masquerade ≠ ethan dolan

twelve

Work phone lighting up, Clover sighs. She lets it ring, not answering the call from Ethan. After seeing him just over an hour ago, how that ended, she definitely couldn't talk to him again. He left another voicemail, and she would listen to it later.

Right now, she was on FaceTime with her dads. It was nice to talk to them, to have that distraction.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Anthony asked his daughter. Him and Charles could see the deep frown that was permanent on her face right now.

"Nothin', daddy. I'm just tired," Clover shrugs.

"Is it perhaps a boy? Maybe that one you've been spending so much time with?" Charles hums on the other side of the line. She hadn't directly told them about Ethan, but they put the pieces together.

Her frown deepens, "yes." They both wait for her to elaborate. "It-my job is causing some problems for us. We aren't really talking right now."

"Call him," her dad urges. "If you like him, don't lose him."

"I wish it was that simple, dad."

-

Clover doesn't listen to Ethan's voicemail that night. She can't bear the thought of hearing his hurt voice.

The next night however, at about seven, she gives in. She'd never been so weak before.

"Clover," his voice coughs through the phone. "I-I, fuck," she listens carefully, staring at his name on her phone screen. It sounded like he was in pain. "I got in an accident."

Her heart skips a beat.

Ethan got in a car accident last night. And she ignored his call.

"It's... bad," Ethan chuckles, sounding woozy. "I wanted to call you, just incase-I don't know. M'stuck, and my everything fucking hurts, and I miss you."

Clover couldn't take it. She grabbed her other phone, ordering an Uber. She didn't even know where he was, or if he was okay, but she had to find out.

"I'm sorry," his voice cracks. "I-ow, shit-"

And that was the end of the voicemail. She was about to go to work, but instead she texted Evelyn.

Clover: something personal came up
Clover: cancel all my meetings for the rest of the week. i can't come in. it's urgent

She shut her phone off as she climbed in the Uber, asking the driver to hurry. Her heart was in her throat.

Ethan could be at any hospital, he could be dead, she didn't know. But she went to his house, thinking even if he wasn't there, maybe Grayson would be.

Hands shaking, she knocked on their front door. Thankfully, a tired Grayson opened it.

"Clover?" He asked, shutting it and stepping outside. "What are you doing here?"

"Is he okay? I just heard his voicemail and I came right over-"

"He called you?" Grayson sighed. "He's... he's in his room. But, Clover, stop playing with him. Please."

"Yeah, I-thanks," she nods, rushing inside.

Clover was so mad at herself. If she hadn't been so stupid, so stubborn, maybe she could've been here sooner. Or if she hadn't left him like that yesterday, in such a bad place, maybe he wouldn't have crashed.

She realizes she isn't sure which room is his, but takes a hopeful guess at one of the closed doors. Luckily, it was right.

Ethan was lying in bed, facing the other way, but he looked okay. At least partially.

"Grayson, go the hell awa-Clover?"

"Hey, Ethan," she smiles sadly. He sits up slowly, not believing she'd actually come to see him.

He was wearing sweats and a hoodie, so she couldn't really tell how hurt he was, but he did have a cut across his forehead with stitches.

Ethan winces as he moves, mouth gaping. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I had to know you were okay," Clover mumbles, moving toward him. "Can I sit?"

Nodding, Ethan took in her appearance incase it was the last time he saw her. She'd instantly calmed down in his presence.

"What happened?" She sighs, taking a seat on his bed next to him. "You look like a mess."

Ethan lets out a loud, genuine laugh for what felt like the first time in two weeks. The laughter hurt his ribs, but he didn't care. "Thanks, Clover."

He was lucky to get out with mostly minor injuries. He was super sore, very tired, but he would be fine. They kept him overnight in the hospital, but let him come home this morning.

Ethan had cracked a couple of his ribs, got a few cuts from the glass, and totaled his car.

"They said I should've been worse," he shrugs. "It was my fault, I was stupid. I shouldn't have been driving so distracted."

"I'm glad you're okay," Clover smiles. And then she punches him in the arm.

"Ow! Fuck, what the hell?"

"You're such an ass! Do you know how scared I was? That voicemail was so uncool! You can't just call people and say that shit!"

"I'm sorry! I don't even really remember what I said," he whines, pouting at her. "Now my arm hurts."

Clover rolls her eyes and kisses the spot where she punched him, mumbling an apology. The way his voicemail ended, she wasn't sure if he would be okay when she found him.

"Clover?" Ethan asks quietly, getting a hum in response. "Can you stay? For a little while?"

"As long as you need me, E."

A/N

i love ending chapters on cheesy dialogue. they're done avoiding(for now?) finally <3

uploading two chapters at once again bc this one and the next one are a lil short!