Let's Get Ethan ✔

Chapter 36

The show was still playing on the television and Tim was still fighting demons as dictated by the TV guide. Both Aaron and James were in the kitchen probably starting a game of chess. Ethan crashed on the couch again, like he was used to doing. And, as always, Olivia sat beside him. Again, too close.

"You know what, I am thinking that one day I'll make it," Olivia said. Her eyes were friendly, her lips pressed together in eager anticipation. "And you will too. Promise me you won't give up on being a comedy writer?" she wagered, looking at him in the same serious manner he had been looking at her.

"Okay," he uttered. Then, they shook on it.

It was not long before they both went their separate ways. How he hoped that soon he would know what in the world he was doing.

For the first time, in a long time, he couldn't sleep. Like he was a little kid again and there was a monster under his bed, except the monster was in his head and he was an adult. Ethan knew that he ruminated quite a bit in the daytime, but it was never this way, never at night, never the way he was thinking about Olivia now. Love could keep him awake until morning if he let it. And eventually, he just stopped trying, a short stint of insomnia couldn't do that much damage, could it?

At first, Ethan thought that the reason he couldn't sleep was that he was sleeping in his new room, then he reasoned it was the temperature, the atmosphere, the lights flooding in from the street. Did Aaron ever close his blinds? Ethan knew though that this night was different, uncomfortable sleeping conditions had never stopped him from sleeping before, and that what he was dealing with was much more than minor annoyances, he had a crush.

He was thinking about this and realized that his crush was in the room right next to him.

"Fuck," he whispered in the smallest voice, what the hell had he done? What would he even do? He was in love with his roommate.

Then instantly thought of that stupid word Lincoln had introduced him to "floorcest." It was a term he had never thought about before, and it scared him that liking Olivia was a mistake, moving in was a mistake.

After all, you can't go forward with a relationship if you can't go back if they don't feel the same.

He woke up the next morning to realize he had one, fallen asleep eventually, and two, overslept by an hour.

In simplest terms, he was having a very bad morning, but thankfully Aaron was still at the house and he was just about to head out when Ethan asked him for a ride. Ethan was absolutely sure he had missed the bus, so the only other alternative was bothering Aaron.

"Dude, I really gotta go," Aaron said. He sighed, pinching his forehead. Ethan thought the guy was going to start stomping around like a giant or something, but he relented, "Ugh, fine, Ethan, just get ready."

He waved Ethan away before sitting down at the bottom of the steps.

"Thanks!" Ethan smiled running back up the steps to get ready. Aaron was officially the best roommate which wasn't hard to do considering the only competition was Lincoln, but nonetheless, Aaron's graciousness needed to be rewarded.

"When are you going to be done with classes?" Ethan asked once they were in the car, both ready for the first day of spring semester.

"Around two, why do you ask?" Aaron questioned Ethan suspiciously, his brows knitting together.

"I think we should get lunch on campus, I'll pay, it's the least I can do," Ethan suggested. Aaron smiled, then nodded.

"Hey, that sounds like a great idea, I'd like that, thank you," Aaron replied smiling. His eyes concentrating on the road hard. He was in driver mode, but he certainly looked happier. Ethan knew that sometimes being older and having more responsibilities than those around you can be a hardship. Aaron worked, Aaron drove, Aaron always seemed to be the go-to guy for everything. It also seemed to Ethan that Aaron was struggling financially. Aaron was always freaking out about buying small items, though he was frugal as most college students should be, it seemed he was genuinely hurting for cash.

Ethan could relate to that. In high school, while all his peers were going on vacations or partying, he was stuck at work, helping out his parents, or doing the best he could in school. When he came home afterschool it was work, homework, food, and sleep, no other muss in between. He was also the eldest and commonly had the most responsibility. Although that was nice at times, responsibility could only be so rewarding. Sometimes it was nice to let your guard down and just be a kid again.

"So, what were you and Olivia talking about last night?"

Ethan was caught off-guard by that question. 

Nonetheless, Ethan astutely said, "Nothing much, I was just wondering about a class."

"Well, that's funny, I distinctly remember her being the one to ask you to talk?" Aaron frowned at Ethan's obvious lies. For some reason everything with Olivia felt like a secret. It was not supposed to be talked about.

Ethan sunk into his car seat a little, being caught in his lies his face instantly turned into a tomato.

Context clues were like flare guns going off.

Ethan lifted his eyebrows in a questioning manner.

Aaron just shook his head, "I don't know if I should be telling you this, but I think she might like someone."

"Who?" Ethan asked agitated. Of course, the one person he turns out to be love in with is in love with someone else.

Aaron gave him a look of confusion.

"You. And don't you tell me you don't see it, you two are always right next to each other, she's always so nice to you, Ethan. And sure, she's always dressing up for no reason, but she just is always more so whenever we hang out together. I can't tell you that she does like you for a fact, hell, if she knew we were talking about this right now she'd be furious, she's very private about her relationships. And God knows why I know these things, but that girl likes you. And I'm just bringing this up to protect her. I don't think you're some player, or some shitty guy, but I just don't want this to end badly if you don't feel the same."

Impossible, just impossible.

"So, what now?" Ethan asked the atypical matchmaker, "we live together now. Don't you think she'd be careful not to get involved with someone she lives with? She doesn't like me."

"Well, I think she does. And what you do is not up to me. I have to ask; do you like her?"

Ethan looked away trying to hide his growing smile. If he was giddy right now, he would never admit that to anyone, especially not Aaron. 

"If you like her back and she says yes, happiness is a door away. If she says no, you get to eat Fruit Loops on the front porch," Aaron said smirking.

"So, now you're threatening eviction?" Ethan groaned.

"Who do you think I am, some sort of villain? Of course not, I brought a tent to school on the off chance I would go camping, you can live in our backyard due to embarrassment."

"Shut up, Aaron."

"Hey, not nice. And grow a pair," Aaron admonished while unbuckling his seatbelt. "Ask out Olivia, see if she's into you, if she's not it's not the end of the world. I just want two happy roommates," Aaron encouraged like a wise mage.

"Plus, no strange girlfriends in the house," Ethan said.

"Ethan, have you met you? You're about as wild as a cornflake," Aaron said with a chuckle. Ethan felt offended but knew it was true. The strangest girl he had ever met was Stephanie and he only wanted to be friends with her. "Highly doubt you'll be dating anyone that bugs me."

"James on the other hand," Aaron added his words wavering nervously.

"Guessing he's going to be bringing home girls all the time," Ethan said sarcastically remembering James hopelessly striking out at the party.

"Oh, you bet." Aaron laughed, "It is amazing, and I give him a lot of credit for this, but the guy has so much confidence for being rejected by about half of campus."

"Ethan, I just see you and Olivia working well together, that's all. If you think so too, I say go for it."

They had made it to school and Ethan was about thirty minutes late for his first lecture. He went anyway siding with the idea that maybe, just maybe, nobody would care, it was the first day, he could just say he went to the wrong class or feign traffic, which was true, the drive there was awful.