XXIV

“What a doormat,” I say once we’re down the rest of the stairwell. “His brother outs him to his parents, and he forgives him within a week and a half.” I harumph. “And, and thinks about all the stuff I’ve done for him, to help him, and Rose too. She took him in!”

Amidst my ranting, Ethan slows beside me. He doesn’t say anything, but I notice as his fist tightens on the strap of his backpack.

“What?” my tone is sharper than I mean it to be with him. “What’s wrong?”

Choosing to ignore me, he sighs and speeds up past me.

“Wait,” I call out. “Why are you upset?”

“Charlotte, you can be so stupid sometimes,” he snaps after a moment.

Pain blooms in my heart.

“Noah is still Blake’s brother-”

Worked up on the adrenaline of arguing with the Weber brothers, and now Ethan too, I interrupt him. “Doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do, run back to him!”

I still trail behind Ethan, having a hard time catching up with his much faster and longer steps.