After the Ink [PUBLISHED]

Chapter Twelve

Dylan and I are standing in the kitchen while Ethan is at the small dining table near the kitchen waiting for his grilled cheese to be finished. I've accepted the fact that a ten-year-old can give me relationship advice. He's probably wise...right? I mean, I'm willing to accept any kind of help at this point and if Ethan wants to help me, then so be it.

Once a grilled cheese is in front of Ethan, Dylan looks at me. "You want one? It might be a long afternoon of love advice."

I can't turn down food. "Sure." I'm already emotionally drained. Some comfort food will do me good.

Ethan is intensely staring at the TV when I sit with him. He tears his gaze away from the TV to look at me.

"So, you're friends with Dylan?" he asks, biting into his sandwich.

"I am."

With a mouth full, he asks, "Are you guys new friends?"

"Finish chewing the food in your mouth, you sicko," Dylan scolds him as he's placing bread on the small pan in front of him.

I let a laugh escape my mouth. "Yeah, you could say we're new friends," I answer him. He's definitely a mini Dylan. Ethan's eyes, while they have a bluer tint, still stand out like Dylan's. Ethan's hair hangs in his face, while Dylan's is somewhat styled. It's interesting that Derrick has brown eyes. I wonder which parent of theirs has colored eyes.

"Cool," he says as he takes another bite. He swallows his food before speaking again. "Dylan isn't that cool, you know."

"He's not?" I ask, amused. Ethan is quickly becoming my favorite person. Maybe I can get dirt on Dylan through him.

He shakes his head, causing his hair to swish on his head. "No. I'm way cooler than him. He only acts cool, but I am cool."

Playing along will get Ethan to trust me more. "I bet you have way more friends than Dylan," I try to say it quietly.

Either Dylan doesn't hear me or he's ignoring me because I don't hear any comments from him.

"He has three and Anthony doesn't even count. He's our cousin." He taps his chin. "Do you know Anthony?"

I nod.

"Anthony's pretty cool too," he says before lowering his voice. "He's nicer than Dylan."

"I don't like all this whispering you two are doing," Dylan appears next to me with a plate, which he sets in front of me. "Are you guys conspiring to take over the world?"

Ethan and I smile at each other. "Just making small talk," I say.

He slides into a seat next to Ethan at the dining table and clasps his hands together like we're in a business meeting. "Lacey needs your help," he say to Ethan.

Ethan raises his eyebrow. "With what?"

Dylan gives me a knowing look so I speak up. "If you're up for it, I could really use some relationship advice."

"I'm listening," he nods.

The whole situation seems bizarre, but I tell him everything. Well, almost everything. I don't tell him about Jacob sleeping with another girl, only saying he kissed someone else. I tell him I don't know what to do about Jacob.

"This Jacob guy sounds like a real jerk," Ethan says after listening to me rant.

Dylan smirks. "That's what I'm saying."

"Let me speak, please," Ethan holds his hand up to Dylan. "In my opinion, I think you should stop talking to him. He's trash. He's done."

How can I explain to a ten-year-old what loving someone else is like? It's hard getting over someone you were once in love with. "It's just hard to forget him," I say, hoping he'll understand.