PEACH :: ETHAN DOLAN

QUATORZE

Ethan sat on the bed of the room he and Alondra had had sex in, feeling... strange. It was the first room that was open, and sure it was clean, but everything in there felt dirty.

He couldn't look around without picturing her, the way she looked that night, which was making him increasingly uncomfortable. It was a good memory normally, but with the way they were arguing right now? Awkward. She looked to be dealing with the same memories.

"What did you want to talk about?" She sighs after a moment. "And why are you so drunk?"

"Because I'm an idiot," Ethan mumbles, falling backward to stare up. "I was so rude to you earlier at school. You were just trying to see if I was okay and I was so mean. I don't know how to control my feelings anymore."

Alondra leans on her arm, facing him. He was staring up at the ceiling and watching it spin, lips pouted. "You're dealing with a lot, E. I know you didn't mean it."

"Do you? Because you looked... you looked so hurt. And I never wanted to hurt you." Every word he said might've been slurred, but he was so sure of them. They were exactly the words he had been needing to get out for some time now.

"I never wanted to hurt you either, but sometimes things just happen." That was the understatement of the century. This whole year so far had just been filled with pain for Ethan. Things didn't just happen sometimes, they all fell at once and crushed him under the weight.

He felt so awkward around Alondra now, like he had truly ruined everything they once shared. "I miss you," he tells her, turning on his side and copying her position.

They got so close in such a short amount of time that they ended up burning out. It left Ethan with a still burning hole in his chest, he simply couldn't deal with it properly even if he tried. But it was hard for Alondra too.

It might not have seemed like it from the outside, but she was grieving her best friend--and he hadn't even died. So much had changed now though.

The light was tinted a pink-yellow tone again, and he watched it dance in her eyes as she looked back at him. Ethan's mind was racing--filled with thoughts of her, of Phoenix, of good times and bad. "Can I kiss you?"

Alondra's mouth fell open slightly as she looked at the drunk boy in front of her. Surely the alcohol was driving his inane actions, and he would regret it come morning.

"Ethan, I don't know if that's a good idea," she told him in earnest.

"That's--you didn't say no, Lonnie. Is it because I'm drunk? Because I can--I'll be okay," he mumbled, free hand grasping her chin. "Can I kiss you?"

As he repeated it, she felt herself weaken. She hadn't said no because she wasn't sure if she wanted to say no.

"...only for a minute," she warned, before immediately pressing her warm lips against his. He let out a small noise of surprise that was muffled against her mouth.

Alondra parts her lips slightly, sucking his bottom one between them before letting their tongues meet. He tasted distinctly of alcohol--it wasn't unpleasant, just noticeable and strong.

A chill shoots up both of their spines, Ethan's hand gripping her tightly as to keep her close. He whines a little bit as she pulls back too soon, breathless. "That was such a bad idea."

"Come make more bad decisions with me," he begs as she stands up. "Lon, I'm so drunk, I need you."

Ethan didn't even mean it in a sexual way, though he wouldn't exactly say no if she were up for it. He just needed her close.