Time•EDxEC~Ethma•

twenty seven

Grayson hadn't been answering his phone since sending that message, and Emma was beginning to panic. She knew exactly how he had found out, even though she asked Ellie not to tell anyone until Emma had chance to speak to them herself. That didn't matter to her right now. All that mattered was making sure her friendship was okay.

Emma hadn't been to the twin's house in a while, well not since the break up at least. Usually, she'd have anxiety about seeing Ethan with Hannah, but she had learnt to come to terms with it. She got into her car and raced off to his house, after leaving 9 missed calls and worrying about what to do. Minutes later, Emma parked up at the twins', speeding to their front door and letting herself in like she used to.

She was immediately greeted with Lisa, who held a surprised expression on her joyful face. She never realised how much she missed Lisa until seeing her again, and realised that leaving her behind too would hurt more than she'd expected. Leaving Lisa Grayson Cameron and even Ethan, is like leaving your own family behind.

Heart breaking.

"Em!" Lisa greeted happily, pulling her into her embrace, "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too" I whispered, loud enough for her to hear.

"Gray told me about what happened with Ethan" She explained, pulling away from emma, and walking to the kitchen island, "i'm so sorry for what he did to you"

"it's okay, really, all I ever wanted was for him to be happy. If he's happier with her, then I'm happy for them" Emma spoke, with a sad smile.

"you're a good kid em, better than most people. I just hope you can find someone that gives you the love my son couldn't"

"thank you Lisa. For everything you've ever done for me" her voice cracked, as tears welled, "you're family, and there's nothing i could do to prove how thankful I am for having you in my life"

"oh em, come here!" she cried, "you have no idea how much that means to me"

After her emotional chat with Mrs Dolan, Emma went up to Grayson's room, not even giving Ethan's door a glance as she walked past. Her knocks echoed through the empty corridor, before she slowly opened his door. There he lay, snoring quietly as his large body was sprawled over his bed, with his phone face down on his desk.

Emma chuckled at him, remembering how she'd come over to see him every night to see the same thing most of the time. She sat down on the other side of his bed and shook him lightly, waiting for him to wake up. He began to stir, and his eyes slowly opened, a smile climbing on to his face when he saw her.

"Elmo" his soft raspy voice said, as he pushed himself to sit up, while fixing his hair.

"Gray, we need to talk" she told him, as he nodded in reply, his smile turning to a frown.

Silence filled the room for a minute, and emma lay down next to him, with a decent distance between them.

"I know Ellie told you I'm leaving" Emma sighed, staring at his ceiling.

"I know you wanted to tell me yourself, but she completely broke down when she came to see me, and accidentally told me" he explained, "but why are you going?"

"A fresh start. This place, it's holding me back, with all the bad memories"

"but you have good ones too" he said with hope, and emma smiled at the thought.

"I just can't be here, with all the bad things that have happened" A tear fell from her eye, an immense feeling of guilt and sadness for lying to him washing over her.

"so you just leave us all behind?" Graysons voice was sharp, with a hint of anger.

"I don't expect you to understand, and I know it hurts you" Emma's voice was quiet, as she turned to look at him.

"of course it hurts em, you're my best friend and I'll probably never see you again" His eyes burnt from holding back his tears, and you could see the hurt behind them.

"I'm going to miss you" she truthfuly told him, "you should tell Ethan that I forgive him"

"he doesn't deserve it em" Grayson's jaw locked, anger replacing the sadness clear in his eyes.

"its only fair. He didn't mean to hurt me, and he put himself first, I can't be mad about that" she explained.

"you can! He's a dick, and you shouldn't forgive him, he's the whole reason you're leaving me anyway" He shouted, his face red with rage.

"I forgive him, and you should too" her soft voice spoke, noticing his expression was still mad, "Gray, please"

"okay, I'll tell him, but I'm still not over it." His eyes softened along with his voice, "Hannah of all people too"

"If he loves her, you should support it G" Emma advised.

"She's so rude though" Grayson groaned, rolling his eyes and making her laugh, "she doesn't even like mum's mac and cheese"

"she deserves to be burnt at the stake! Lisa's mac and cheese is to die for!" she gasped, making him chuckle before they went silent again.

"you won't ever have it again" he whispered, as a tear escaped his eye.

"Don't think like that Gray" She told him, standing up from his bed, "how about we go ask her if she can make some for dinner?"

He nodded with a childish grin on his face before asking, "and Ethan?"

"he can join too, I told you, I'm over it" Emma shrugged.

"anything else I can do for you your highness" he joked, sitting up on his bed.

"give me a hug, idiot" she told him, and he scrambled to his feet inviting her into his arms, "thanks for being the world's best best friend"

"It's not over yet" he softly smiled, before dragging her downstairs for Mac and cheese.

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