It had been two weeks since Ethan got back to L.A. And yet, that woman still haunted his thoughts like some unfinished melody. He dreamed about her, for crying out loud.
"Hellooo, Ethan? Yo, Earth to Ethan. What's with that face, bro? You look like someone ran over your dog," Aaron said, giving him a weird look.
"I'm thinking about your mom," Ethan replied flatly, deadpan expression on point.
Aaron, the band's drummer and one of Ethan's closest friends, blinked. "Wait... what? What happened to my mom?"
"I just feel bad for her."
"What? Why? What happened to my mom, dude?" Aaron's voice now sounded genuinely concerned.
"I feel bad she has a son like you," Ethan said with a mock-pity expression before bursting into laughter.
"Screw you, Ethan!" Aaron rolled his eyes. "But seriously, what's going on with you, man? You've been zoning out like... a lot. Did you leave your soul back in Bangkok?"
Ethan shot him a look.
"No way," Aaron's grin widened. "No. Freaking. Way. Someone actually managed to wreck your heart? Damn, who is she? I need to shake her hand, she's a legend."
"Shut up, Aaron." Ethan chucked a crumpled paper at his head. Aaron ducked it like a pro.
"I'm just saying, man. Where's the Ethan I know? The one who cycles through girls like Spotify shuffles songs? I haven't seen you with anyone in weeks. So what is it, bro? What's the deal? Or... oh sh*t... wait..."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Wait what?"
"Don't tell me… You're gay now?"
"Gay, my ass. You're the one always clinging to me, you closet case."
"Okay, okay," Aaron chuckled, raising both hands. "So you're not gay. Cool. Maybe you're just... impotent?"
Ethan groaned. "Damn it, no. I'm just... I've had a lot on my mind lately, okay?"
He ran a hand down his face, dragging frustration across his cheeks.
Get it together, Ethan. Life was fine before she showed up. You had it all under control. Any girl, anytime, anywhere. You still do. Hell, you can get someone way hotter if you wanted to.
He looked up again, and something in his expression had shifted.
Aaron tilted his head. "Dude… you're looking at me weird. Don't tell me this heartbreak has you switching teams for real."
Ethan scoffed. "Shut the hell up. Seriously. Now I really feel sorry for your mom."
"Keep my mom outta this, man!"
"Whatever. Let's hit the usual spot tonight. Call Daniel and Finn too, if they're not busy."
Aaron shrugged and nodded. "Cool, I'm down."
By "the usual spot," Ethan meant one of the most exclusive clubs in L.A. This wasn't your average Friday-night dive. It was strict-entry, VIP-only, no-plebs-allowed kind of place, models, influencers, trust fund kids, and local celebs made up the guest list. Drinks were overpriced. Music was loud. Vibes were elite.
Ethan and Aaron were sitting at the bar, sipping gin and tonics. The club was dimly lit, pulsing with neon and bass drops. Ethan bobbed his head lazily to the EDM track the DJ was blasting, eyes scanning the crowd like he was scrolling through Tinder IRL.
That's when he caught Felicia's gaze.
There it is, Ethan. That's what you should've been doing from the start, he told himself, already flashing his signature grin.
Felicia was a model. Gorgeous, tall, skinny, the whole runway deal. She strutted over like she owned the place, then snaked her arm around his waist with a pout that screamed "feed me attention."
"Where have you been, hmm? You disappeared on me," she cooed. "You know I missed you, right?"
Ethan nearly shivered. Not from excitement. Nope, more like horror. That cutesy voice that used to sound kinda sexy now just grated his ears.
"Been busy," he replied, pulling away slightly.
The more she touched him, the more uncomfortable he got. Weird. Felicia used to be his type. Now? She might as well have been a walking cringe.
"Hey, mind letting go? It's hot in here," he muttered, trying to make it sound casual.
Felicia's face fell, her eyes full of confusion and rejection. She unhooked her arms and walked off without a word. Ethan barely blinked. He just ran a hand through his hair like nothing happened.
Aaron, of course, caught everything.
"Okay, what the hell was that? You just rejected Felicia. Felicia. Are you dying or something?"
Ethan didn't answer right away. He honestly didn't even know why he acted like that. He just went with what felt right in the moment and that feeling? Definitely not Felicia.
"I dunno, man. I feel off."
Aaron frowned. "Seriously, just go home and sleep, bro."
"You sure you're good if I bounce?"
"Dude. I'm used to you ditching me. Get outta here."
"Love you too, asshole," Ethan laughed, giving Aaron a light punch on the arm. "I'm out."
Ethan didn't head straight home. Instead, he made a pit stop at a supermarket to restock his fridge, which had been tragically empty for a week. While casually browsing, his eyes caught a familiar silhouette.
His heart skipped.
There she was or at least, someone who looked a lot like her. She was examining something on one of the shelves, facing away. He narrowed his eyes, scanning her from head to toe. The resemblance was uncanny.
He stepped closer.
Just a few steps in, the woman turned around.
Even in a basic white t-shirt and denim shorts, she looked effortlessly stunning. No makeup. No filters. Just raw beauty that punched him in the gut.
Before he could say anything, she was gone.
He dropped his basket on the floor and bolted out of the store, but by the time he hit the street, nothing. No sign of her. She'd vanished. Like some beautiful ghost.
Frustrated, Ethan ran a hand through his hair and let out a muffled groan. But deep down, he was weirdly... hopeful. If she was here, in L.A., then maybe just maybe fate wasn't done messing with him.
We'll meet again, he told himself.
Just wait.
***