Chapter 8 - Friend

I was in the car with Ethan the next morning. We're going to see Sam before he leaves. Then I am stuck with Ethan . . . for the whole summer. The whole stupid summer . . . It just makes me want to cry. Then what Ethan told me last night. He's going to try to make it work. It won't happen. Our friendship will always be apart. It's like I don't even know him.

"Kasie," Ethan said.

I looked over at him.

"When Sam leaves . . . it's just going to be the two of us, you know that?"

"Yeah." I said looking out the window again.

"When Jake said that I have to watch you . . . what were you thinking?"

What was I thinking? Why Jake picked him. That's what. I didn't want him to watch me. I didn't want it. I thought maybe he'd tell Sam to bring me with him. No, that's not going to happen.

"Kasie." Ethan said.

"Huh? Oh, uh . . . why do you want to know?" I asked avoiding the question.

"I don't know. I just kind of thought about it."

"I was wondering why Jake picked you." I whispered.

"What?" He said.

"I was wondering why Jake picked you." I said louder.

He didn't say anything.

"I don't hate you." I said. "I haven't spoken to you in 6 years . . . I guess I've been mad at myself lately. I pushed you away when I met Jake and I felt like that's why we never talked. Then the other part is . . . I feel like I'm the one who got Jake shot. He asked me that night if I still wanted to go to the movies. I still said yes. If I said no; Jake would have been here right now." I shed a tear as I said it.

"It's not your fault. It's mine. I shouldn't have fought them in the first place . . . Don't blame yourself. If you want to blame someone blame me. It won't hurt my feelings any."

I glanced over at him and looked back out the window. We came to Sam's house and Ethan parked on the side of the road. The moving truck was in their drive way. I got out of the car and walked up to his house. The door was wide open so I just walked in. I looked around. Everything was empty. The hard wood floor was spotless and no photo's hung on the wall like Sam's mom usually has it.

"Sam! Put that box in the car!" I heard Sam's mom yell.

"K!" Sam yelled closer. I looked over and Sam stood in front of me carrying a box. "I didn't even know you were here." Sam said.

"Yeah, I just got here."

"We're almost ready to leave." He said walking up to me.

"I can see that." I said looking around.

We walked outside together. I looked over by the car and Ethan leaned against the car texting. That guy never puts down that phone. I walked over with Sam to his car. He put a box in the back seat and shut the door.

"You can come visit anytime." Sam said.

"Yeah, I know."

He looked over at Ethan who was now staring at us then looked back at me.

"Will you be okay?" He asked.

"I'll have to live with it either way."

"It will be fine. You can call whenever."

"Okay." I said knowing all of this because he already said most of this once before.

"Hey, just a little advice. I'd hang out with Mya more than I would Ethan. She texted me last night. I'm guessing you and Ethan argue a lot."

I looked over at Ethan who was still staring and looked back at Sam. "More than you think."

Sam looked at his house. "Yep, I'm going to miss this place."

I looked over at his house. I saw his mom, Joyce, come out and close the door. She had short dirty blonde hair just like her son. Her hair blew in the wind as she shut the door and came over. Joyce hugged me.

"Oh Kasie, I'm going to miss you." She said still hugging me. "You come visit whenever."

"I heard that before." I glanced at Sam.

He smiled at me.

She stopped hugging me and looked straight at me. "Now Kasie. I don't want you getting in any trouble you got that. You are like my daughter and the son I never had." She looked over at Sam.

Is she calling me a boy?

"Hey, I am a great Son." Sam argued.

"Sure you are."

Joyce is such a fun mom. She jokes around so much. Sometimes she acts just like a teenager but she is a responsible adult.

"Now" She whispered and looked at Ethan then back at me. "If that boy touches you in any way I will kill him for you. You just call and you can stay with us."

Oh gosh, are you kidding me. She's thinking of that. I don't even like hugging Ethan. I just want to hit this woman. But then again she is looking out for me.

"Yeah, yeah." I said.

She hugged me again. "We'll see you real soon." She let go of me.

Sam came over and hugged me. "Don't get in trouble." He said.

"I won't." I said trying not to cry.

There was a beep. Sam let go of me. The guys in the truck were honking to get a move on it.

"Hey!" Joyce said. "Can't you see they are having a moment here!? Hold on!" She screamed at them.

I'm going to miss his mom. She always makes me laugh.

Ethan ended up next to me.

"Look who came to join." Sam said.

"Yeah." Ethan said kind of down.

"Take care of her." He said.

Ethan looked at me and put his arm around my shoulder. "Yeah, I will." He said.

"Hey!" Joyce said and pulled Ethan's arm off me. "No touching. I'm watching you." She said making eye contact.

