Alps ✰ Ethma

THIRTY SEVEN

"Wow, such a romantic." I complimented, turning my head back to look at him as he gave me a cheesy smile. I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head & looking away as my eyes searched for the hot tub. I spotted it in the corner of the room, steam emitting from it as it bubbled with heat. My eyes lit up & I walked over to the smaller tub, stepping up the few steps.

I heard a small & angry scoff come from behind me as I felt fingertips lightly graze the sides of my lower back. I tilted my head back to see Ethan who was gazing in the direction of where he was brushing his fingers.

"There's even fingerprints on your back." He said bluntly, his eyes now a darker shade as they flicked up to meet my brighter ones.

"I know." I mumbled sadly, bringing a hand up to run through my wet hair. His eyes moved back down to the small bruises, thick eyebrows furrowing deeply. "Hey," I said softly, bringing his chin up with my pointer finger, "it's in the past. There's nothing you or me can do about it." He nodded slowly, the muscles in his face relaxing a little. I gave him a gentle smile & dropped my hand, turning back around.

I slowly stepped down into the hot water & sighed as it wrapped my tense muscles in a comforting heat. I made my way to the other side of the tub & sat down slowly, relaxing as the water bubbled up to my collarbones. Ethan stepped in then, an audible sigh leaving him as he sunk into a sitting position across from me in the hot water. I gave him a lazy smile & he returned it with the same amount of effort.

"I wonder how Grayson's doing." I mentioned genuinely & Ethan visibly tensed a little.

"Yeah, I wonder if he still hates me." He retorted & my eyelids lowered at him as I kicked him in the leg.

"Shuddup, I'm sure he doesn't." I spoke, receiving a shrug & another sigh from him.

"I bet that when we get back home from this trip, he's literally gonna give me the same look that he did when he was done yelling at me." He stated & I rolled my eyes.

"He will not. You'll be fine, he'll get over it. He didn't tell you he was gay for awhile and you got mad, but you still got over it. Just like he will about this. It's the same thing." I explained & he scoffed, looking of to the side.

"Yeah, except, Gray didn't keep his homosexual self a secret for three years." He added & I pursed my lips. He did have a point, & Grayson was really mad.

Emma

Flashback

Wednesday, Just Got Back From Her House

"Care to explain why you didn't tell me?" Grayson's voice suddenly snapped as Ethan & I walked past the living room of their house. I turned my head in confusion at the question, seeing Grayson sitting carefully on the couch so his ribs wouldn't hurt.

"Explain what?" Ethan asked, setting my suitcase down against the wall of the hallway & furrowing his eyebrows at his twin. Grayson scoffed.

"Are you fucking serious?" Grayson exclaimed & Ethan raised his eyebrows.

"Woah, dude, chill. I don't even know why you're mad." Ethan said, putting his hands up in fake offence.

"I'm not mad, Ethan, I'm confused. Confused as to why you didn't even bother to tell your own fucking twin that our dad is abusing you and has been for awhile?!" Grayson accused & my eyebrows rose as I leaned against the living room wall, this not being my fight.