Long Way to Perfect - Ch 7 ( Whitney/Ethan )
by soaphater
 
 

 I wanted it to be about 12 or so months between when all the “crap” went down between Theresa, Ethan, Whitney, Chad, Simone, TC, Eve and Julian, and now. (Ethan left a few months after that, which explains why, when Whitney saw him for the first time in Chapter 1, she said it had been 8 or so months, not 12 months.) The timeline goes a little something like this: DEC THE YEAR BEFORE/JAN LAST YEAR: stuff goes down with all of the above - Ethan finds out the truth about Ethan Martin, AND finds out Gwen is pregnant, both events finally making him leave Theresa; things erupt/w Chad and Whitney, and Simone stops talking; TC leaves; Theresa starts working at Crane Industries; Gwen loses the baby and leaves town; etc. etc. FEB LAST YEAR: Nicholas comes to town (I think!); Julian divorces Theresa. APRIL LAST YEAR: Theresa spies Ethan and Whitney; Ethan leaves Harmony. JUNE LAST YEAR: Whitney starts courses at the local community college (see below). SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR: Whitney starts job at Hospital. CURRENT TIME, WINTER THIS YEAR/DEC-JAN (projecting into next year.) (I think all of this is right – if there are some discrepancies, let me know, and I’ll try to correct them as I write.) Hope that helps!
 

CHAPTER 7

Whitney continued to look Ethan in the eyes – but, God, how much she just wanted to grab hold of him and not let go! She steeled herself away from the temptation, backing up physically, away from him. It was as if the air between them was charged with electric currents, so intense was she feeling in that moment. She felt the heat slowly rising up her neck, and into her face. She lowered her head. How could she look him in the eye again and lie to him, she thought forlornly.

“Whitney? You’re going out with Fox tonight?” Ethan’s voice was so confused, Whitney almost couldn’t stand it!

“Yes,” she murmured, not looking at him. She didn’t dare. Was it possible to care about someone so much, that it hurt? She thought she’d felt that way about Chad, but this feeling, with Ethan, was so different, more painful, more intense. And the fact that no feelings had been consummated seemed to increase that pain tenfold. She glanced up to see how he was reacting to her news. If anything, it would at least be a window into how he was feeling about her, and about Theresa…

Ethan wasn’t looking at her. He was looking over the top of her head, out of the café window. He glanced down.

“You sure about this, Whit? No matter what’s happened, you know we’re friends. I mean, I want to make sure you don’t get hurt, that’s all,” but he didn’t sound too convinced. He furrowed his brow. Now why the hell would Whitney be going out with Fox, of all people?? His no-good-for-nothing playboy ex-brother! Everyone knew about his reputation - everyone knew that NO ONE could trust him! Sure, he was fun to go out drinking and dancing and partying with, but for depth, honesty and stability, you didn’t trust any of the Crane men, that’s for sure! Ethan’s breath caught suddenly in his throat. He used to be “one of them”…a “Crane.” He curled his lip slightly and the nauseating thought, and turned his mind back to his best friend.

She wasn’t answering, and she wasn’t looking up at him. He tried to catch her eye, but to no avail. He shrugged, and placed his hands on her shoulders. If that’s what she wanted, he guessed he was fine with it – she was, after all, a grown woman, who’d gone through as much pain and forced growing-up as he had over the last year or so!

“Whit, have fun tonight, but if he hurts you, he’ll be sorry!” Ethan smiled at Whitney with enthusiasm he didn’t feel. He had a feeling, deep down in his gut, that this wasn’t good. That it wouldn’t turn out well for anyone. And he was hurt and disappointed, because, try as he might, he couldn’t dampen the slowly-creeping jealousy that was starting to crowd into his heart. What did he expect, after all? He’d left Harmony, left everyone, left Whitney, waiting, waiting for him to grow up and return a “whole” man, then here he comes, traipsing back into everyone’s life, still as confused as the day he’d left! His jealousy slowly started to turn itself inward, into anger at himself. Dammit! Damn Theresa! Damn Julian and Alistair Crane! Damn himself!

He let his hands drop from Whitney’s shoulders.

“What is it, Ethan?” Whitney was genuinely concerned, forgetting for a moment her “plan” with Fox. The cloud that had suddenly crossed Ethan’s features frightened her.

“What? Oh, nothing, Whitney….really, have fun tonight, but please, please be safe…” he half-murmured, half-whispered, as if his thoughts were in another place and time.

This angered Whitney beyond compare. Who did he think he was??? Brushing her off like that??

“I will! I will, Ethan – I’ll have a good time with Fox, I’m sure of it!” she huffed angrily, confused, grabbing her bag and her coat and hurrying away from Ethan and the coffee shop.
 
 
 
 

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