pieces | ethma

somebody else

Ethan

Emma and I haven't talked since Wednesday, which is unlike her. I know she's on her girl's weekend in Monterey Bay, but I'm scared I may have messed things up between us and that's why she hasn't talked to me.

I met her while I was in an internship over the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college. Now with both of us being graduated and with work in our career fields, we're starting to become true adults in the real world. And we've been best friends through it all. She's the person who knows me best, and I have an unwritten claim on her. All of my friends know they have to get past me before they can have her, which makes her mine in a way.

Yet she isn't my girlfriend, and now I'm not sure what's happening between us. After Tuesday night's events, we haven't exactly been jumping at the chance to talk to each other.

Although she did ask me to apartment sit her place this weekend. I'm taking care of her cat Declan while Emma's in Monterey. Maybe we'll be just fine when she gets back.

As I'm sitting on the couch and scrolling through Emma's Hulu that evening, Declan pops up and meows at me.

"Hey, little guy," I say, patting his little head.

He meows at me again, pushing his head against my hand. He wants me to keep petting him.

"I miss her too," I tell the cat. I take a picture of him when he finally curls up next to my leg, and I send it to Emma.

Ethan: your boys miss you.

Emma: give Declan a kiss for me

Ethan: he can't give me a kiss for you?

Emma: I miss you too, Ethan.

Ethan: come back so I can properly apologize to you 👀🤪😏

Emma: I'll be back on Sunday. Don't have too much fun without me.

Ethan: can I sleep in your bed tonight?

Emma: as long as you don't fuck anyone

Ethan: why would I do that, Emma?

Emma: idk.

Ethan: you don't know because I wouldn't.

Emma: I gotta go. We're going out to the bar here. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?

Ethan: okay.

I put my phone down, frustrated with my own thoughts. Emma doesn't want me to be with anyone else, does she? Is that why she got mad at me when I said I didn't know what we were? We've been best friends for years, how am I supposed to know how to feel after we've slept together once?

Of course I have some sort of feelings for her. She means so much to me, and she's obviously the person I trust the most. Maybe I just don't trust myself with her. I don't like the thought of any guys buying her drinks at the bar. I hope she's just having girl time with her friends.

Later when I can't sleep, I take my phone from Emma's nightstand and text her friend Audrey.

Ethan: is Emma mad at me?

Audrey: not that I know of. Why?

Ethan: she just hasn't talked to me much this week.

Audrey: I think she's just scared that you don't want what she wants, and she knows that talk is probably coming soon.

Ethan: what does she want?