there's no way | ethma

Twenty One

"Isn't it good?" Ethan asked.

I nodded, taking another long sip of my coffee. "I love it."

"Me too. This place saved me in high school. My schedule was so crazy that if I didn't have coffee, I would have a really bad day."

"That's how I feel about the coffee shop where I went to high school. I went there every day like my life depended on it. I went twice a day sometimes."

"Who would've thought we'd be so similar, Em?"

"Besides you being a Red Sox fan, yeah we are similar."

"I thought we were Dodgers fans now." He whined. I giggled at him.

"Ethan, we are. I'm just teasing you about the stupid Red Sox."

"Hey, the Red Sox aren't stupid. We won the World Series in 2018."

"So did the Giants in 2014 and 2012."

"And we got 2013. The Dodgers last won in 1955."

"Doesn't mean we lose hope. Their time is coming, E."

"Right." He said, finishing his coffee. We left the café, and I took my cup to go, and we headed back to Ethan's house.

"Hey, kids. How was the rest of your day?" Lisa asked.

"It was good. We went to the laser tag place, then the arcade, and I won Emma this bear. I also took her to the coffee shop." Ethan said.

I smiled. "It was very fun."

"Good. I'm glad you like New Jersey, Emma."

"Thank you."

"It's nice having you here."

I smiled. "Thanks for letting Joey and I stay here for the holiday."

"You're always welcome, dear."

Ethan's family is the best.

Anyway, Ethan took me upstairs, and we found Joey and Grayson playing video games in the tv room.

"Hey, guys." Grayson said, focusing on the game.

"Hey." Ethan and I responded.

"What's up?" Joey asked.

"We went laser tagging, and arcading, and we got coffee." Ethan said.

"It was so much fun." I added, sitting down next to my brother on the couch.

"Joey's been talking to a girllllllll." Grayson taunted.

I raised my eyebrows at Ethan before turning to Joey.

"Is this someone I know?" I said, smiling at Joey. His face turned red, and he nodded.

I gasped. "Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?"

"It's Olivia." Grayson answered for Joey.

I jumped up. "I knew that you two were a thing!"

"I guess. It's not too big of a deal. We're just talking."

"Oh come on, Joe. You've known Olivia since she was twelve. You already know everything about her. She's always been a sister to me. Especially when mom and dad died."

"I know, sis. We're all adults now. She's grown up, and I like her."

"Awe. That's so cute. I can't believe Olivia didn't tell me about this."

"She was scared that you weren't gonna be happy about it."

"I have a phone call to make." I said, smiling as I ran out of the room and down the hall to Ethan's.

I shut the door and called Olivia, and we both gushed over the juicy details of her talking to Joey, and what Ethan and I have been up to on the trip. You know, the usual girl talk.

Olivia was basically my sister, and we always told each other everything since seventh grade.

So, we chatted about all of the tea going on in our lives, and eventually we hung up the phone.

I went back to the tv room, and I sat next to Ethan, who put his arm around me.

The boys were watching a movie.

It was a scary movie, so Ethan tightened his grip around my waist every time something scared me, and he played with my hair when I buried my face onto his chest.

He was my protector, and I loved that about him.