I saw Ethan make a weird face and looked back at Sam.

"Don't mind her." Sam said.

The truck beeped again.

"We're going!" Joyce screamed even louder. "Bye Kasie." She said in a gentle voice.

"Bye." I said.

"I'll call you as soon as we get there." Sam said.

"Okay."

He gave me one last hug and got in the car. When they pulled out I stepped onto their driveway and watched the car pull out. I watched the truck follow behind them as they drove down the road and until I couldn't see them anymore. Ethan wrapped his arms around my neck.

"Are you sad?" He whispered.

"Yeah."

"It's going to be fine."

It felt very awkward for him having his arms around me. I felt like hitting him. But I really needed the comfort right now. I feel desperate. Which makes me feel pathetic.

"Mya wanted you to sleep over at her house tonight." Ethan said.

"Why?"

I felt him shrug. "I don't know. Because she wants you to. Go hang out with her tonight. It will give you a chance to know her."

I had enough of him holding me and I took my elbow and hit him in the side. He let go of me.

"Well, we already have so much in common."

"Really? What's that?"

I turned around. "We both love arguing with you."

He rubbed his side where I hit him. "Yeah, you guys do but I don't. It just pisses me off more." He whispered.

"That's why we love it."

"So are you going over or what?"

"I guess so."

"Are you hungry? I didn't eat anything this morning." He asked changing the subject.

"Yeah." I said.

He's being very kind today . . . it's weird. I don't usually get to see that side of him.

It was about 5 and I packed to go over to Mya's house. Weird. I never thought in my life I'd be sleeping over at Ethan's girlfriend's house. I always thought that Jake and I would be together and I'd never have to see Ethan again. Man was I wrong.

I got my bag and went down stairs. Ethan waited by the stairs.

"Got everything?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay, let's go." He said walking toward the door.

I followed behind and I locked the door before I went to Ethan's car. I don't want anyone getting into my house while I'm gone. I haven't had a sleepover ever since Ginger left. That was a very long, long time ago. I snapped out of my thoughts and got in Ethan's car. He drove to Mya's house and pulled in the drive way.

"Are you staying for a little?" I asked Ethan.

"Yeah. Just until 8 or something."

I figured as much.

I got out of the car and grabbed my bag. I went to the door and went to go knock but Ethan opened the door.

"You can go in without knocking. This isn't a stranger's home." Ethan said.

"That's kind of rude though." I added.

"Whatever, she doesn't care."

I walked in Mya's house.

"Hey you guys." Mya said sitting on the couch. "You can set your bag on the floor Kasie."

I put it by the door and I walked up over by Mya. Ethan went over and gave her a kiss. I looked away after they did that. It got silent . . . Awkward . . .

"Well this is an awkward silence." Mya said.

I didn't say anything.

"So, what do you want to do?" Mya asked us.

I looked at her and so did Ethan.

"Any ideas?" She asked.

Ethan and I didn't say anything.

"No . . . Okay, let's go to the movies!" She suggested.

The movies . . . the movies? I don't want to go there.

Ethan looked at Mya weird.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She looked at me as soon as she realized it. "I didn't mean . . . I mean, well . . . let's just skip that idea."

"No, no it's fine." I said. "We can go to the movies."

"No, I don't think that's a great idea."

"Mya, really it's okay. Let's go the movies."

"Yeah but . . ."

"It's fine." I interrupted her.

She sighed. "What movie do you want to go see?" She asked us.

I shrugged.

"I don't care." Ethan said.

"Well, what's playing?"

"I don't know."

"Go find out." Mya said to him.

He took his phone out.

I'm guessing he's going on the internet. That's stupid because she has a computer here. He handed Mya his phone.

"Here" He said.

She looked at it. "Mm . . ."

This is going to be . . . an interesting night. Right where . . . he died. I still don't even have my sweat shirt. It's still in his car. I'm still wearing Ethan's. This really, really sucks.

I was in my own little thoughts for a couple of minutes.

"Kasie!"

I looked over.

"Gosh, I said your name at least 3 times." Mya said.

"Oh, uh sorry. I was just thinking."

"We're going to see some comedy movie, is that okay?" She asked.

I know she doesn't want to pick action because it has death. Horror just doesn't go good with me and romance. Well I think I know why she didn't want to pick that.

"Yeah, that's fine." I said.

"It starts at 6:30."

I looked at the clock. It was about 5:15. We have an hour and a half before it starts. I sat in the chair and got comfy. I got flicked in the head and looked over. It was Ethan. Of course it was.

"What?" I said.

"Cheer up." He whispered.

I looked away and laid my head back on the chair. What if I don't want to cheer up? Some times . . . I just can't cheer up.