Broken Juliet(67)

“So,” says Dr. Kate as she leans back in her chair. “When you got back together, Ethan was happy to be open about your relationship?”

“Yes.”

“How did you feel about that?”

Partly relieved, but mostly … “It made me nervous. I just wasn’t confident this time would be any different.”

“What about your friends? Were they supportive or did they try to steer you away?”

“I’m sure they all thought we were insane, but at the time, their judgment was a small price to pay.”




The closer we get to the drama block, the more tense I become.

Everyone saw what we went through when Ethan and I broke up the first time. When they notice we’re back together, I’m sure they’re going to think we’re the biggest idiots on the planet for trying again.

I wouldn’t entirely disagree with them.

Ethan squeezes my hand. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Fine. You?”

“Great. Never better.”

We’re both lying, and we know it.

As we approach the building, I see most of our class congregating near the benches, chatting, laughing, and smoking. Zoe’s the first to see us walking hand in hand. Her mouth drops open. She pats Phoebe, who turns to look. Within a few seconds, they’re all staring at us.

“Hey, guys,” I say as we stop in front of them. “Have a good summer?”

“I had an awesome summer,” Jack says with his trademark smirk. “I got back together with the ex-girlfriend I dumped more than a year ago because I’m a miserable f*ck who never stopped pining for her. Oh, wait, that was you, Holt, wasn’t it?”

Everyone laughs, and the tension breaks, and for once I’m grateful for Avery’s big mouth. Even Ethan smiles.

The only person not smiling is Connor.

He turns away a second too late to hide his incredulity.




“Connor was a friend of yours?”

“Yes.”

She cocks her head to the side. “Why do I get the feeling there’s more to Connor than you’re telling me?”

I look down. Of all of my misguided attempts to forget about Ethan, I regret Connor the most.

“He was more. After Ethan, we were … lovers. For a time.”

Dr. Kate makes an understanding noise. “Revenge lovers?”

I nod. I still can’t think about how I treated him without being consumed by shame.

“You ended things, I take it?” Dr. Kate asks quietly.

“Yes. I know I hurt him, but it was for the best.”

“But in drama school, you never…?”

“No. We were just friends. I knew he always like me, but…”

“You weren’t interested?”

“No.”

“Was Connor resentful about that?”

I remember how supportive Connor had been after the breakup, and how that had changed after Ethan and I got back together. “I guess. He was never nasty about it though. Just … protective.”

“Ethan wouldn’t have appreciated that, I’m sure.”

“Not at all.”




A hand presses into the small of my back.

“So you really took him back? After what he did to you?”

This is the first time Connor’s spoken to me all day. I grab a sandwich and move forward in the cafeteria line.

“It’s complicated, Connor.”

“I bet.”

He grabs a drink and falls into line beside me.

“Just promise me you’ll be careful.” He glances over at Ethan, who’s sitting with the rest of our group. “The second he starts giving you warning signs, get out. Seeing you get hurt again would … well … that’d suck, okay?”

“Maybe it’ll work out this time.”

He gives a short laugh. “Yeah. Maybe.”

Ethan looks over, and when he sees us together, his expression goes dark.

Connor sighs. “Why do I get the feeling you and I won’t be allowed to be friends anymore?”

We pay for our stuff and head over to the table. As we approach, Ethan stands and puts his arms around me. Then he kisses me, long and deep, right in front of Connor. It couldn’t be more obvious that he’s staking his claim, unless he stapled a large “Property of Ethan Holt” banner to my back like a cape.

Connor rolls his eyes and sits next to Zoe. Ethan sits and pulls me onto his lap.

Everyone else seems oblivious, but all through lunch, the weight of the tension between the two men on either side of me sits squarely in the middle of my chest.




“So the conflict between Ethan and Connor escalated when you got back together?”

I sigh. “Yes. I mean, they never really liked each other, but at least they used to pretend.”

“You said ‘they all’ thought you were insane earlier. Who else gave you a hard time?”

“My roommate, Ruby.”

“She didn’t like Ethan?”

“No. She saw what I went through the first time, and I guess my bitterness rubbed off on her. When we first got back together, she was sort of … intolerant.”