happy endings don't exist : e.d

Chapter Eight

Jordyn's POV
A few days later

Ethan told me what Grayson was thinking about these past few weeks and I told Ethan that Willow thinks Grayson's going to break up with her.

I walked into Ethan's room and he was at his desk doing math homework, hmm that's new.

"Hey I just called Willow, Riley, and Matt. They'll be over in five minutes." I stood in his doorway. He nodded and began to put his stuff away.

I asked Grayson to walk downstairs and wait for me on the couch. He also nodded and came down right when the doorbell rang. I let in all of our friends and they sat on the couch. Ethan walked downstairs and stood in front of them with me.

"What are we doing here?" Grayson groaned.

"So Christmas break is starting this weekend." Ethan started and looked at me to continue.

"We were thinking that we could all head over to Matthew's parents' beach house and spend the week there, only if that's okay with your parents of course." I looked at Matthew and he smiled.

"I'm down for that!" Riley basically jumped in her seat, she was always excited for us to hang out.

"I'd have to ask, but I think it'll be fine." Matt informed us. Ethan and I smiled at each other.

"Is that okay with you guys?" Ethan looked at Grayson and Willow. Grayson rolled his eyes and Willow nodded. "I'll take that as a yes from both of you."

Grayson stood up and walked up to his room and Willow sighed. I gave her a reassuring smile and called for her and Riley to come up to my room.

We all sat on my bed and Willow sighed. Riley knew something was up, but she didn't know what was fully going on.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her and tears weld up in her eyes.

"He's so mad." She started to cry. I let out a small sigh, not because I was annoyed, but because I didn't want her to feel this way. "Didn't you hear how angry he was about spending time with all of us?"

"Willow, honey, it's not your fault. He's just being an asshole. He's just in a mood." I tried to convince her.

"No he's not, Jordyn!" She slammed her hands down on my bed. "He's never been like this before."

"Willow, look," Riley took Willow's hands into hers. "I've never had a real relationship like you guys, but I do have brothers. Whenever there's a rough patch in their relationships, it's hard for sure, but they eventually work through it and in the end, it's okay. I know it's hard to take that in and believe it, but trust me, everything is going to be alright. You just have to push through it. Maybe when the times right, you guys will talk it out." She gave a reassuring smile.

Riley has a way of saying things. Whatever she says, it just makes you really think. It doesn't even have to be good advice, whatever she says just sticks to you.

Willow didn't say anything for a little while. She squeezed Riley's hands every once in a while and stared at all twenty fingers.

I, on the other hand, stood up from the bed and leaned against the door.

"Do you guys think I should talk to him?" Willow finally spoke up. Riley then looked to me and I raised my eyebrows.

"Honestly, yeah." I nodded. "Maybe wait a day or two, so he has time to maybe calm down."

She nodded and wiped her tears. "I think I want frozen yogurt." She slightly smiled and we all laughed. I opened the door and walked downstairs. Of course we had to get frozen yogurt, she's been crying for days.

"E, we're gonna head out for a bit." I yelled through the kitchen, into the living room. He nodded and smiled at me. "Let's go ladies." We got into Riley's car.

Ethan's POV

"Ellie?" I asked Matthew and he shook his head. I was trying to help him decide who he could like. He seems a little desperate.

I chuckled when I thought of the next name. "Riley?" He began to shake his head, but then hesitated to continue. "Riley?!" I repeated a little louder.

"She's cute." He shrugged his shoulders.

"I can make that happen." I raised my eyebrows and Grayson came down the stairs with puffy eyes.

"Gray, you okay?" Matthew stood up and I followed. He nodded lightly and grabbed a Costco sized bag of popcorn. His head was down towards the ground the entire, obviously not wanting us to see that he's been crying.

"Grayson, please talk to us." I walked towards him and grabbed the bag from him. He shook his head and turned around so his back faced us. "Grayson." I said again, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"I can't." He shook his head again and tried walking away but I grabbed his arm.

"Grayson, please just talk to me." I said and he just stood there, away from me, for a few seconds before turning around and immediately wrapping his arms around me and sobbing in my shoulder. I honestly wasn't expecting it.

"I don't want to deal with this." He squeezed my shoulders. "I'm making her cry and then that makes me cry. I don't know what to do, Ethan."

"Okay, okay. Grayson." I tried to calm him down. I was good at calming Jordyn down but I didn't have much practice with my brother.

I walked him over to the living room and Matthew grabbed a box of tissues we have lying around. I sat on the couch with him by my side and tried to get him to talk.

"What's wrong?" I finally asked.

"I don't want to hurt her, but she's hurting me." I shook my head, confused on what he said. "She liked you first!" He admitted and I sat back to sigh.

"Willow had a crush on you?" Matthew looked and me and I nodded. "Wow."

"Grayson she doesn't like me. She's with you-"

"To get to you!" He yelled.

"That's not true, Gray. She loves you. She's crying over you because she cares."

"I make her cry." He raised his voice. God damn it.

"Grayson, she's upset because she thinks she did something seriously wrong." Matthew sat on the floor.

"I fucked up." He stood up and walked upstairs to his room. I sighed and sat back on the couch. I hate seeing my brother sad and there's nothing I can do to fix it.