(y/n pov)
"What?" you asked. Ethan grinned at you through the rearview mirror.
"I'm getting married!" Your eyes widened a little as you sat up.
"To- to who?" Ethan smiled at you and you looked at Gray. "When did this happ-happen?" Gray gave you a small smile and turned back to the front as E kept driving.
"My fiancee?" he asked laughing. "I wanted to surprise you!" he said with a grin.
"I'm def-definitely surprised." And just when you'd thought you'd tell him you were in love with him. The odds really couldn't be any further away from your favour as they were now.
"Yeah?" You gave him a small smile. "I had a girlfriend- we kept like really lowkey, man, no one knows now, but like, her family, Gray, 'ma, you- who else?" He thought. "No one really, I wanted to tell you before we announced it." You smiled a little.
"How long have you been dating for?"
"Two years?" he asked, thinking. "Yeah, two-- almost three," he sighed. You nodded. "She's-- she's pregnant, that's why--" Your jaw dropped.
"Pregnant?" He nodded.
"Mhm." He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "You missed a lot while you were in college, y/n," he laughed, using your nickname. You gave him a small smile.
Gray caught the sadness in it. He turned to look at you. "You okay?" he asked quietly. E turned around, hearing him.
"Hey--" he began You gave them both a smile. "You look you're gonna throw up, bro," Ethan chuckled, getting ready to pull over.
"Oh no-- no, I'm good-- can you stop at a gas station, though, I have to piss," you whispered. E nodded and Gray kept looking at you.
"Sure-- yeah," E said. You thanked him. "So?" You looked up.
"So?" You asked. He smiled.
"Would you like to--" E paused. "I know you like all that shit, planning, organizing things-- you wanna be our wedding planner?" You almost let tears fall. You forced another smile.
"Sure, E-- congrats." He smiled and began to hum. "I'll give you a hug when we get back home," you whispered.
"Sure," he laughed. "I'm so fucking excited, y/n, I'm so fucking in love with her." You looked into your lap, fiddling with your fingers.
"I could really use that bathroom now, E."
He was quick to pull over at the next gas station and smiled. You nodded and gave him a little smile before getting out of the car. "I'm gonna get a popsicle or somethin' man," Grayson said, getting out too.
"Should I get gas?" Ethan asked, completely clueless. Gray nodded and shut the door, hurrying into the convenience store behind you.
He caught you before you could get to the bathrooms, not having to pee at all. "Y/N," he whispered, pulling you by the shoulder. He turned you around and pulled you into a tight hug.
You sobbed into his chest for a moment, letting it all out. He hugged you tight, in that Grayson way where he held you like he'd never let you go. "Shh," he whispered, rubbing your back.
"Gray-" You choked out, trying to pull away. He pulled you back in.
"I know, I know, it's okay," he whispered, a hand at the back of your head, holding you close to him. You kept crying, not giving a fuck.
When you could finally find words, they were still all choked up and broken. "Thre-e years, Gray, three," you whispered. Gray looked down at you. "I was gone for three years and he-he's getting mar-married." Gray rubbed your back some more. Up and down, up and down.
"I'm sorry."
"I was gonna- tell hi-him, tell him- later tonight," You whispered. Gray shut his eyes. "I was gon-na ask hi-him if he felt the sa-same way-"
"Y/N--"
"Since we were in the second grade, Gray!" You yelled, tears in your eyes. The cashier looked at you but you couldn't care less. "I've liked him for eighteen years, Grayson!" Grayson wiped at your face.
"He didn't know," Grayson whispered. Your heart sank. "I don't-- I don't know how, but he really, he really didn't know."
"Did you?" you asked. "Did you-you know I loved him?" Gray nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" Gray swallowed and you looked away, wiping at your face.
"He told me he wanted to surprise you," Gray whispered. You shut your eyes and pulled away from him completely. "And I really thought you- you would be okay by now."
"Okay?" you asked, sarcastically. You shook your head, tears threatening to fall again. "I really have to use the bathroom," you whispered. Gray nodded.
You headed out back and Gray stood there for a moment, unable to collect himself. He looked out the window to make sure E wasn't looking, and sure enough- he wasn't. He was staring at his phone, smiling.
