Free You Can't Choose Love by Veronica Cross

alone.
When his car pulled away, Janet sat down behind the bar and willed herself not
to cry. Ethan had seen her kissing Sam. This should be victorious for her,
shouldn’t it? Girls were supposed to be happy when their ex saw them with
another man. But Janet only felt empty and sad. She couldn’t understand why.
Her relation with Sam didn’t have to be a secret. He could kiss her in public
without fear of his parents finding out. He could introduce her as his
girlfriend. But Janet hadn’t let them label their relationship. This time she
was the one who didn’t want to be called Sam’s girlfriend. She was the Ethan in
their “relationship”, she realized. Disgusted she picked up her phone and told
Sam she didn’t want to see him anymore and she was still in love with Ethan.
And just like that, over a text message, she ended whatever she had started
with Sam.

Chapter
14 – Forced Interactions
     
    No matter how much either of them
tried not to come face to face with one another, Ethan and Janet somehow kept
ending up in each other’s presence. Perhaps it was because of their mutual
friends or because of fate; whatever it was, they seemed to attract one another
like magnets.
    Janet came face to face with Ethan
three times in the course of the next week. Once when she was forced to tutor
him on Professor Papkin’s insistence. Once when she was invited to George’s
brothers’ engagement. And once when she was met with an unfortunate incident.
    “Janet, Ethan!” Professor Papkin
called after class. “I want Ethan’s progress report, Janet.”
    Janet and Ethan approached him
warily.
    “I presume tutoring has been going
well.”
    Ethan glanced at Janet.
“Fantastic,” he replied.
    “Well done, Janet. And well done,
Ethan. How about you have your last tutoring session today before the
semester’s exam?”
    “Um-” Janet began but Professor
Papkin was adamant.
    “Come now,” he said. “I was heading
to the library myself to fetch a book. You two come along and start your
studying.”
    Janet and Ethan accompanied him
reluctantly. Janet wanted to find a spot surrounded by people so she and Ethan
would not be able to talk. Ethan wanted a secluded spot because he didn’t want
to be around people. In the end, they settled for somewhere in the middle. It
was a secluded corner but there were a few people around.
    They had never actually had a real
tutoring session. The first time they had tried, Ethan had kissed her and they
had ended up in his room. They had made love for the first time that day. Janet
tried not to think about it.
    “So what do you want to study?”
Janet asked awkwardly.
    “Nothing.”
    “But we have to…”
    “We don’t, really.”
    “Okay…”
    Pause.
    “So how have you been?” Ethan
spoke up.
    Janet looked at him long and hard
before answering. She wanted to tell him the truth. Of how broken she felt
without him. Of how much she missed him. Of how badly she wanted to kiss him
again. Of how much she longed for the pleasure only he could give her.
    “Good,” she replied simply. “How
have you been?”
    Janet did not know this but if one
could multiply what Janet felt by ten fold, it would not come close to what
Ethan felt. You see, while Janet could somehow survive on her own, Ethan needed
her in his life.
    “Good,” Ethan said.
    Janet nodded slowly. “I saw your
father’s campaign on TV. He seems to be doing really well.”
    “Yeah, he is.”
    Silence.
    “How’s Sam?” Ethan said.
    “Good, I suppose.”
    “When did you start seeing him?”
    “I’m not seeing him.” Janet said
wearily.
    “You’re not?”
    “Nah.”
    “He’s not your boyfriend?”
    “Nah. I don’t label my
relationships. It’s the Ethan affect. I’m the Ethan in the relationship.”
    Ethan rolled his eyes.
    “Except,” Janet continued. “My
reason for not labeling my relationship isn’t some class or money difference.”
    “Janet-” Ethan said. His voice was
strained and he felt a pang of