My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter 16

My dad gave him a look and Jared sighed, "It was nice to meet you."

I don't even know why we didn't tell dad that we're friends and already know each other. It just never came up. He didn't open his mouth and neither did I.

"Same here," I said softly and then we left.

On the way to the car, Erica and I started walking faster and faster, the cold breeze blowing the hair out of my face.

"I can't believe this! I went on a date with him!" I exclaimed, waving my hands around helplessly.

"At least now I don't have to give you the talk," Erica said with a closed-mouth smile and raised brows.

"What talk?"

"The one where I was going to tell you that Jared is a player and that I want you to stay away from him. Good friend but bad boyfriend," she said, sitting in the car.

My lips formed the shape on an 'o' but I didn't say anything. What could I say anyway?

*

After reaching back, Mrs. Wilson asked us how it was cheerfully, I basically ignored while Erica answered. Ethan wasn't there but if he was I am pretty sure he would have been as surprised as Erica and I were.

I went to my room after the little conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and stayed there. Erica came to talk to me for a while and then, I tried to sleep. But that didn't work well for me. For the past few hours, I've been trying to sleep but I just couldn't. I read for a while, listened to music, tried to cut an eraser into the most smallest pieces possible but none of them helped me feel sleepy.

Sighing, I grabbed a sweater and went to the balcony. The cool, silent night breeze made me feel fresh. Pulling the sweater over my head, I shivered and sat on one of the chairs.

"Not sleepy?"

I looked to my right instantly and saw Ethan sitting comfortably in sweatpants and a t-shirt. His hair looked messy like he had just gotten out of bed. There was a guitar on his legs which were outstretched and resting on the coffee table.

I shook my head, no.

"You?" I asked, pulling the sleeves of the sweater over my palms.

"I just don't want to," he said.

"Jared's my step-brother," I blurted out.

"What?" Ethan asked, stunned. Didn't Erica or Mrs. Wilson tell him?

I nodded with a sigh.

"But how?" Ethan asked, not convinced.

"You tell me. I went there and then my dad was just like 'Meet your brother, Jared,'" I said.

"Did Jared know?" he inquired.

"Do you really think he would take me out with him if he knew I was his sister?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"No," Ethan said slowly, "That's just sad, especially since you liked him."

"What?" I asked instantly, my eyebrows knitting with confusion.

"You like him, right?" he asked, sitting up straight and placing the guitar on the coffee table.

"Like-like?" I asked, wrapping my arms around me.

He chuckled, " Yeah."

"No! What's wrong with you?" I exclaimed. Did Ethan really think I liked Jared all along?

"You did go on a date with him," he stated.

"I told you! Jared tricked me into going out with him!" I exclaimed, frowning.