Tis the Damn Season | Ethma

1

Emma

"You should go," Ashlynn said. "It'll be good for you."

"But what if he's there?"

"Didn't Grayson say Ethan's out of town that weekend?"

I sighed. "Yeah," I said. "He did. But what if he ends up being there anyway?"

"You're gonna have to face him at some point, Em."

"I wasn't planning to this soon."

"He's not even gonna be there. And it sounds pretty important to Grayson that you'll be there."

"Yeah," I said. "I guess I should."

The thing is, Grayson invited me to an awards banquet for his internship. He really wanted me to be there, and even promised that Ethan wouldn't be. Still, I was skeptical that Ethan was gonna be there. Why wouldn't he be there for his twin?

And why would Grayson want me there instead of Ethan?

I really wasn't planning on seeing Ethan anytime soon. I mean, after everything that happened I just don't know how I'm ever gonna be ready for that again.

Our breakup was messy, and even I still don't really even know what happened. We were fine, and then one by one things started happening.

He'd get mad at me because I was busy with homework, or I'd get mad at him because he wouldn't text me back when he was out partying with Grayson.

Then we started fighting about it, and then he said that maybe we shouldn't be together anymore.

Long distance didn't work for us, and now we don't work anymore.

Ethan and I haven't talked since we broke up, but I've still been on good terms with Grayson.

Gray was actually the first to call and check on me when Ethan called it quits on us.

It's not like I don't still love Ethan or anything. I do. I really do. But things don't always work out, and one of those things was us.

Grayson said I could stay in their guest room that weekend because my mother was gonna be out of town and didn't have an extra set of keys to her house.

I flew home to New Jersey that Friday, and Grayson picked me up from the airport. Honestly, it felt good to see him again, but my gut just knew Ethan would be there that weekend.

Grayson showed me around their apartment, then leaving me alone to get settled in the guest room.

It was actually a pretty big apartment. Two bathrooms, and three bedrooms. A nice sized living room, a kitchen and small dining space and a little terrace.

-

Ethan

I was planning on surprising Grayson by being there for his ceremony. I told him I wasn't able to be there because of an event going on in the city for my internship, but it got postponed.

To tell you the truth, I had no idea Emma was gonna be there. Grayson didn't tell me.

I think that's why he was so surprised when I got home.

There's two things you need to know about this.

First, I wasn't over Emma. I tried to be, but I wasn't. Even if I was the last to admit it, I damn well knew I wasn't over her.

The second was that I did have a new girlfriend. Her name was Jess, and I met her through my internship. She was from upstate New York.

Jess and I were planning on spending the weekend together, so she came back to New Jersey with me. I usually commuted to the city for internship stuff.

Little did I know that Emma would be here, and little did Grayson know that I would be here, let alone that I was bringing my girlfriend.

My girlfriend that wasn't Emma.

Grayson didn't tell me that Emma was there until after I realized Emma was there.

Jess was sitting in the living room when I got up to get us both some water, and in the kitchen was none other than Emma Chamberlain.

Her eyes widened in shock as I went towards the fridge, and grabbed two bottles of water. I closed the fridge, giving Emma a little nod before I walked away.

I don't know why it didn't occur to me that she was surprised I was there. Grayson probably told her I wouldn't be, and he probably didn't tell me she was coming both for a reason.

Emma and I weren't exactly on friendly terms anymore. It sucks, but it's true.

As I sat back down by Jess, handing her a water, I saw Emma walk to the hallway, then down to the guest room.

"Is that Grayson's girlfriend?" Jess asked.

"Uh no," I said. "He doesn't have a girlfriend. She's just one of our friends."

"Oh," she said. "Okay. Are you close?"

"Grayson is, but I'm not."

"Did you used to be?"

"Something like that," I said, taking a sip of my water.

Grayson sort of saved the day when someone knocked on the apartment door, and then our friend Josh from middle school arrived.

Josh was one of our best friends in middle school, but his family moved states right before high school started. We only get to see him once in a while, but he's someone Grayson and I have always been able to depend on if we needed him.

"I'll be right back," Grayson said to Josh. "I want you to meet Emma."

Is that why Grayson didn't tell me Emma was gonna be here? So he could set her up with Josh?

Sure, I had a new girlfriend, but I didn't like her as much as I liked Emma when we were together. Jess was more of the hookup that lasted more than a week and then turned into half a relationship.

We weren't serious, but it was nice to have someone to fill the lonely void I felt without Emma.

Who am I kidding? It can't be filled without Emma. Not even halfway.

But at least Jess could keep me company. Sometimes having someone to talk to was good.

I used to tell Emma everything, but now I tell Jess less than the half of it.