In the Moment//Ed Sheeran

E.I.G.H.T

Bethany

Mid July, 2007

Ed became my everything. He was my best friend. He was my partner in crime. He was the love of my life, and most importantly, he listened to me. He understood that I love reading, and we both began to read together. Well, me more to him that him reading on his own.

We were settled outside that day with a book, his head in my lap. The sun was out for once and we getting the most out of it and my garden. My parents had went out for lunch and decided that they couldn't stop Ed and I from doing whatever we wanted, because we were--and I quote--'young adults in love.' But young adults in love sat in gardens reading books.

"So what you're telling me is that Elizabeth is having and affair with the Englishman? You've got to be shitting me!" He exclaimed.

"You just now got that? Ed, have you even been paying attention?" I laughed. He ran his finger along the curve of my waist.

"I've been paying attention to you. I always am." He smiled. I grabbed his hand and kissed his fingers softly. He sat up and wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and began to kiss me, deeply. I used my weight to push him to the ground, pinning him there with his arms resting beside his head. I giggled into his lips and nibbled his bottom lip gently.

The back gate swung open, probably as a factor of it being broken and my dad neglecting to fix it. Mina walked in, looking around with a worried expression. "Bethany?" She called out. Once she saw Ed and I, her expression turned from worried to sour. I climbed off of Ed. "You're fucking joking! This is why you broke up with me? And you weren't even man enough to say it?" She sobbed.

I hadn't exactly gotten around to telling Mina about Ed and I, mainly because I didn't have the chance. Mina and I never ran into each other, and I was too scared to be the one or have to knock on her door and go to her home to tell her how it went down. "No, Beth isn't the reason why I broke up with you." Ed said, climbing to his feet. "I broke up with you because you and I aren't the same anymore."

"Bullshit!" Mina cried loudly. "All you want are news things and I'm not new anymore! Well that's too bad I guess! You can play with her until you get bored or she moves away, because she will! And then you'll have no one, and not even your stupid songs will fill the hole in our black heart!"

"Mina, I was going to tell you--" I began, but she cut me off with an angry glare

"That you were fucking my boyfriend? I should spit on you." She laughed, tearing at her eyes, getting the tears off. "I'm telling your mum."

"She already knows." I said.

"Well I'm telling mine! You're a slut, Bethany, and I'm going to make sure everyone knows!" She turned around and stomped out of the backyard, leaving a trail of hatred and tears behind her. I looked at Ed and I pulled me into his arms, rubbing my shoulders.

"Not a single word is true, Bethy." He told me. "Not a single word." I nodded into his chest and be kissed my head softly.

I didn't tell my mother what happened at dinner time. She sat, slamming at the keys, barely halfway a done with her book. My father was reading a magazine and I was simply staring into my plate of food, dazed out, and knot of worry twisting my guts. I was expecting a phone call from Aunt Christine asking what the hell happened, by it was much worse than that.

Tires burning the asphalt below them sent a chilling, high pitched noise through the silence. Two car doors slammed and stomping came up our porch. My mother and father stood up at the same time. "Betty, open this door!" My aunt Christine shouted.

My mother tore the door open. "Where is she?"
Aunt Christine demanded. "Where is the little heifer?"

"Don't you ever call her that! What is that meaning of this?" My mom asked.