Time•EDxEC~Ethma•

three

Ethan >3

Ethan >3
2 weeks ago
Baby, please
I love you, hear me out.
Emma, I wouldn't do that.
Baby, I promise, I love you.
Give me chance to explain.
I can't do this, Emma, please.
Answer your phone, just talk to me.
I'm so sorry, baby.
I love you.
Read.

Emma's heart broke reading his messages, they were only some of the many he filled her phone with. He was actually innocent, and she ignored him this whole time.

After going through all her messages, Emma followed Ellie's instructions, and took a shower, changing into fresh clothes, and finally feeling clean again. She walked downstairs, to see her mum, cooking noodles in the kitchen.

"Hey mum" She mumbled, and Sophia's head whipped round in shock. She hadn't seen Emma in a while, never mind hearing her voice.
"Hey baby, you feeling okay? What did they tell you?" Her mum asked, concern in her voice as she lead Emma over to the island, sitting down on one of the stools.
"Ethan's innocent, he has been this whole time" Emma sighed, looking down at her hands.
"Em, that's not your fault." Sophia reassured, rubbing Emma's back as a tear left her eye, "you couldn't have known"
"But if I just let him explain, I would-"
"You can't blame yourself hunny, in that moment, you're heartbroken, you wanted to escape the situation, so that's what you did. It's expected. Yes, you could've known sooner, but it's not yours or Ethan's fault at all." She explained, kissing her head.
"Okay" Emma whispered, and looked up, meeting her mothers eyes.
"Now, can you please eat something?" She begged, and Emma nodded in reply.

It took awhile, but she was finally eating properly, and she finished her whole bowl of noodles. As much as Sophia wanted her to eat more, she understood that Emma was in a tough place, and it was going to be step by step.

Meanwhile, Grayson and Ellie has just got back to the house. He hugged her goodbye, leaving a small kiss on her forehead, before getting out of the car, and entering his house. He greeted his mum, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, before sitting down on the couch.

Lisa walked into the living room, handing Grayson a drink, before sitting down next to him.
"How'd it go?" She mumbled, watching as he took a sip from his cup.
"She knows, she wants to come round tomorrow" Grayson said, however he didn't sound as happy as Lisa expected.
"Tomorrow?! That's great, right? Why aren't you happy?" She frowned, and Grayson started shaking his leg up and down, anxiously.
"I'm scared, for Ethan" He mumbled, shaking his head and looking at her.
"Why? What's going on?" His mum asked, confusion laced in her voice.
"Emma said she may not be ready to get back with him yet, she's still trying to figure things out for herself, and she doesn't know if she can trust him again"
"Oh" Lisa sighed, starting to realise what he meant.
"Ethan's going to be so excited to know she's coming to see him, he's finally going to get his chance to explain, and get her back. But, when he does, he'll be heartbroken again when he finds out that getting back together isn't what she wants"
"But at least he'll know she knows, that's reassurance, right?" Lisa spoke, trying to brighten things up.
"It'll ruin him, mum, I can't see Ethan like it anymore" He cried, his eyes welling with tears.
"I know, Gray, I know, and I hate it as much as you. But she loves him, and he undoubtedly loves her too, so they'll find a way back to each other, they always do" She shrugged, stroking his back.
"Do you think I should tell him now?"
"Yeah, he deserves to know"

Grayson stood up, thanking his mum for the advice, before making his way to Ethan's room. He stopped nervously, his sweaty palm resting on the handle, and took a deep breath. When he realised it was locked, Grayson knocked on the door hesitantly, waiting for an answer.

"Leave me alone, I'm fine" Ethan growled, from inside the room.
"E, please, let me in" He spoke, his voice quiet.
"Gray, please, I'm okay" His brother reassured, trying to get him to leave.
"Ethan, it's about Emma" Grayson mumbled, listening to hear movement inside the room.

Suddenly, the door swung open, causing an odour of sweat and alcohol to pour out. He looked around the room, watching as his brother walked back over to his bed, crawling into his sheets, and turning away.

Around the room, there were empty beer bottles and cans sprawled over the floor, and many covering his bedside tables. There was stacks of plates, cups and cutlery on his desk, and clothes over the floor.

Ethan's room was usually dark anyway, but it looked like there hadn't been life in there for years. It felt empty, lonely, dead and smelt like it too. He thought Emma's room was bad, but coming into Ethan's was painful.

It hurt Grayson to see his brother in such a way, so broken, and so vulnerable. He'd never known him to drink this much, or to become the person that was lay in front of him. He didn't recognise this Ethan, he didn't know his own brother anymore.

And Ethan, well, he looked worse than the room itself. His eyes were puffy and swollen, and his face was red, almost the same as the night Emma left him at the party. It seemed he hadn't been sleeping either, as his eye bags were heavy on his face.

He had grown facial hair, which was unusual to Grayson, because usually Ethan hated stubble. His hair was a huge greasy flop, which hadn't been touched in weeks, and he smelt terrible.

Grayson looked down at his brother, snuggled up into his sheets and practically falling apart in front of his very eyes, and all he could seem to say was,

"She wants to see you, bro"

••••

1014 words

💭

Hehe cliffhanger hoes :)