Fragile Connections

After a few months in his new Gainesville apartment, Ethan accepted a friend’s invitation

to a party at a stranger’s house. He never turned down an adventure. Somewhere in the

back of his mind, he always imagined the possibility of meeting the love of his life at some

random gathering. Ethan pulled into her driveway around 7 PM. The house sat in

a limbo between repair and ruin. Half-painted walls, unfinished drywall, broken tiles.

Inside, it looked worse—like the owners had once tried to remodel it and then given

up halfway. Ethan’s friend Matt greeted him at the door. “How ya doin’,

man?” “Pretty well. What’s with this place?” Ethan asked. Matt laughed. “It’s her mom’s.