Chapter 6 Ethan's Story (Extra)

Ethan's Story (Extra) Kat lay there, broken and bleeding. I stared, numb with disbelief, trying to figure out how I'd failed to save her. Then, the awful truth hit me: I was always making her wait. In our whole messed-up relationship, I hadn't really done anything for her. Before Emily came back, I was juggling my lingering feelings for her while stringing Kat along. And when Emily did come back, I just...switched. Like a damn light switch. I skipped out on meeting Kat's parents because Emily had a paper cut. A paper cut. I crawled into Emily's bed, holding her close, just because she asked me to. I even yelled at Kat, taking Emily's side. Did I know what I was doing? Of course, I did. I just figured Kat and I had been together so long. I was hooked on her, and I thought she was hooked on me too. I thought she should be the one to figure out what she was doing wrong. When that little girl asked me to buy flowers for Emily, a part of me was thrilled. But then my conscience, or whatever you want to call it, kicked in. I denied it, glancing at Kat. But she wasn't looking at me with love or anything. Her eyes were full of this...scorn. It was like she could see right through me, like she knew all the messed-up thoughts in my head. Kat's brother wouldn't let me in to see her. I kept telling myself Kat loved me. She wouldn't just dump me over something so small. All I needed was a chance to explain. I was just trying to be there for Emily. She was all alone, struggling. She had depression, for God's sake. Kat was a good person. She'd understand. But two days passed, and Kat was still unconscious. They even issued a critical condition notice. That's when the panic really set in. She was hurt, badly. What if she didn't forgive me? I begged to see her, day and night, but Kat wouldn't even look at me. Then Emily told me she'd been kicked out of her place, that they wouldn't even let her stay in the hospital room anymore. So, I took her to the only place I could think of: the apartment Kat and I shared. But I'd forgotten one tiny detail: Kat owned the place. Surprise, surprise, Emily and I got thrown out. And I actually had the nerve to blame Kat, to accuse her of being heartless. I even started wondering if she was doing all this because she still loved me. Talk about delusional. Later, a video of me and Emily got posted online. It went viral, overnight. But somehow, the narrative got twisted. People were saying Kat was the other woman. I didn't say anything. A dark part of me thought that if Kat's reputation was ruined, she'd have to come back to me. That I'd be the only one who'd want her. But I forgot how resourceful Kat was, and who her friends were. In no time, the internet dug up everything on Emily and me. Everyone turned on us. We lost our jobs. We were social pariahs. I went to see Kat. And she told me I was just a substitute, a stand-in. Why did she have to tell me that, just when I was realizing I might actually be in love with her? Were all those times she cooked for me, comforted me, were they all fake? But she was jealous of Emily, I saw it. Then Emily showed up, telling me she was pregnant. With my kid. My mom broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. She glared at me, her voice dripping with venom. "You're just like your father. I should never have let that gene be passed down!" Then, she slapped Emily. It was the first time I'd ever seen her be anything but gentle with her. "You little bitch! Pregnant? I won't have that bastard child in this family!" "Weren't you supposed to be all pure and innocent? What happened to that act? Oh, right, you were just waiting for him! And your mother, wasn't she the victim of domestic violence? Divorced because of it? And now you're out here, being the other woman?" I knew Emily was looking at me, probably all teary-eyed, the damsel in distress. But I didn't even glance at her. She was so fake. "Well, your son and I being together, it just makes sense, doesn't it? You even wanted us to get together before, remember?" Emily said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "He's single now. This baby isn't a 'bastard.' We can get married. Our child will be legitimate, born within wedlock!" My mom gripped the chair, struggling to breathe, her face bright red. "Get out! Who wants to be with you devils? Why couldn't you just live a normal life? Why did you have to get married, to get into relationships, when you had your precious 'true loves'?" "Are your 'true loves' just whores? Do they only go after people who are already taken?" I rushed to help my mom, getting her some water. But she looked at me like I was her worst enemy. "Ethan Ford! You ruined my life, and now you're ruining your own? Is being a scumbag just part of your DNA?" "Frank Ford! You ruined my life, and are you going to haunt me even after you're dead?" I hung my head, letting her hit me, yell at me. Maybe it was the only way to make me feel anything real. Then, a crash. A glass shattered. I looked up. Emily was standing there, rigid, like a robot. There wasn't a flicker of life in her eyes. She looked at me, and I felt a chill, a sense of utter emptiness. But I was already dead inside. Why should I care about someone who saw me as a backup plan? Her baby probably wasn't even mine. She was probably sleeping around. She was probably only here now because she had nowhere else to go, no money, no job. I was just a safe harbor. I scoffed and stormed out, heading downstairs for a smoke. But then, in some twisted stroke of fate, the moment I stepped outside, Emily jumped from the upstairs window. She landed right on me. All I felt was a searing pain, and then...blackness. I was dead. Emily had successfully taken me down with her. I died a meaningless death. As I was hit, I had a flash, a memory of Kat agreeing to be my girlfriend. She was wearing a blue dress, smelling of jasmine. She was smiling, encouraging me, always giving, always there, doing everything for me. And in the end, I left her lying in a pool of her own blood. All I said was, "Wait for me." But who's going to wait for me now? Will you wait for me in the next life? Kat? I promise I won't be so wishy-washy anymore.