bitter | e.d

| thirty-four

ETHAN'S POV

I watch as evie's friend takes her by the wrist and drags her away. 

evie glances over her shoulder one last time, and I can see the anxiety in her expression. it's the same uneasy look I've seen her with the entire day when I've managed to look at her without her catching me. she's nervous about something.

I've stopped walking as she and her friend go out of sight, but my eyes focus back onto jack who's still heading in their direction despite her trying to get away. something tells me jack is the last thing she needs right now. my jaw sets when I realize he's going to try and talk to her anyway, and I catch up to him.

my hand grabs onto his shoulder and jerks him back to face me. "bad idea, g. leave her be," I urge him for her sake, but my reasons are somewhat selfish. I don't think I can handle seeing her with jack anymore—not after finding out she gave him head.

jack's eyes narrow onto me, as if he's sizing me up. "leave her be? I'm just gonna talk to her. chill out, man." he shakes his head and starts to turn around, and I almost let him leave, but I can't.

"gilinsky." I nearly growl. "leave her alone. let her talk to her friend, and wait for her to come to you." 

he takes a hefty step closer to me, my words clearly pissing him off. "hey, back off, alright? you're getting yourself involved in shit that doesn't concern you. you really wanna play that game?"

"I'm not playing at anything. you're the one screwing with me and you know it. what do you have to go see her for?" I wait for his response, my eyes staring icily at him.

he takes a moment to process before answering. "evie and I have a lot to talk about and you have no fucking place telling me when or how to handle my business."

"really, okay." my nostrils flare while I let out a heavy breath, "the fuck are you doing, bro?" I finally question him with a tilt of my head. "all this shit you're pulling. what, you want evie now? you still got a thing for her?"

my body gets tight all over at the possibility of him answering yes. in the back of my mind, I know the answer. but I don't know if I could keep it together if he admits he's still into her. he made it crystal clear he was done with her three years ago. now he wants to mess with what I've got going on?

he just can't stand the thought of losing to me.

jack clenches his jaw and looks down, like he's thinking. seconds later, his eyes quickly snap up. "you ever think maybe she wants me?" he presses his lips together smugly. "I mean, exes get back together, happens all the time. maybe seeing me again stirred up some old feelings. she was the one that gave me a blowjob after all."

heat flashes across my chest and I lunge forward, but jack predicts my reaction and quickly pushes my chest back, like a reflex. "strike a nerve?" he taunts.

"why the fuck would you dare me to get in her pants and then screw around with her behind my back?" I fume, almost confused at what his motives even are anymore.

on the first day of school, he challenged that I couldn't work my ways on her. I know her, he had said. he challenged me to ruin her and I never turn down a challenge.

"hey, I was the drunk one. as hard as it may be for you to hear, she initiated, not me." he gives an innocent shrug of his shoulders but the smug look on his face stays. "it's pretty clear she isn't into you, and you're just in denial. I know getting rejected doesn't happen to you often, but don't be a sore loser."

I shake my head and stare at the ground, but a small grin crosses my lips when I figure it out. "no, that's not it," I raise my eyes back to his. "you know I could do it. you know I could make her fall in love with me the way she never did with you. you bet I couldn't, but you're scared. fucking admit it," my voice raises unintentionally.