Chapter 4

My mom told me that the day after Ethan got his acceptance letter, he flew off with his friends to party somewhere else, and he didn't come home for days.

But Ethan's mom kept asking my mom when I'd be back.

The day I flew home, my parents picked me up at the airport.

When I woke up from a nap and got out of the car, I realized we were at a fancy country club.

I was still half-asleep when my mom pulled me into the banquet hall.

The second I walked in, I saw Ethan for the first time in ages.

My feet stopped.

Ethan was wearing a perfectly tailored dark suit, standing casually by an indoor fountain. He looked like a picture.

In just one summer, he'd lost a lot of that high school boy's rawness. He looked almost exactly like the grown-up version of him I used to imagine.

My feelings were a tangled mess. I'd hidden from him for so long, and we still ended up face-to-face out of nowhere.

Seeing me freeze, my mom explained quietly, "Ava, today's Ethan's graduation party. We figured we'd pick you up and bring you straight here for dinner."

My dad added, "And since you're back, we can call it a celebration for you too."

Ethan seemed to sense something. He turned his head casually, and our eyes met.

My heart skipped a beat.

Even though I'd prepared myself in California to face him when I came back, now that the moment was here, I still felt a little scared.

But Ethan reacted first.

He was about to walk over to us when Chloe suddenly appeared beside him and hooked her arm through his.

Chloe pulled him over and said hi with a big smile. "Ava, you're back? That's great! I finally get to properly meet you. I always saw you and Ethan together, but since we're not in the same circle, we never got the chance. I really felt like I was missing out."

She was being so polite that I couldn't just ignore her. I forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah."

Something awkward flashed across Ethan's face, and he said stiffly, "What's there to meet? She's just a petty little thing who throws tantrums. I thought she was going to hide out in California forever."

I didn't answer. I didn't know what to say.

Chloe's fitted silver gown sparkled with tiny crystals, making her glow. She and Ethan looked perfect together.

I looked down at myself: white T-shirt, jeans, canvas sneakers, my hair a mess from my nap. I looked like I'd just run to a convenience store.

My mom suddenly remembered something and leaned in to whisper, "I brought a dress for you. You can go change in the dressing room in a bit."

I nodded, then shook my head.

There was no point. I wasn't the star tonight anyway.

Ethan kept staring at me, his expression unreadable.

Chloe's eyes moved back and forth between the two of us.

The air went strangely, awkwardly quiet.

Luckily, a few more friends arrived just then, and Chloe immediately pulled Ethan over to greet them, acting every inch like the hostess.

I quickly took the chance to pull my mom deeper into the room.

Ethan had only invited close family and friends, so there weren't that many people. The friends who knew me all looked surprised to see me there.

I just smiled and said hello, pretending I didn't know anything, but no one could hide how hungry they were for gossip.

I only stepped out onto the terrace for some air, and I could hear a few of his friends in the hallway grilling Ethan.

"Didn't you say Ava blew up at you because of Chloe? She still can't let go, so she came back for you?"

Ethan gave a low scoff. "She's just being childish. She'll throw a fit for a couple of days and then get over it. We've known each other for how many years? There's no way she could actually cut me off."

The guy sighed. "Honestly, Ava's a good girl. She's completely devoted to you. All of us are jealous."

"First love on one side, hottest girl in school on the other... Which one are you going to pick? What are you going to do down the line?"

Ethan was quiet for a moment before he answered. "Honestly, I think Ava's great too. I just feel like I'd be missing out. I'm still young. How's a guy supposed to sleep with only one woman for the rest of his life? Knowing exactly how everything's going to turn out sounds so boring. I've got to see what else is out there... But it doesn't matter. As long as I wave her over, there'll always be a light left on for me at home."

The guy went quiet too.

After a while, he laughed and punched Ethan's shoulder. "You're a real asshole."

I couldn't stand to hear any more, so I slipped away.

The evening breeze blew in, and I couldn't help sniffling. My eyes stung again.

That party put me in the worst mood.

Ethan's mom, though, was especially happy to see me. All through dinner, she held my hand and fussed over me.

"Ava, once you're in Boston, the winter wind is so harsh and dry. Tomorrow, have Ethan take you shopping to stock up on moisturizer."

Then she turned to my mom. "When I was buying Ethan's dorm bedding and a heavy winter coat, I got a set for Ava too. Boston winters are brutal, so I picked out the best Patagonia parka for her. You're so busy with work, don't you worry about it."

My mom looked a little embarrassed. None of those things would be any use in sunny California.

But she didn't want to embarrass Ethan's mom, so she just thanked her politely.

Chloe looked unhappy beside them.

But Ethan's mom didn't notice. She kept telling Ethan and me, "Once you're in Boston, Ethan, you take good care of Ava. Don't make her angry again, you hear me?"

Ethan glanced at me carelessly. "Hmph. She's all grown up now. What does she need me for? She can fly on her own."

The table went a little stiff. Then Chloe jumped in with a smile. "My school's in Boston too. Don't worry, I'll take good care of Ethan from now on."

She paused on purpose, turned to look at me, and said in the most innocent voice, "Besides, Ava's going to be all the way out in California, so that wouldn't really work, would it? I heard she switched her application to the University of California a while ago."

Before she'd even finished, Ethan's face and his parents' faces all changed.

"California?" Ethan whipped his head around and stared at her.