messages • ethangrantdolan// short story

four

"mom?" I knock on her open bedroom door and she looks at me,

"I guess I do spend a little too much time on my phone." she admits as I approach her, "And I'm not blameless in the divorce either. I was barely here for you - I didn't want to accept your fathers sexuality."

"mom-" I cut her off. "you did your best."

"no, I didn't." she shakes her head. way to make me feel the guilt. "But it doesn't change anything, does it?"

"no." I say. wow, aren't I a bitch. "but thank god I have a parent who understands technology and all that. this way we can stay in touch."

"that means you want to stay with your dad, huh?" she asks.

"sorry," I murmur almost inaudibly except she can hear me.

"well, I'm going to shower. then tomorrow, I pack my bags. and the next day, I move." she sighs and walks into the bathroom. it'll be so weird here without my mom, but she never really was here. sure, physically she was. but in her head, she was at work and yelling at her assistant when not at my dad.

it'll be quiet, and all but not much is changing. my dad enters the bedroom, "hey, kiddo. you'll need to pack."

"what?" I ask.

"we're moving." he says, "I found the apartment and everything. I'll show you tomorrow after school,"

"dad." I say, "another thing to work out with mom."

I walk into my bedroom and put my phone in the charger, placing it on the nightstand. I don't think I've ever wanted to go to sleep more. except that one time when I woke up at 6 am, thinking it was 4, but it was 6 so I went to bed and something else happened.

we don't talk about that anymore.

I bring the warm blankets over me and put my hair up in a messy bun. and by messy I mean shit looking bun. not the ones that have the frizzy hairs cutely poking out and it's so Tumblr you just gotta take a selfie. I put my head on the soft pillow, ah how I have to describe this, and instantly fall into a light sleep.

—

me: come save me.

Ethan: from where?

me: hell.

ethan: I knew you'd end up there one day:):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Ethan: you're in school?

me: yeah, smartass.

Ethan: not polite.

Ethan: I'd save you if I actually knew you.

me: we've been snapchatting and talking.

Ethan: yeah, but I actually want to meet you

me: chill child. it's been two days.

ethan: so?

me: eager.

Ethan: so?

me: gtg always pay attention in math.

Ethan: now you have to pay attention.

me: of course