The One That Got Away - Ethan Torchio Fanfic

Waiting for a Friend

I guess Monday doesn't suck that much if it comes with a new chapter.
Hope you enjoy!
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That night I couldn't sleep, and when the clock marked 7 am, I decided it was pointless to stay in bed and called the only person I knew would be awake as well.
"I shouldn't be picking up your call since you forgot to call me last night." A sleepy Elle quickly responded on the other side of the line.
"I didn't call you because I was busy." I rolled my eyes, walking towards the kitchen to prepare some coffee. "And, I know is too early, but I need you to do me a favor, you're the only person I trust."
"Busy doing what? And what do you need me to do." After yawning loudly on the phone, I could hear her moving around.
"So, after talking with Victoria, she suggested that I wrote an apology letter to Ethan, so I did it and now I need you to deliver it to their hotel." I bit down my bottom lip, holding my cup of coffee as I walked towards the living room.
"Okay, I'm already getting dressed so I'll be there in ten." I almost choked on my coffee when she said that.
"Wait, really? You aren't going to fight me on this?" I blinked a few times, still surprised.
"Girl, if this is going to help you to get out of this state of mind, I'm in!" I shook my head, chuckling lightly.
"Thank you! I owe you a big one!" I nodded, drinking my coffee while I sat out the window.
"Oh, I'll make sure that you repay me."

As promised, Elle collected the envelope ten minutes after our conversation. Two hour later and with no sign of Elle, I was anxiously pacing around my living room, wondering what took her so long to come back.
Just when I was about to call her, I heard her knocking con my door.
"What took you so long?" I quickly opened the door without looking, and turned to walk inside, knowing that Elle would follow me inside.
"Is that how you welcome your guests to your home?" I turned around with my eyes wide open, looking at Victoria who was walking inside followed closely by Thomas and Elle.
"I... I didn't know that you were coming." Still surprised I stood in the middle of the living room, my gaze traveling from Victoria to Thomas and Elle, who was looking at me apologetically.
"I run into them at the hotel hall, and Victoria insisted to come." Nodding, I quickly offered them some coffee and tea before walking back to the living room.
"Ethan has your letter, well Damiano has it since he was with us when we ran into Elle." Victoria nodded, sitting down while Thomas went straight to my record collection, just like Victoria did the day before. "Damiano will make sure that he reads it."
"Thank you, you guys didn't have to do this for me, you owe me nothing." I nodded, smiling softly while I leaned back against the couch.
"We were friends once, and yeah you fucked it up big time, but you also helped us when no one gave a shit about us, so..." Thomas shrugged lightly, giving me a half smile before glancing back at the records.
"Look, we still have pending conversations and some healing to do, but you were an important part of our life." I looked up at Victoria who was moving closer, resting her hand on my shoulder. "We never wanted to lose you so, and I can only speak for myself but, if there's a possibility to fix this, then I wouldn't mind to have my French friend back."
"I wouldn't mind to have my Italian friends back either." I nodded lightly, smiling as my eyes traveled from Thomas to Victoria. "No matter what happens today, I won't let that change and take our friendship away again."
"What's supposed to happen today?" Thomas walked towards the couch, sitting down next to Victoria while he lit a cigarette.
"Oh, I forgot to mentioned it." I reached for my cup of coffee, taking a sip of it. "So, apart from apologizing and giving an explanation on my letter, there are some things that I think I should tell him in person, so I asked him to meet me at my favorite place this afternoon."
Thomas and Victoria exchanged a look that I well knew what meant, they didn't think that Ethan would show up, neither did I, but a little part of me hoped that the contents of the letter resonated with him somehow.
"Are you ready to accept his rejection?" Thomas asked me, stretching lightly his legs as he made himself comfortable on the couch.
"Yes, I'm kind of convinced that he won't come, that's why I said that what happens today won't change my wish to fix our friendship." I nodded, glancing at Elle who had been in silence since the three of them had arrived. "The situation is already fucked up, and I've been a mess for days since I saw you on tv, so it can't get worse."

We spent the rest of the morning talking about everything we both had missed from our lives since we last saw each other, they told me about the tours, the writing and recording of the second album and their newfound worldwide success since they won Eurovision. I told them about college, my favorite subjects and my work at the gallery as an 'art hunter', although what I loved most was able to explore the city looking for new talent.
I started getting ready an hour before the date, leaving Thomas and Victoria with Elle at the living room while she bombarded them with a million questions about our time together in Rome.
After doing my hair and make up, I stood in front of my closet, debating what should I wear, it had to be something that would remind him of the the Amélie he knew, but also that would show him the new me.
"Wear the red dress we got you for your birthday with the black leather jacket and the black ankle boots." Elle was standing at the door, looking at me with a soft smile on her lips. Nodding, I quickly changed into the outfit she had picked for me and looked at my reflection on the mirror.
"You have to wear this too." Victoria walked into the room, grabbing a black beret from the hat stand and carefully putting on my head.
"This is my favorite beret, always brings me luck." I nodded, turning to look at Victoria.
"Well, say goodbye, to it cause the next time I come here, I'll steal it from you." Chuckling lightly, she winked at me before the three of us walked towards the door.
"You look like the girl from that French movie." Thomas was leaning against the door, waiting for us.
"Amélie, that's the name of the movie." Elle was laughing softly while shaking her head as Thomas looked at her with a confused expression on his face.
"Anyways, wish me luck." I took a deep breath as we all left the apartment. "I guess I'll let you know how it goes."

It didn't take me more than fifteen minutes to get to the spot I had chosen for our reunion, and during that walk I couldn't help but look everywhere, hoping to run into him. A light sigh left my lips as no one was waiting for me when I arrived, so I leaned against the wall, and looked at my surroundings, tourists were taking pictures of the basilica, street vendors carrying different types of souvenirs while the locals simply walked by, not paying attention to the magnificent place.
I was too distracted watching the kids, and not so kids, having fun at the carousel that I didn't notice the person standing in front of me.

"Long time no see, piano girl."

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Is it Ethan or is it someone else?
Love,
A