Chapter 2
It was like my throat was completely blocked, choked so tight I couldn't make a single sound.
I watched Ethan as Ivy playfully punched him, the two of them laughing and messing around like nothing serious had happened, as if they were just talking about the weather.
So natural. It was like they were telling the truth.
They kept fooling around, Ivy slinging her arm over his shoulder and whispering something in his ear, Ethan grinning as he listened.
The sunlight poured through the window, so harsh it made my eyes ache.
Once, that spot used to be mine.
He used to bend down just to hear me out, mess up my hair, and say, "Liana, don't be scared. I'm here for you."
So eighteen years together gets wiped out by one mean joke from his new "bro."
So in his mind, I was just someone who was "good at pretending" and maybe even "lost my virginity."
I dug my nails deep into my palm, the sharp sting the only thing stopping me from losing it right then and there.
Slowly, I hung my head. The circuit diagram sprawled across my physics workbook turned into a blur.
In the hidden corner of my notebook's first page, where no one would ever look, I gripped my trembling pen and wrote a single word, "Endure."
Ivy's smug look swept over me like she'd just scored a win, eyes scanning me up and down.
She knew I heard her. She knew what Ethan's attitude really meant.
Her eyes said it all, "See? Your childhood friend is my 'bro' now. And you? You're nothing."
After that day, Ivy's taunting got even bolder.
She wasn't satisfied with just testing me with words anymore. She started making moves to squeeze me out of whatever little space I still had with Ethan.
Ethan looked like he was enjoying being quietly fought over by two girls.
I could feel the stares around me shift. Rumors spread like a plague, creeping through the school without a sound.
When I went to get water, people would instinctively step aside, like I was contagious or something.
During group discussions, nobody bothered to respond to me. It wasn't until the teacher called my name that someone would grudgingly mumble along, clearly not wanting to.
And Ivy, the one behind all this, was living it up, acting like she owned the place.
After that "Who knows?" line, it was like something snapped between her and Ethan. Their relationship leveled up, and suddenly they were thick as thieves.
*****
It was PE class. We had free activity time.
The sun was blazing overhead, and the track was scorching hot.
I sat under the bleachers in the shade, clutching my wordbook, but not a single letter was sinking in.
Not far away, Ethan was out on the basketball court, playing with a few guys.
Ivy was standing on the sidelines, holding Ethan's jacket and an unopened bottle of water.
She wasn't cheering like the other girls. Instead, with a lollipop in her mouth, she'd call out from the sidelines every now and then.
"Ethan! Pass the ball! What are you waiting for?"
"Defense! The right side's wide open!"
She was even more fired up than the guys actually playing.
Ethan scored a basket, sweat streaming down his face. He lifted his shirt to wipe it off, and for a second, his abs flashed in the sunlight.
Ivy whistled, totally unabashed.
Ethan came running over to her, grinning and breathing hard.
"Water," Ethan called out, reaching his hand toward me.
It used to be me handing him water at times like this. His bottle was always right next to my seat.
Instinctively, I clutched Ethan's blue thermos sitting by my side. But Ivy was way faster than me.
She didn't just hand him the water. She twisted the cap off and held it right up to his lips.
She said, "Here you go, bro. I got your back, right?"
Ethan hesitated for a second, like he wasn't used to it, but only for a moment. Then he tilted his head back and drank straight from her hand, gulping down a few big mouthfuls.
Water dripped from the corner of his mouth, sliding down his neck and into his shirt.
Ivy didn't even blink.
When he was done, Ethan wiped his mouth and shot her a grin. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it!" Ivy pulled her hand back and took a swig from the same bottle herself, like it was nothing.
It was basically an indirect kiss. The phrase surfaced in my mind, and my stomach churned violently.
A few guys nearby started hooting and jeering.
Ethan looked a little uncomfortable for a moment, but Ivy just threw her arm around his shoulders like she owned the place.
She said, "Come on, let's go over those dumb plays you made!"
Then, she pulled him away.
Ethan didn't spare me a single glance the whole time.
He never noticed the bottle in my hand. The one I had always kept for him, filled with warm water at just the right temperature.
The cold metal of the thermos bit into my palm, making it ache.
As Ivy walked past me with Ethan, holding onto him, she slowed down for a moment.
Her gaze dropped to the thermos in my hand, then slid up to my face. She had a wicked little smirk.
She didn't speak loudly, but it was just loud enough for me to catch every word.
She said, "Ethan, what's the use of having a little childhood friend who just gets good grades? She's so dull and kills the vibes. Taking her out is just embarrassing."