At my Lowest

Ethan

I looked at Liam to see if he was going to explain himself and he just stood there.

"Liam, so do I need to beat you up or are you going to tell me what the heck that was?"

"Look, Ethan, you need to reflect on your decisions. I'm going to check on Dakota"

Liam was walking to the parking lot before I could stop him.

"Alessia, I can't keep that promise. I really like Dakota"

I started to follow Liam but Alessia stopped me.

"Ethan, I'm everything you want!"

Right there in the busy hallway, Alessia kissed me. Everyone knows about me and Dakota, I've made it clear how I feel about her.

When half our grade saw me and Alessia they only had two options.

I was cheating or we broke up.

I pushed Alessia away from me and ran to the parking lot.

I saw Coco with tears on her face in Liam's arms. Why? Why Liam and not me?

"I'm sorry, Dakota. It'll get better"

The way she smiled up at him felt like a knife to my heart.

"Coco? Please, Let's talk"

I walked closer to them and hoped she'd want to talk to me.

"Liam, can we have a second?" She let go of him when she asked him the question and he nodded in response.

"What was that? I MEAN WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ETHAN? I know she likes you! But you can't shut her down?"

"Coco, I know I'm so sorry." I was so scared of losing her and this was not worth losing her over.

She just stared at me and I watched the rain pour over her face.

"I would never do that to you.."

"What?"

"I WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO YOU ETHAN"

She started to walk away from me and I felt like if she walked away from me right now she would walk away forever.

So I did what any reasonable boyfriend would do, I picked her up bridal style and forced her to talk to me like I'm a psycho.

"ETHAN!"

"Dakota, please. Not Liam, just love me"

She looked at me with shock in her eyes and her shock turned to tears.

I put her down and she immediately hugged me.

"I love you, I love you so much, Ethan"

We stood there in the rain not wanting to go back to class, we've been skipping a lot recently but I'd rather get held back than leave her right now.

"Okay Ethan, it's time to let go now"

"Just one more minute Coco"

"ETHAN!!"

Okay, I know the difference between when my girlfriend says my name versus some random girl who's obsessed with me. And that was definitely not Dakota

I turned around to meet eyes with Alessia

"Alessia-"

"Ethan, may I?"

Let my girlfriend talk to a girl who has a crush on me? Oh no, sure babe! You do you boo

"Kinda scared, but sure"

"Look, Alessia right? You're obsessed with a guy who's taken and to be honest, that's embarrassing for you. So move on or be forty still worrying about your senior crush"

I stood there with my mouth open still asking myself if this is my Coco or Dakota..

"Alright Babe, we should go"

Dakota narrowed her eyes at Alessia and didn't even stop to look at me.

She turned around to go into the building and I looked at Alessia for a second.

She had tears going down her face and her hair was a little messed up.

"Coco"

Coco turned around to look at me and paused on the steps up to the school.

"I love you"

After hearing those words she smiled so brightly and ran down the steps to jump into my arms and hug me.

"Ethan Banks, I love you too!!"

Alessia stepped back before more tears came strolling down her face. She ran to her car and drove off.

"When I propose, you better be this dramatic"

She looked at me with tears in her eyes and kissed me right there in the rain.

I don't know how I'm supposed to go back to class after this.

I'm drenched and completely distracted.

"Coco, we have class"

"Oh, I don't want to go.."

"Me either"

So we did the next best thing.

I drove her to my house and let her change and we watched movies.

"Coco, we watched all three of the To All the Boys movies"

"I guess since I already found my Peter Kavinsky it's okay if we don't watch Xo, Kitty"

"I think you're even better than Lara Jean, Coco"

"Aww"

"Alright kids, please go upstairs now"

We turned back to see my dad standing behind the couch with his arms crossed.

"Just because your love life is falling apart doesn't mean I can't be loved"

I got off the couch and looked back at my dad who was now glaring at me and Coco who was holding onto my hand for dear life.

We walked up the stairs and she settled herself in my bed. She has her own side now and I like it when she's here.

"Ethan, I'm really sorry your mom filed for divorce."

"Me too, but at least I can joke about it."

She gave me a sad smile and I kissed her on the cheek and we both fell asleep.

I love being with her.

I love her touch, her face, her sassiness.

Her hair, her style, her favorite things.

She makes me happy. I am Ethan Banks and I am dating Dakota Addams, soon to be Dakota Banks.