Page 63 of Game Changer
“Oh, hi, Leo! I didn’t expect you to pick up Ethan’s phone.”
I currently have my nose buried in Ethan’s sweatshirt. My leg is wrapped around his waist, and his hand is tangled in my hair. However, the second I hear the familiar voice, my eyes shoot open before I attempt to make a hasty exit to the door.
“How could I resist talking to you, Mary? You’re always a breath of fresh air.” Her soft laugh echoes through the speaker. “Ethan’s sleeping, but I didn’t want him to miss a call from his beautiful mother. Let me pass him the phone.”
My legs are tangled in the sheets now, and Leo doesn’t seem to notice my frantic attempt to beeline it out of here. I’m a sitting duck when Leo attempts to nudge Ethan awake because I know my face is visible on the screen, and Mary isn’t the type of person to ignore it. I can see the moment realization dawns on her, and the smile that blossoms on her face makes my heart clench.
“Maya, what a surprise!” she exclaims. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have called if—”
Ethan snatches the phone, jolted awake by the seriousness of the situation. “Mom,” he groans. “It’s nine in the morning.”
Shehuffs. “Well, for some, it’s already the middle of their day. I was calling to make plans with you for Christmas break. Can you tell me the exact dates you’ll be home?”
Leo, who seems to have returned from a workout, rattles off the dates for her because Ethan is incapable of thinking at this hour. My boyfriend isn’t a morning person, but while he’s grumpy around everyone else, the circles he makes on my thigh lead me to believe I’m an exception.
“Oh, perfect. Your sister and Cameron are visiting too! Well, Cameron can only stay for a week because of football, but it’ll still be nice having them here.” A beat, and then, “Should I save an extra seat for yourgueston Cookie Day?”
Ethan sighs. “Please don’t do this.”
Mary innocently bats her eyes. “Do what?”
“Make this bigger than it needs to be. I love you, but you have a flair for the dramatic.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m simply asking if you’ll be bringing Maya along to frost cookies. That’s all.”
I slap a hand over my mouth to cover my laugh. I’ve participated in Cookie Day every year since Maddie and I became best friends, so Mary knows I wouldn’t miss it. She’s fishing for information about us, and when Ethan glances warily at me, attempting to decipher how I want to approach this situation, I come to his rescue.
“Of course, I’ll be there,” I tell her. “I’d never miss a Davis tradition.”
Her eyes crinkle at the sides with a smile she passed along to her son. Ethan is the spitting image of her with their dirty-blond hair and blue eyes, but it’s his heart that I have to thank her for the most. Richard and Mary have raised two incredible children, and I feel extremely fortunate to have found them both.
They’ve always supported anything their kids have done. Ethan loved playing video games, and Richard and Mary suggested he go to school for animation if that’s something he was passionate about, or if he didn’t feel the need to go to college, they believed he could be successful as a streamer if he tried hard enough. Expectations were never placed on him like my parents did to me.
“Perfect.” Her eyes twinkle with mischief. “Should I seat you next to Maddie or Ethan?”
“Mom.”
I let out a giggle at the blush on Ethan’s cheeks. It’s adorable.
Telling his parents about us should be scary, but Mary and I have always had a good relationship, and I know she’ll love whoever Ethan chooses to be his girlfriend. Including me.
I wonder if Ethan realizes how rare it is to have parents like that.
And maybe I’m honest because I know I’ll never get this reaction from my parents. Maybe it’s because I crave acceptance, even if it’s not from my own flesh and blood, but I find myself blurting, “You can sit me next to Ethan. I am his girlfriend, now, after all.”
“I knew it!” she squeals. “Oh, honey, I amsohappy for you two. I want to heareverythingwhen you visit. We’ll have a girls’ day! Nails? Hair? Or maybe you can do it yourself with that talent of yours.”
Mary’s overwhelming support stirs a rush of emotions inside me, and it’s hard for me to figure out which one to focus on first. I’m relieved she’s elated for us, but I didn’t expect to feel jealous of Ethan’s relationship with his parents. He has their unwavering support about us. Hell, his mom even supports me and my passion for cosmetology.
Why can’t my parents treat my passion and the person I choose to be with the same?
With a watery smile, I reply, “I’d love that. Um, I forgot something in my room. I’ll be right back.”
It’s a shitty excuse, but I’m not thinking clearly when I slide off the bed and leave them to finish their conversation. Disappointment that I’ll never have that kind of connection with my parents threatens to tear me apart from the inside out, and as soon as the door closes to my room, fat, salty tears stain my cheeks.
I have no right to be jealous when my parents love me unconditionally. They’d put their lives on the line for me, and they’ve proven it time and time again. I shouldn’t wish they were different. I’m a selfish daughter. Selfish, and ungrateful, and—
“Are you okay?” Ethan’s eyes flicker over my face, to the tears streaming down it, before he pulls me into his embrace. “Hey, what’s going on?”
