Invisible String

Chapter 25 -The aftermath

Veronica raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile creeping onto her face. "So... are we invited to the Ethan-palooza, or what?" she asked, without even a hint of shame.

Ethan's grin widened, clearly pleased with the idea. "Of course! You girls are like my new best friends!" he exclaimed, leaning forward in excitement.

I raised an eyebrow, leaning back in my seat with a smirk. "Oh, I'm so excited to meet your parents!" I said, playing it up. "I'm really good with parents, you know."

"Well, I guess we'll find out if you're as smooth as you claim."

"Parents love me. Trust me."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "We might need your charm, especially since they already hate Theo's girlfriend."

I blinked, surprised. "Wait, what? You've never even mentioned Theo or his girlfriend."

Ethan sighed dramatically. "Oh, yeah. She's... well, let's just say she's not the kind of girl my mom had in mind for him. My parents are still getting used to the idea of her even being in the picture."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "I actually can't wait to meet them. I thought Theo was coming tonight. Why isn't he here?"

Ethan sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes. "He's having dinner with his girlfriend's parents tonight."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? He's meeting them for the first time?"

Ethan grunted, clearly irritated. "No, they have it scheduled like clockwork. Dinner with them once a week. His girlfriend literally has a calendar of the things he has to do—she's the type who wants to control every little thing. I can't even remember the last time he got a night off with the boys."

Veronica smirked. "Sounds like Theo's on a tight leash."

"Exactly!" Ethan laughed, shaking his head. "I love the guy, but sometimes I wonder if he remembers he has a life outside of her. It's like he's living in her world, and I'm not even sure he knows it anymore."

We kept talking about Theo for maybe another hour. Ethan had a lot on his mind, and since we were good friends—and loved a bit of gossip—Veronica and I listened, offering some advice here and there.

Eventually, dinner wound down, and I stood up, stretching. "I'll take care of the dishes," I said, already making my way toward the sink.

"Let me help you with that," Logan's voice broke through the conversation, surprising me after the quiet stretch.

I glanced over my shoulder, a little taken aback by his offer. Logan wasn't exactly known for jumping in to help with chores. But his tone was genuine, so I gave him a small nod.

"Alright, if you're sure," I said, grabbing a plate to start rinsing.

He stepped over, pulling his sleeves up as if he meant business. "I'm sure," he replied with a half-smile, taking the sponge from my hand. His fingers brushed against mine for a second, and I couldn't help but notice it.

We worked in silence for a few moments, the clinking of plates and the soft hum of conversation from the others filling the space. Logan seemed lost in his thoughts, his focus on the dishes. I couldn't help but glance at him every now and then, trying to figure out what had shifted with him tonight.

"You've been quiet for a while. What's up with you?" he says all of the sudden.

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his sudden question. "Nothing," I said, not really wanting to dive into whatever was going on in my head.