blocked (texts sequel)

reunion

"Who's here?" An all too familiar voice shouted from behind the walls of the twins new house. The door rattled and I froze.

"Oh shit." Bryant mumbled beside me as it opened.

He was there, with no shirt on and sweatpants hanging low. As soon as his eyes landed on me we couldn't look away.

"Um..."

"Is uh... is Ethan here?" Bryant slightly winced. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Grayson, I hadn't seen him in four months.

"Oh fuck." Ethan appeared behind him with a nervous look spread across his face.

"What um... What are you doing here?"

"We're here to pick up Ethan." I break my silence, all eyes turning to me.

"Where are you guys going?" Grayson shoved his hands in his pockets awkwardly and I rolled my eyes.

"Out. Come on, Ethan."

"Let me just grab my wallet." He backed up into the house.

"I'm um... I'm gonna go wait in the car." Bryant left and I mentally scowled, not wanting to be alone with Grayson.

"So, how are you?" His large hand reached behind his head to scratch his neck after the two had left.

"Well, my dad died and I lost my best friends so... Not grand."

"Sienna, I'm really sorry. I know-"

"Save it, Grayson. You made your decision and that's okay. You don't need an explanation. I'd just rather not have to see your face again, it hurts way too much."

"But I love you." He blurted out. My heart clenched as I took a small step back.

"No, you like the idea of loving me."

"No, Sienna—"

"You don't love me. You want to but you don't. I don't want to love you but I do. We just can't change it. Okay? I need you to stay clear of me. It'll be easier on my heart." His head hung low as the words left my lips.

"I got my wallet." Ethan emerged from what I was guessing was the living room and I nodded, leaving that porch right then and there. I refused to look back, not wanting to see the emotion in his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

I ripped open the car door, shoving myself onto the seat.

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

It took everything in me not to cry in the passenger seat. I bit my lip as my eyes ached to let out the tears.

"I'm sorry, Sienna. I didn't think he'd open the door." Ethan clicked his seatbelt in swiftly, his voice full of sympathy.

"It's fine."

"It's good to see you again." My head snapped up to look at him in the rear view mirror.

"Good to see you too."

•

"You know he misses you." Ethan and I walked side by side, passing the various food stands and games. Bryant had left after capturing dozens of photos of the two of us, goofing around.

"I miss him too, but it's just better that we stay clear of each other."

"You know, he never told me why he did it. I asked multiple times but he really never had a clear answer." His foot kicked a small rock forward, rolling it at our walking speed.

"I don't really need an answer. I love him. More than I can explain, but as he said.... Sometimes when you love someone, you need to set them free."

"I walked in on him crying a few weeks ago. When I looked through his phone, I found your note."

"What?" I stopped in my tracks, my hand pushing stray hairs from my eyes.

"Yeah, that note you wrote him. The owner of your old number sent it to him. Apparently it was left in the storage of the notes app."

"He read it?"

"Well I would think. He was sitting alone in his room just sobbing." His hands shoved into his deep pockets.

"I wanna say 'whatever' but I can't. I wish I could like... not care. But I do, I care about him a lot."

"He cares about you too."

"I just can't do it again, Ethan." I sighed, running my hands swiftly through my hair.

"Do what?"

"We've gone through so many times and it's like, every time I give him a chance. But every time it bites me in the ass."

"I know. I'm not trying to defend him, it's just that maybe you two weren't right for each other at the time. Think about it, tour was coming up, there were major family issues, and your fame was really taking off. Maybe you guys just weren't ready. Yet."

"I think I need to find my life before I jump into Grayson's." We stop in the line of the ferris wheel.

"I know. Give it some time." He smiled as the gates open and people began sorting into the different hanging cars. Ours stopped and we got in on opposite sides so we were facing each other.

"I love carnivals."

"I just like the food here."

"Oh my god." I laughed loudly.

"What? The kettle corn is fucking good, dude."

"You know they have funnel cake?" My eyes scanned over the carnival, it was dark now so the lights of LA shined bright against the dark roads.

"So bad for you." He smiled wide and I couldn't help but stare at his teeth.

There's no way he didn't have braces.

"Hold on." His large fingers pulled his phone out as he held it up in front of him. The camera sound effect played as I smiled.

"Reunion."

"I missed you a lot, E."

"I missed you too."

Then, I was leaning in. It's not like I could help myself, I was sitting there with the twin of the boy I love. He was kind and caring, it was like I was with Grayson again.

"No, we can't." His head turned to the side before my lips reached his.

"You're in love with my brother."

I stayed silent. He was right, this was wrong.

But it felt so right.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Listen, if I had been the one who accidentally texted you— instead of Grayson— I wouldn't have let you go.... But I wasn't. He had the luck of falling in love with a beautiful girl like you, and that's okay. In some alternate reality where I got the chance to love you, I wouldn't let us slip through my hands." His elbows reached his knees, eyes kept down on the floor.

"But we live in our reality. One where Grayson got the chance, even if he missed it."

"If this is our reality, shouldn't we be allowed to change it?" I whispered softly, placing my fingers over his. His lip was pulled between his teeth as he stared at my my own.

"You're making this a lot harder than it should be."

"What can I say? I'm not an easy person to want." He gulped.

The ferris wheel stopped and our door opened.

"Looks like the ride is over." He glanced at the exit then back at me.

"No Ethan. It's just getting started."