Cover Girl

𝗍һіr𝗍ᥡ-᥆ᥒᥱ - mᥲ𝗍𝗍ᥱ᥆

Ethan and I were sitting on the bed, not really talking.

It had been awkward since we had made up, but I was just glad to have him back.

I heard the loud slam of the floor, immediately flinching at the rumble.

I looked at Ethan before making my way downstairs.  I rushed down the stairs and glanced at Faye, knees hugged to her chest, her sobbing into her hands.

My brotherly instinct immediately kicked in, sending me down to the ground with her.  She gasped for every waking breath.  Tears welled in my eyes but I tried so hard to push the back.  We both collapsed into each other's arms as she sobbed into my shoulder.

I caught a glimpse at Ethan watching in worry.  I tried to tell him I didn't know what was going on with my face but came to the realization that I'm not very good at that.  In the end, he just stayed, watching me try not to cry, and Faye completely break.

*********

After a while, Faye's sobs diminished to hiccups.  I don't want to let go.  I wanted to take away all of the pain.  I could tell from her eyes that she was completely exhausted.

I held her up and took her to her bedroom.  Her feeble body collapsed onto the bed, and I pulled the covers over her.  I kissed her forehead, telling her goodnight, before leaving the room.

Ethan was in my room when I got there.  As soon as I saw him, I collapsed into his arms.

There's something about seeing the people you grew up with at their breaking point.  So much builds up over time and it gets so overwhelming that you crack.  Piece by piece, parts of you you get broken off, but you're too damaged to fix them. It's like you're drowning.  Every time you think you're saved, something shoves your head back under the water.  Clawing your way out but each wave takes you deeper down.  It's so consuming. Like someone is covering you up, suffocating you by surprise. Wrapping their hands around your throat.

I fell to my knees, Ethan coming down with me.

She's breaking. Right in front of me.  Something happened. And I don't know what.

That's the part that hurts the most.

I don't know how to help.

***********

I woke up in the comfort of my bed, clinging tightly to my best friend.

I sprung up to the realization in my mind.

It's Halloween.

I shook Ethan rapidly until he woke up.

"What the hell do you want?" He asked groggily.

"It's Halloween," I told him excitedly.

"So what?"

"What do you mean so what?  Halloween's your favorite."

He looked up into my eyes, searching for something.

"Yeah," he said softly, his eyelids attempting to close in on themselves, "it is."

I pulled him out of bed and got ready for school.

**********

School was uneventful, like the typical day.  I got multiple invites to the same Halloween party that I hadn't planned on attending.

I was on my way with home, Ethan in the passenger seat. 

When we were kids, Halloween was always the best day of the year.  Dressing up as our favorite characters, free food, trading candy, staying up late, scary movies, all of it.  We did it all.  Freshman year was our last year of trick-or-treating, considering the countless dirty looks we got from all the houses.  Sophomore year, we still dressed up, but we handed out the candy instead.  In the modern years, I've noticed people going one of two ways.  Either the best costumes ever or the most simplistic.  Ethan and I's were never simple.

I pulled into my driveway, saying goodbye to Ethan, and making my way inside.  We had concluded to meet at six, an hour before kids would show up.

Brielle came over soon after. We both sat on the couch and talked for hours before Faye decided to grace us with her presence.

Once I found it nearing our designated time, I told Brielle goodbye and rushed up to my room to put on my costume. It was simple, but amazing.

Faye grimaced at me as she took in my look. I decided to ignore it in my love of Halloween and walked over to my best friend's house.

He opened the door before I could walk up the stairs and I smiled seeing his matching costume.

"Hey Matteo," he grinned back.

We walked to his living room and conversed about the meaningless until we heard the first knock.

Ethan stood up and came back minutes later with a couple bags.

He opened them and the sight of the wings almost made me drool.

I picked up a Buffalo wing, devouring within seconds.

I heard the doorbell once more and began to stand up.

"Wait!" Ethan told me, yanking my arm back into the couch. He turned my face to look my in the eye. I couldn't feel my breath circulating and began to grow concerned as he took his thumb to the corner of my lips. He showed me the sauce of his finger, smiling shyly. "You just had something in your face," he stuttered quietly. I looked at him again, furrowing my eyebrows, and it wasn't until the doorbell rang again that our staring contest came to an end.

I opened up the door to see a Spider-Man and a witch. Basic.

I handed them both only one piece of candy for their lame costumes and went back to sit with Ethan. I felt like we were sitting much closer, but it seemed to have been the same length.

We both silently ate and answered the endless ringing of doorbell for the rest of the night.

At the end of the night, Ethan hugged me goodbye, holding onto me tightly.

I walked back to my house and into my room, collapsing onto my bed. I was so tired, but also trying to pinpoint the sick-like feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was something I'd never felt before.

I wanted to not dwell to much on if and turned off my lamp. My eyes slowly shut and I fell into my restless slumber.

QOTD: Do you believe in astrology signs?

Word Count: 1049