do about Ethan?”
I shut my eyes. That was another thing that had been plaguing my mind. Though I was still striving for any feelings of attraction towards him, I still couldn’t bring myself to dump him. I didn’t know why and it made me feel like the most horrible person in the world.
I bit the inside of my cheek and frowned. “I think I’ll just see where it goes. No use jumping the gun and ending it quick, right?”
Stephanie did not look amused. “You do know that’s not fair for either of you. You either like him or you don’t.”
“What if I don’t know yet?” I let out a stale laugh. We both knew I was completely bullshitting my ass off.
She rolled her eyes and replied with only two words. “He’s consistent.”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s why you can’t let him go. He’s predictable. You really haven’t gotten over your bad boy stage because a part of you likes the chase. However, you’re trying hard to overcome it by reaching for something consistent. If you ask me—”
“I’m not.”
“—you’re having some weird existential crisis. You’re trying to decide whether you’re the good girl Mom and Dad made you out to be, or the bad girl Jesse swears you are.” She nodded her head in satisfaction. “Think of it as the devil and angel on your shoulder. You’re trying to figure out which way your life is headed and these two guys are just that for you.”
I pictured the cartoons I used to watch when I was younger and how they depicted caricature versions of both iconic figures. The cute little angel and mischievous devil soon morphed in Jesse’s and Ethan’s faces.
I shook my head. “It’d be different if I actually had a choice between the two guys. Like I said, I’m just giving Ethan a chance.”
Stephanie snorted. “Listening to your mom again, I see.”
I reached out and threw a pillow at her face. “That’s what good girls do.”
***
“Seriously? Why so last minute?” I threw my hands in the air in disbelief.
My mom smoothed back her frizzy hair, looking utterly exhausted. A pair of bags lined the bottoms of her eyes, screaming for some much needed sleep. “I’m sorry, Rocky, but my hands are tied. It’s a last minute convention your father somehow finagled his way into and he won’t let us miss it.”
“I told you, if we don’t get these tickets someone else might. We could lose vendors, Marie! Vendors!”
Mom rolled her eyes. “As if we don’t already have enough stock.” Buttoning her calf-length winter coat, she lifted an eyebrow, which was in dire need of some plucking, if you ask me. “You can handle the store by yourself, right?”
It was more of an order than a question.
Usually, I’d be rolling my eyes and answering with a resounding yes. This time was different. My mind automatically flew back to Jesse.
“Why do you both have to go?” I practically whined.
Dad’s thick accent always sounded thicker when he was annoyed. “Your mom’s the good cop and I’m the bad cop. We need balance if we’re going to negotiate well. Balance is important, Rocky. Can’t have the bar tilting one way, it’ll just cause everything to slide off.” He glanced up at my mother. “You ready? It cost me an arm and a leg to get these tickets. I’m not about to waste them because two out of the three women in my life are belly aching.”
“I’m not belly aching.” I grabbed Dad’s suitcase and heaved it down the front steps of our house. “If you’re gonna go, just go. I’ll be fine.”
Unfortunately, I wasn’t so sure I would be.
“Just call us if you need anything, Rocky. From the sound of the convention schedule, we’ll be busy schmoozing day in and day out. We won’t really have time to check in,” my dad grunted as he dragged another bag behind him.
My mother’s eyes sparkled. “Or you can always call Ethan. He might be able to help you out if we’re not here.”
I was not even going to dignify that suggestion with a
I shut my eyes. That was another thing that had been plaguing my mind. Though I was still striving for any feelings of attraction towards him, I still couldn’t bring myself to dump him. I didn’t know why and it made me feel like the most horrible person in the world.
I bit the inside of my cheek and frowned. “I think I’ll just see where it goes. No use jumping the gun and ending it quick, right?”
Stephanie did not look amused. “You do know that’s not fair for either of you. You either like him or you don’t.”
“What if I don’t know yet?” I let out a stale laugh. We both knew I was completely bullshitting my ass off.
She rolled her eyes and replied with only two words. “He’s consistent.”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s why you can’t let him go. He’s predictable. You really haven’t gotten over your bad boy stage because a part of you likes the chase. However, you’re trying hard to overcome it by reaching for something consistent. If you ask me—”
“I’m not.”
“—you’re having some weird existential crisis. You’re trying to decide whether you’re the good girl Mom and Dad made you out to be, or the bad girl Jesse swears you are.” She nodded her head in satisfaction. “Think of it as the devil and angel on your shoulder. You’re trying to figure out which way your life is headed and these two guys are just that for you.”
I pictured the cartoons I used to watch when I was younger and how they depicted caricature versions of both iconic figures. The cute little angel and mischievous devil soon morphed in Jesse’s and Ethan’s faces.
I shook my head. “It’d be different if I actually had a choice between the two guys. Like I said, I’m just giving Ethan a chance.”
Stephanie snorted. “Listening to your mom again, I see.”
I reached out and threw a pillow at her face. “That’s what good girls do.”
***
“Seriously? Why so last minute?” I threw my hands in the air in disbelief.
My mom smoothed back her frizzy hair, looking utterly exhausted. A pair of bags lined the bottoms of her eyes, screaming for some much needed sleep. “I’m sorry, Rocky, but my hands are tied. It’s a last minute convention your father somehow finagled his way into and he won’t let us miss it.”
“I told you, if we don’t get these tickets someone else might. We could lose vendors, Marie! Vendors!”
Mom rolled her eyes. “As if we don’t already have enough stock.” Buttoning her calf-length winter coat, she lifted an eyebrow, which was in dire need of some plucking, if you ask me. “You can handle the store by yourself, right?”
It was more of an order than a question.
Usually, I’d be rolling my eyes and answering with a resounding yes. This time was different. My mind automatically flew back to Jesse.
“Why do you both have to go?” I practically whined.
Dad’s thick accent always sounded thicker when he was annoyed. “Your mom’s the good cop and I’m the bad cop. We need balance if we’re going to negotiate well. Balance is important, Rocky. Can’t have the bar tilting one way, it’ll just cause everything to slide off.” He glanced up at my mother. “You ready? It cost me an arm and a leg to get these tickets. I’m not about to waste them because two out of the three women in my life are belly aching.”
“I’m not belly aching.” I grabbed Dad’s suitcase and heaved it down the front steps of our house. “If you’re gonna go, just go. I’ll be fine.”
Unfortunately, I wasn’t so sure I would be.
“Just call us if you need anything, Rocky. From the sound of the convention schedule, we’ll be busy schmoozing day in and day out. We won’t really have time to check in,” my dad grunted as he dragged another bag behind him.
My mother’s eyes sparkled. “Or you can always call Ethan. He might be able to help you out if we’re not here.”
I was not even going to dignify that suggestion with a
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