Chemistry in History

Boxing up the past

The next morning I woke up with one thing on my mind.

I went downstairs to see Mom and Ethan sitting at the table eating breakfast. Ethan had made bacon and eggs, and my stomach was rumbling just by the smell spread in the house.

"Good morning Bella, should I make you a plate?" Ethan asked.

"Yes please, I'm starving," I said with a grin. I pulled out a chair and sat down.

"So, how was the trip?" Mom asked.

"Good. Really good." I said.

"Did you have fun with your friends?" Ethan asked handing me a plate of creamy eggs and crispy bacon.

"Yeah, luckily Ryan gave his booking to Ally so she was able to come as well." I said.

"Hunh. Well why didn't Ryan want to go?" Mom asked.

"Don't know, but he ended up going anyways." I said munching on the bacon. "This is amazing." I said to Ethan, he gave me a smile.

"How so?" Mom asked.

I shrugged. "He got a ticket last minute." I hid the part about his girlfriend getting it for him. If we were to tell our parents about us, telling Mom about his girlfriend wouldn't be the best option.

"Coffee?" Mom asked, pouring some more for herself.

"Nope, I'm awake enough." I said.

We stayed quiet as we ate. Ethan finished his food and got up to clear the plates, Mom was getting up to help, but I tugged on her hand to sit down. I needed to do this and put it past me for once and for all.

"Is everything okay, Bella?"

"Yeah." I said, I stayed quiet collecting myself. "Mom, I want to meet him." I said.

I didn't need to tell her who 'him' was, she already knew. She gave me a slight nod, putting a hand over my hand.

"I'll arrange for you to meet today." She said, and with that she got up and left the kitchen.

I got up and helped clear the plate, I put the glasses in the sink as Ethan dried the a frying pan.

"So I'm meeting him." I blurted out.

I looked at Ethan, and he knew I was talking about my dad. He gave me a small smile.

"I think you did the right thing, give him a chance, he's your dad after all. He loves you." He said.

I nodded. "He is my father, and I just feel if I don't meet him right now when he's willing to try...I'll regret it." I said. I don't know why I felt the need to talk to Ethan about it, but his opinion of saying that this seemed right, lifted me up.

"Well there's no other way to find out." He said with a smile.

"Yeah." I said. I started walking out the kitchen.

"Hey Bella." Ethan said as I went in the hallway, I stopped waiting for him to continue. "I love you too, you know." He said.

That was not what I expected at all.

"I know-I know, you're still adapting to your new life, not having a dad for so many years, and now suddenly having one is very complicated. Especially when he comes with three annoying boys." He said with a small smile, I smiled back. "So I don't expect you be on board with the whole thing. Take your time." He said.

He looked like he wanted to say more, but he stayed quiet and waited for my response.

I didn't know what to say to that, so I said the thing I knew I wouldn't regret, probably ever. "I love you too, Ethan." I said, he grinned instantly and shock displayed on his face.