Page 4 of Game Changer
It’s on the tip of my tongue, but I swallow the words and give a curt nod instead. I was raised to respect my parents. Whatever they say goes, so it’s useless to try and fight them regarding something they’ll never change their minds about. I’ll always be the obedient daughter. It’s why I’m going to college for a degree I don’t even want. It’s why I’m allowing them to dictate my future now, despite every ounce of my being wanting to scream at them and fight for this.
They took themselves away from their families, away from a community they loved profoundly, and everything they’ve ever known to give me a better life than theirs. And while being with Ethan would make me happy, I can’t sit here and promise that he’d never betray me and fall back into his partying habits. People make mistakes. It’s bound to happen in any relationship. But my parents want someone perfect, with no flaws, and I don’t know if they understand that perfection is impossible to come across.
“So, you’re saying no?” I whisper through my tears. “You don’t approve of him?”
My mother leans over to pat my hand, but a hint of regret shines in her eyes. “You will see when you have kids one day.”
Papí nods in agreement. “Te amo, princesa, but no. We want the world for you, and Ethan isn’t grown up enough to give you it.”
~
“So, let me get this straight. You guysweren’tdating?”
Propping my phone against the tiny desk beside my bed, I spread my makeup across it and sigh excessively at Maddie’s endless questions. I love my best friend, I do, but the last thing I want to discuss is my hookup with herbrother, and the way her eyes are sending me pity looks through the screen makes me want to end this topic of conversation as quickly as humanly possible.
“We hooked up, went on a few dates, and then I called it quits. You know how I am, Maddie. Long-term relationships aren’t my thing.” The lie rolls smoothly off my tongue, but my stomach sours all the same.
Ethan was more than just a hookup.
“Oh, come on,” she deadpans. “You expect me to believe that? We’ve known each other since the eighth grade. You tried to hit on him by asking him aboutsailingthis past spring break! I’ve never seen you try so hard with anyone.”
She’s right. I’ve never had to put in an effort for any man, and I’m not trying to be a cocky bitch by saying that. It’s just the truth. Men have always done the work for me, but Ethan needed convincing. Maybe that’s why I felt such a connection to him in the first place. He’s the first guy I had to work for. The first guy not to comment on how hot I was within the first ten minutes of meeting me. It was refreshing.
Then, this past spring break, I made a move onhimand sealed the deal, but sleeping with Ethan wasn’t what I was expecting. His touch felt like heaven. His lips on my skin felt like he was kissing me not for my body, but for my soul, and when we locked eyes . . .
It was too much.
Too real.
Too terrifying.
“It doesn’t matter why I ended things.” I clear my throat and twist the cap off my mascara, but her unnerving gaze practically burns a hole in the side of my head as I face the compact mirror to apply it.“What?”
“Nothing.” She moves her phone back and lies down on the comforter of her tiny twin bed. She’s doing big things in Connecticut, studying at Briarwood to become a doctor, and although we still have weekly FaceTime sessions, they’re not the same as seeing her in person. After running into Ethan for the first time since everything happened, I holed up in my dorm room for two days out of fear of bumping into him again. It would be nice to have her here to binge Ben & Jerry’s and watch Lifetime movies with to fill the gaping hole in my heart.
“So, how’s university life?” she asks, thankfully changing the subject. “Are you handling being away from your parents okay?”
That could be another reason I’m in a slump. In all my twenty years, I’ve never spent this much time away from my parents. The plan was to graduate from cosmetology school and work at a salon close to home, but my parents refused. They said having a proper education was important. After all, what would be the point in them going through so much just for me to become a cosmetologist? It hurt when they were disappointed about my passion, but I understood it. They worked three jobs and we could barely scrape by, so if I have to get a bachelor’s degree to make them proud, then so be it.
“It’s weird,” I admit. “Mixed emotions, I guess, you know? I’m used to helping them with the chores around the house and making them dinner and stuff, but being away at university allows me to just live for myself. I’m not sure what that looks like yet.” After a beat, I add, “I did get that waitressing job at the bar I was telling you about, though. It’s only about a ten-minute walk from campus, and it’ll help with their bills while I’m away. Make things easier on them.”
Maddie’s baby-blue eyes soften and her lips tilt into a sad smile. “You’re a selfless person, you know that?”
“I’m really not, but for my parents I am. I owe them everything.”And that’s why I ended things with your brotheris what I want to add but don’t. I knew before I messed around with Ethan that he hadn’t yet figured out his life and who he wanted to be, but in all fairness, I didn’t expect our hookup to be loaded with so much emotion either. I thought we’d have a fun summer of fooling around, but I should have known there would be feelings involved, since we’d known each other for so long.
Telling Ethan the real reason I called it quits would embarrass him, and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt him even more. Unfortunately, Ethan, with his flighty path through life and facade of being a player—regardless of whether it was in the past or not—isn’t going to meet my parents’ expectations. It was better to sever the cord early, before things became serious between us.
And yet, seeing him two days ago felt as painful as the last time we spoke five months ago. Time doesn’t seem to be healinganythingwhen it comes to Ethan Davis.
“What are you getting all dolled up for?” Maddie twirls a blond curl that fell out of her messy bun, and tilts her head to the side to study me. “You look hot.”
My ruby-painted lips lift into a grin. “Well, I was going to wait for my roommate to arrive so I could meet her, but she still isn’t here. Some girls I met the first day invited me to a party off campus. They met some guys who are part of a fraternity, and it’s supposed to be a rager since it’s the last one before classes start. You know I’ll never pass up a good party.”
She laughs. “Trust me, I know.”
“What areyourplans for the night?” I tease. “Reality television? A good book?”
Her eyes dart away from the camera when a door closes in the background, and then her phone falls to the side as her boyfriend, Cameron, tackles her on the mattress. She squeals with laughter as he trails kisses down her neck, his large hands on either side of her stomach. “I fucking missed you,” he groans. “Sorry I’m late. Practice ran over, and the drive took longer than expected.”
