Page 77 of Holding On

"Nice to meet you too." I walk him to the door.

When he's gone, Ethan says, "Why the hell did you let him in? You knew I didn't want to talk to him."

"Actually, no, you never told me that. The few times you've talked about your coach you told me how much you liked him. You said you two got along."

"Yeah, when I could play. But now I'm no use to him. He only came over here because my dad sent him."

"You don't know that. He seemed really concerned about you."

"Anyone can act concerned if they need to. My dad's probably paying him to check up on me, make sure I'm still working out."

I stand in front of Ethan, my hands on my hips. "Why do you act like this?"

"Like what?"

"Why do you always feel sorry for yourself? Yes, you hurt your leg but at least you're alive."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" He turns on his crutches and goes to the couch to sit down. "That I survived and they didn't? Do you know how much I—" He stops and takes a breath, squeezing the bridge of his nose. "Just forget it. I don't want to talk about it. If this is all you're going to talk about then just leave."

"Are you kidding me? You really want me to leave over this?"

"You shouldn't have let him in."

"I didn't know I wasn't allowed to let him in. You have no right to be mad at me about that."

"I told you I didn't want to see anyone." He glares at me. "How much clearer could I be?"

"Fine. I'll leave." I hurry to the bedroom and grab my clothes and stuff them in my bag. Back in the living room, I stop next to the couch where Ethan is sitting. "For the record, I didn't invite him in. When I saw him at the door, I went to find you to see if it was okay to let him in and then he said something and when I turned around he was already in the house. So I didn't LET him in. He let himself in." I storm to the door. "Goodbye, Ethan."

On the drive home, I'm fuming mad. Ethan kicked me out of his house for something I didn't even do. How was I supposed to know the coach was just going to walk in like that?

When I get to my apartment, Mike is in the kitchen making something, like actually using the stove, which he never does.

"You're cooking?" I ask as I sit at the kitchen table.

He turns away from the stove. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming back until later tonight. Did Tina find another babysitter?"

"I wasn't babysitting."

"You weren't?" He turns the stove down and comes over to sit with me. "Where were you?"

"Don't get mad but...I was with Ethan."

"You spent the night there?" He raises his voice. "Becca, you've known him for less than a week."

"It's been more than a week and—"

"It doesn't matter. It's too soon to be spending the night." He shakes his head. "I'm gonna kill that guy. I knew he'd take advantage of you."

"He didn't take advantage of me. I willingly went over there."

"Yeah, and then he took advantage of you."

"Mike, seriously, you've gotta stop treating me like a kid. I'm 21. I'm plenty old enough to have—" I stop before saying 'sex' which would freak him out.

"I can't believe you did that! You're not even dating him."

"We are dating. We just haven't actually gone out."

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