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16
The bar was dimly lit, the music deafening. Peter pushed open the door, only to see Ethan downing shot after shot. Mark, looking exasperated, was trying to reason with him.
Seeing Peter, Mark beckoned him over.“Peter, what was that all about?”
Peter sat down, his expression impassive.“Nothing. Work stuff.” He showed no sign of guilt. Mark didn’t believe him.“We saw you, and the woman in the passenger seat. You had a girlfriend while you were abroad? So many girls chased you in college, and you never batted an eye. What happened? Cubitt’s arrow finally hit you? Who was she? Bring her around so we can meet her.”
Mark was bursting with curiosity; he wanted to know which girl had managed to capture his friend who seemed to have no feelings for women.
Peter poured himself a glass of wine.“You’ll meet her eventually.”
Mark pressed, “Eventually? Are you saying we can’t meet her for now?”
Just then, Ethan, who’d been silently drinking, looked up and offered Peter a cigarette. His gaze was cold enough to freeze the air. He asked slowly, “Peter, who was that woman?”
The air thickened. Even Mark fell silent, observing the tension between the two men. A palpable sense of animosity hung in the air.
Peter narrowed
his
Ethan’s icy gaze
eyes
intensified.
with
a
knowing
His
voice
was
look
almost
on
his face.“My
a
future girlfriend.”
her name.” growl.“I asked about
The atmosphere plummeted. The tension was palpable, ready to explode. Mark quickly intervened, trying to smooth things over.“Peter, it’s okay. Ethan’s been like this ever since his girlfriend left. He sees her in everyone. He almost mistook your future girlfriend for her.” Mark cursed in his mind. This was a mess; without him, this group of friends would fall apart. read each other’s mind. remained locked, if trying to But
Peter’s Ethan and
gazes After a long moment, Peter broke the gaze. He snapped his unlit cigarette in half, dropping it into his wine glass. “Ethan, don’t do this again, or you’ll scare my girlfriend. I have to go.”
as
He left, ignoring Mark’s efforts to retain him. The room was silent again. Mark sighed.“Peter’s changed a lot. He’s not that close to us anymore.”
”
Ethan didn’t speak, lighting his cigarette. The smoke obscured his sharp features, making him look somewhat forlorn, like a lone wolf in the night.
Mark patted his shoulder. “So have you. That accusatory tone was off–putting. It’s Peter’s girlfriend, and you just made things awkward. Ethan, you need to move on and stop seeing her in everyone. People will think you’re sick and crazy!”
Ethan’s hand paused at the word “sick.”
At that moment, his phone buzzed.
“I found her. She took flight G3657 back to New York this morning.” 16
