3 Years by His Hospital Bed, He Chose Her

Chapter 9

With Jason's help, I rented a house and furnished it simply. I decided to go out for a bite to eat.

As I was walking back, halfway down the stairs, I spotted Ethan. He looked thinner, more worn out than when I last saw him.

I tried to walk past him without acknowledging him, but he grabbed my arm, his voice frantic as he started rambling about our childhood. "Rachel, I was wrong. Can we start over?"

Thinking I wouldn't believe him, he pulled out a photo in a panic. "Look, we've known each other since we were kids!"

I took the photo, glanced at it, then handed it back to him. "So what?"

"If we really had such a great relationship like you say, why weren't you there when I woke up? Why do I feel disgusted just seeing you?"

His words caught in his throat, and he dropped his gaze, his eyes reddening with emotion. "I'm sorry. I was deceived by Olivia."

I couldn't help but find it a bit funny. How could he be so lacking in judgment, especially as an adult?

"The fact that you were fooled by her just shows you trusted her more, doesn't it? What right do you have to regret anything now?"

I felt a strange satisfaction saying those words.

His eyes were full of remorse, and he reached out to grab me, but I recoiled in disgust. In the process, I lost my balance and stumbled backward. Just as I thought I'd fall, a pair of strong arms caught me.

Jason was there, his arm securely around my shoulders, his face smirking with a playful challenge. "Sorry, but my girlfriend doesn't want you touching her."

Without waiting for Ethan's reaction, Jason started walking me toward the stairs.

At the corner, I pulled away from him, a little smile tugging at my lips. "Why are you here?"

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, a slight blush coloring his ears. "Coincidence. Total coincidence."

I couldn't help but smile, but I let him off the hook and didn't call him out.

To thank him for stepping in, I invited him into my new apartment. As we talked about our future, I became serious for a moment. "I want to become a sign language teacher."

The image of the little boy with his dejected expression flashed through my mind. Sign language was their way of communicating with the world, but not enough people understood it. Even with me, it still wouldn't be enough.

Jason turned to look at me, his expression sincere. "I want to help you achieve that goal."

His straightforward confession made something in my chest stir, and for the first time in a while, my heart raced.

I played it cool, pretending not to understand, and replied, "That's great. From now on, you're my partner."

Jason didn't rush for a response. Instead, he got serious and started making plans. We discussed how we could make it work, weighing all the possibilities. Time seemed to slip by as we brainstormed, but then, a flash of lightning split the sky, followed by the sound of rain.

I pulled back the curtains and saw Ethan standing outside, alone in the rain.

I didn't feel any particular emotion toward him, just a sense that his behavior was childish. What was the point of this? Was he just trying to hurt himself?

I shook my head, letting the sound of the rain lull me into a deep sleep.