114: Pessimism

Ethan stares at the ocean, and can't help but think of Damien.

What the fuck is wrong with him? Something is amiss. He looked like he ate a mouthful of shit just yesterday, yet all of a sudden he's fine, back to his old self. Not his old, old self, but the one before that spying bitch came along and fucked with his head. He saw him before he left the office, and he had that stupid look in his face, like he saw a fucking butterfly. Ethan didn't ask him what was wrong. He'll leave that for after they return from the meeting with Jasper.

Ethan will be seeing him for the first time in over fifteen years. His brother's a dick, Damien's right about that. He left without a word, which disappointed his parents, and Ethan, who had always looked up to him. He was everything Ethan wanted to be—extroverted, optimistic, daring. He admired his optimism above everything else. He couldn't imagine what it was like to be positive all the time, to expect the best in every situation, no matter how impr