened.
“Sorry I’m late,” a bespectacled guy said, stepping inside.
Ethan bristled. His name was Justin. He used to
be Ethan’s best friend. He’d also confessed his
feelings for me.
11
Justin liking me had always been a surprise. In
my mind, he and Ethan were the same: rich,
smart, popular. That’s why they were friends. Back in high school, while I was busy trailing after Ethan, Justin would watch from the sidelines, a gentle smile on his face. Unlike Ethan, he always seemed calm, almost unflappable.
Justin also went to school in L.A. After I cut ties with Ethan, Justin confessed his feelings. He said he’d had a crush on me since high school. I was shocked, and I rejected him. He still sent me the occasional text.
Gossip queen Chloe whispered, “Do you know why they had a falling out?”
“I heard they did, but I don’t know the details.”
“It hannened sophomore year. Think about it
<
11:29
she said, giving me a knowing look. The
implication: it probably had something to do
with me.
46
Justin sat down next to me. “What are you guys
playing?” he asked, smiling.
“Truth or Dare. Wanna join?”
“Sure.”
Justin joined the game. He picked Dare and
was challenged to do a linking–arms toast with someone of the opposite sex. He looked at me. “Liv.”
Everyone cheered. I stood up, poured some wine, and linked arms with Justin. Just as we were about to drink, Ethan snatched my glass.
“Liv’s allergic to alcohol.” He downed the wine in one gulp, glaring at Justin.
11:29
The tension between them was thick. They’d
been close, and now… this.
46
For the next two hours, I chatted with Chloe
and Justin. Ethan, surrounded by people,
seemed restless. He kept drinking, glancing at me every now and then. He’d apparently
forgotten about his low tolerance. By the time
we left, he was drunk.
Justin turned to me. “It’s late. I’ll walk you back.”
“Okay-”
Before I could finish, Ethan stumbled towards
- us.
“Liv! You’re leaving me again?!” he yelled, loud enough for everyone to hear.
The room fell silent. Every single eye was on
<
12
11:29
2322
46
Thanks, Ethan. I wanted to disappear.
Ethan, fueled by alcohol, kept talking. “You left me three years ago, and now you’re leaving again? I’ve been waiting for you! How can you just run off with another guy?” He gestured angrily at Justin. “He’s a liar! He’s been trying to sabotage us for years. I thought he was my friend!”
