when all is said and done | e.d.

thirty-three

ethan

at 11 pm, we leave mark's apartment: all three of us, grayson, me, and mark of course.

"i can't believe we're letting you drag us to your work new years party," grayson groans from the back seat of my car. "what are we gonna do— drink chai tea and discuss yearly incomes?"

"hey, gray. look on the bright side," mark grins over his shoulder. "ethan can introduce us to his hot boss, and maybe one of us can—"

"stop that sentence immediately," i demand, my hands tightening slightly on the steering wheel.

"woah," grayson laughs. "possessive much?"

"i'm not possessive," i scoff. "i just don't want to hear about her like that. it's weird."

"whatever," mark shrugs. "i'll keep it in my head."

"and in your pants," i warm firmly.

mark raises his hands and widens his eyes mockingly. "fine, fine. you want her, we get it."

"no i don't!" i argue, but the authority behind it is so weak, there's no way either of them believe me.

"i can't believe you've formed a crush on your boss, ethan," grayson says. "that's a different type of pathetic."

"it's not pathetic," i mumble under my breath, turning the wheel into the parking garage.

"what was that?"

"nothing."

"but you've met her right, grayson?" mark asks.

"for a solid thirty seconds, yeah."

"was she all that?"

i glance at grayson in the rear view, trying to send him brain messages to watch his words.

"she was nice," he eventually tells mark.

satisfied with that answer, we all get out after i park and they follow me down the ramp and into the lobby.

a sign on the elevator doors reads:

party on the ninth floor: bring friends!
open bar + catering service
let's celebrate the new year!

i smile at the note, knowing for sure that harper wrote it.

and then i remember why i was upset earlier today, and the expression is wiped off my face. i'll have to see her and thomas giggling and flirting all night, like we're in high school or something.

gag me with a spoon.

"this place is fancy," mark mumbles, looking around the lobby before stepping into the elevator.

"don't get me fired, mark," i sigh as i push the fifth floor button. "you can't really get drunk at these things."

"what if i do?"

grayson and i look at each other and nod.

"we leave and pretend we don't know you."

it's a joke, obviously. for now. if he does end up doing something stupid, we might just ditch him in the men's restroom and claim we've never seen him before in our lives.

"alright, fine," mark gives us an eye roll. "i won't drink more than i can handle."

"good."