Page 85 of Don't Love the Boy Next Door
I slip toward the door, when my phone beeps with a text. It’s from Katie.
Don’t even think about following me. Stay with Ethan. I’m fine. And if you follow me, I won’t talk to you ever again.
Another text.
STAY WITH ETHAN!
Holy…if I didn’t know any better, I’d think she’s purposely shoving Ethan and me together. Oh my gosh, he doesn’t like me!
“Everything okay?” Ethan asks.
I forgot for a second where I am and that he’s, like, right there. He looks so vulnerable in that hospital bed, so normal, so…not like a pompous football player who only cares about himself.
I slip my phone in my pocket. “Yeah, everything’s cool.”
His eyebrows furrow as he nods. “Okay. So I’ll see you later?”
Katie’s virtual yelling splashes before my eyes. Geez.
“When are you being released?” I ask him.
“Later today.”
“Oh. I guess I can stay for a little while.”
His eyes fill with surprise. “Really? Thanks. Means a lot.”
“Why?”
He plays with his hospital blanket. “I told you I’d like us to be friends.”
Right. Friends.
He looks like he wants to say more, and he has a weird expression on his face that I can’t read. He nods toward the TV. “My mom was watching this old show.”
I sit on the chair near his bed and we watch. I have no idea what’s going on on the TV, because I’m distracted by the guy sitting less than a foot away from me. I feel his eyes on me. It’slike he wants to say something, but is either too scared—which I highly doubt—or maybe I’m just imagining it.
But what I’m not imagining is the way my stomach keeps flipping like it’s a freakin’ gymnast. Why did Katie do this to me?
How can this guy, this guy who was my biggest enemy in the world, make my heart beat a million times a minute?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ethan
The doctors told me to take it easy the next few days, so I’m wrapping up a light workout in the basement on Sunday.
I pass Eric’s room on my way to the bathroom, and manage to see him through the small opening in the door. He’s sulking there with his guitar, strumming a depressing tune. I’ve still got no clue what went down between him and Katie, but I do know that it’s messing him up. I wish he would tell me why he threw away a girl who’s perfect for him, but I guess he doesn’t want to talk to me about it.
I get in the shower and allow the cool-warm water to drip down my body. Thoughts and worries over Eric vanish and are replaced with a certain fiery-haired girl with an equally fiery personality. My lips kick up in a smile when I remember that fiery head walking into my hospital room yesterday. She literally lit up the place. The fact that she cared enough to visit me proves that maybe we’re finally past enemies and can be friends. I think she cares about me more than she lets on. Which makes me hope we could possibly move from friends to…
Shaking my head, I get out of the shower and wrap a towel around my waist, heading for my room. I can hear my phone ding all the way from down the hallway. A text from Phoenix? I sprint to my room and sweep my phone off my desk.
Katie: Ethan, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can be in the band anymore. Hope you understand. Thanks so much for the opportunity, I had a blast. I’ll always support you.
What the heck? I dial her number.
“Ethan?”