Gray grabbed two popsicles and headed to the cashier, a man that had been so confused by the events that had just occurred. "Is she alright?" the man asked. Gray gave him a nod.
"Yeah, man, thanks." He took the popsicles back, denying a bag. What surprised Gray was how you'd had come back from the washroom, looking as if you'd done nothing but peed. Not a trace of sadness was on your face.
"Wow," Gray whispered, handing you a popsicle. You stared at it before taking it from him, ripping the packaging open. "You--"
"Not okay," you answered without having been asked.
"You look great, though-- you can't even tell--"
"Yeah, I've had to put up with how many girlfriends he's had?" you asked, your tone bitter. It wasn't aimed at Grayson at all, but he took it. "I just knew none of them would last-- thought I'd always make my way up there, you know?"
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah, well, at least now I know I really don't have a chance."
---
"You know," Ethan started with a sigh. You looked up from unpacking your bags. You were staying with Lisa and the twins in New Jersey, in the guest bedroom. "If you don't wanna plan, you don't have to."
"Oh no," you whispered. "No, I'd love to-- I'm honoured." He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe, watching you unpack for a moment.
"You just don't seem as excited as I thought you'd be," he said honestly. You looked up at him. You caught Gray walk behind Ethan but he just walked past and down the stairs. "And since we're having the wedding before she really starts to show, like, with her stomach and stuff, I don't want to, like, rush you--"
"I'll do it E, don't worry," you assured. "Venues, right, I'll start looking into a bun-"
"I really don't think you wanna do it," Ethan said. You looked up at him, dropping the t-shirts you were holding in your arms. "If you don't want to do it, just tell me, y/n, we can always hire--"
"I'm literally fucking telling you I'll do it!" you yelled. Ethan blinked and Grayson came back up to see what was happening. "Fuck, Ethan."
"Hey--" E said softly. You grabbed your pile of t-shirts again, heading to the dresser you'd used every time you stayed over. "Is everything okay--"
"E--" Gray called. Ethan ignored him. "Mom wants--"
"It's like you aren't even happy for me?" Ethan asked. You turned to him, after shoving those poor t-shirts into the drawer.
"I am happy for you Ethan," you said as calmly as you could. "You're getting married, you're having a child-- everything's happening for you, why wouldn't I be happy?" you asked. It came out a little more bitter than you'd wanted it to. Gray tried to step in again.
"E-"
"Then why do you keep, snapping at me?" Ethan asked. "Man, are you upset I didn't tell you-- I wasn't hiding it from you; I really just wanted to surprise you."
"I'm surprised. E, that's exactly it!" you yelled. He seemed taken aback. "I'm so fucking surprised."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I just don't get it, you know?" you asked. "You've known her for how long now- a few years?" He stared at you. "I've known you since the day we started kindergarten- since we were five, Ethan!"
"What's that gotta do with anything?"
"It's got to do with the fact that I'm fucking in love with you, Ethan!" He frowned. "I always have been and the fact that you've never noticed blows my mind!" Ethan winced.
"You've been what--"
"And the fact that I was gonna tell you I'm in love with you, tonight, maybe even this second, and you just had to be engaged?" You let out a sarcastic laugh that came out as more of a sob. "Fucking fantastic."
"Y/N," Ethan whispered. "Why didn't you-- I had no idea."
"That's my point, Ethan, that's my fucking point!" His fists clenched by his sides. "Even Grayson could see-- I bet your mom knew, E, everyone could see I was so fucking in love with you but you!"
"How's that my fault?" You wiped at your face. "How the fuck is any of this my fault, maybe if you'd just fucking said something-"
"Just said something?" you asked. "That's what I was gonna fucking do, Ethan, I was going to tell you toni-"
"Well, you're just a little fucking late aren't you?" Your arms dropped by your sides.
"Ethan!" Grayson yelled. Ethan turned. "Mom wants you."
Without another glance at you, he left the room storming down the stairs. It wasn't moments later that you heard the front door slam shut. You fell you your knees, sobbing even harder then you'd had just a few hours ago. Grayson came in.
"Y/N--" You shook your head, wiping at your eyes. He stopped walking towards you.
"Please Gray," you whispered. He looked down at you as you tried to pull yourself together again. "I really just want to be alone."