Since you've been gone(1) Your engaged!

I opened up my email, quickly scanned the page and sighed. Tons from Will(which I deleted). Nothing from Ethan. It had been a month since he'd left and I hadn't heard from him since. There wasn't a day when I didn't think of him at least a million times.

I knew it only get harder once school started. Everyone would know that he left me. They all knew and no one bothered to tell me. I punched the wall. Not even my so-called-friends. I hadn't talked to them since Ethan left. They tried to call a few times but I ignored them. It was obvious every stinking one of them were too much of a coward to apologize or say whatever they wanted to say to my face. Even when I was in the hospital.

I am truly alone. Ethan's gone. My friends are acting like jerks. My family, don't even get me started. And then there was Alex. He made good to his promise. I hadn't seen him. But I sort of heard his voice from time to time, like I did in the hospital when I thought I was alone. And sometimes I just sensed his presence. To forget him would be like forgetting to walk. I love Ethan but there was something about Alex that drew me to him. He wasn't normal. Everything about him was dark, mysterious, and admittedly sexy. But, even if he wanted me (impossible), I couldn't forget Ethan. Forgetting him would be like forgetting breathing. As long as I remembered Ethan I couldn’t replace him, not even if he replaced me with his bride-to-be. The fact that I was even thinking about it was unacceptable.

“Xylia!!!” Ava’s irritating voice called to me. “What?!?” I asked. “Come here!” I groaned and barged into her room. “You’re SUPPOSED to knock first!” She yelled. I knocked down a perfume bottle. It shattered into a million shards perfume soaked into the carpet. “Happy now?” I asked smiling. “Pierre… no wait…Guy… no wait…Antonio…um my boyfriend who is now in Europe gave that to me. Bernard. No, Bernice! Bernice gave me that before he left for France. It was very expensive.” Ava said tear falling down her face. “Sucks for you. So what do you want?”

“Get out!” She cried. “What? You just call me here and then tell me to get out!” I yelled outraged. “I can do whatever I want to do! There’s nothing you can do about it. Ethan’s left you defenseless. He’s no longer here to make sure I’m nice to you.” She yelled back. “He could never make you nice. You’ve been the same mean person you’ve always been, even when he was around.” I argued. “Oh really Xylia, think about it! Didn’t you notice how starting when you got into high school I wasn’t around as much. I didn’t talk to you as much. Do you remember me saying a single insult to you in front of Ethan?” She argued back. Now that I thought back to it, she was right. I’d assumed Ava was just getting more wrapped up in her social life and was pulling away from me. She hardly said a word when Ethan was around. Again I’d jumped to conclusions and thought it was because she had dated Ethan briefly before I started dating him. I hadn’t known when I started dating him that Ava still had feelings for him. It wasn’t until I’d fallen in love with Ethan that I found out. I was already in far too deep to break-up with him.

“How did he force you to be nicer?” I asked carefully, afraid of the answer. “Ethan’s a real popular guy. Unlike you he has a lot of influence over the student body. A couple nasty rumors wouldn’t be too hard for him to spread. And because they came from him most people would believe him. My reputation would be ruined.” I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. Ethan did this because he loved me and didn’t want me to suffer so much but he hid this from me, just like he hid his arranged marriage. What else was Ethan hiding from me?

“Ava,” I said softly. “I’m sorry for breaking your perfume bottle. It’s just been kind of hard for me lately. I had no idea Ethan was blackmailing you. You know I wouldn’t have allowed him to black mail you. Please tell me what you called me in here to say.” It took real effort to say these words without the harsh edge or sarcastic undertone.

Ava immediately brightened up. Her face showed no evidence of tears. Only Ava could erase all evidence of crying within seconds. “I want you to be my maid of honor!” She shrieked. I sighed. “Who’s the lucky guy this time?” She closed her eyes to think. “His name is Richard Buttmunch.” I burst out laughing. “You and Buttmunch!?!” I said between laughs. Ava looked embarrassed. “He’s cute and rich. Look at the size of the dimond on the ring he gave me. Mom and Daddy can’t disaprove this time!” She said showing me the ring that had a rock the size of a basketball. “Please will you be my maid of honor. Trisha’s too pregnant, Diane’s mad because she was dating him when he proposed so she won’t do it, and I don’t have anymore close girl friends, just girls that I pretend to be friends with and I don’t want them at my wedding. If I tell any of our other sisters then it will spread to the rest of the family and they’ll scare away Richard just like they did to Collin, Michael, and Derek. You’re the only one in this family that understands teenage love.” Ava was now crying. “This isn’t like the time with Brad, Chuck, Cory, Jason, Leo, or Ryan?” I asked. “No, this time it’s for real. I really want to get married with Richard.” Ava said enthusiastically. For a second I almost believed her but Ava wouldn't leave me alone till I agreed. "Fine, but you will have to tell mom and dad and the rest of our family eventually." Ava smiled. "I will, after the wedding." Seeing Ava so happy again, getting married again made me want to cry. I held it in. "When will the wedding be?" I asked. " Right after the family reunion!" I held in a groan. The annual family reunion. How could I face all of my siblings without Ethan? I galanced back at Ava before leaving her room. An idea sprouted inside my head. "Sorry Ava." I whispered. I went back into my room. I was so distracted I almost didn't notice a fimilair face sitting at my window sill.