precious ↠ e.d

four - please stay

"come on ethan, one more step." i sigh. ethan's arm was draped over my shoulder as i walked him up his apartment stairs. he threw up in my car, which he's most certainly paying for when he's sober.

"where's your key?" i ask him. he shrugs, his eyes closed.

"ethan." i groan. "where?"

"my pocket." he slurs, i reach my hand into his pocket and he shakes his head, "other pocket."

i grab the key and jam it into the lock. it swings open and ethan has a goofy smile plastered across his face. "welcome to my place."

"this isn't mtv cribs, dumbass. go to bed, i'll bring you a glass of water and advil." i roll my eyes, shutting the door behind us.

"i don't want water, i want vodka!" he laughs, kicking his shoes off.

i watch him stumble towards the couch and he falls face first, groaning.

i look around his apartment, it was pretty neat for a guy who lived alone, and it surprisingly smelt like febreeze rather than dirty laundry like any other guys would.

i step into his kitchen and grab a glass of water, filling it up with the brita in his fridge. i rummage through his cupboards and find a bottle of advil, spilling two into my hand, i walk into the living room and see him staring at the wall.

"here take these." i tell him.

"are you drugging me?" he asks, groggily.

i shake my head. turning to see what he was looking at.

a painting, the painting i made him.

he follows behind me as i run up the stairs to my room, pushing the door handle open, i tell him to sit on my bed.

he does as i say.

"okay, ready?" i ask, "close your eyes."

"you're making me nervous." he chuckles.

i giggle as i grab the covered canvas from
underneath my bed, ripping the sheet off it to reveal what i have painted for him. a pineapple pizza, the first thing we ate together at desano's pizza bakery when we got ourselves into this fucked up journey.

but not just a pineapple pizza, i painted a black infinity sign at the top, with our initials in each loop.

"open your eyes" i squeal.

his eyes widen at my painting and i grin as his smile appears, "allie, it's perfect"

"i know you wanted a sunset, but i think this symbolizes us better" i smile, handing the painting to him.

"no, it's better than i could have imagined. i love it, allie" he smiles, observing the painting.

"i'm glad you like it" i say, shyly.

"thank you, i love you" he tells me, syncing his lips into mine, i wrap my arms around his neck as i pull him closer to me.

"i'm going to keep this forever." he mumbles, against my lips.

"yeah, i'm sure" i laugh, sarcastically.

"you'll see" he smirks.

"y-you kept it." i gulp, slowly gazing my fingers across it.

ethan's face reddens. "of course. i said i'd keep it forever. it's almost like having you with me."

"i should get going." i mumble.

"no." ethan snaps, "p-please. please stay."

i look into his pleading brown eyes. "i can't, ethan."

my phone begins to ring and ethan sighs desperately. i answer and it's kyle, his tone was livid. "where the hell are you? i've been calling you for hours, why the fuck did you take the car?"

"i-i'm sorry, i had an emergency. i'll be right there." i stutter.

the line goes dead, and ethan rolls his eyes. "go."

"bye, etha—"

"get the fuck out!" he screams.

i take one last look at the painting hung up in his living room, and then back at him. i admire his features and take them all in. if only he know how much i loved him.

i leave his apartment and nervously walk to my car, the smell of his vomit made me gag. i cleaned up the best i could with the extra t-shirt i had in my back seat, i got majority of it off the dashboard.

i reverse my car and drive back to megan and todd's house. parking, i text kyle and say that i was here.

i see megan and todd wave him off and i could tell he was angry.

"drive. now." he demands. i press the gas.

"are you fucking stupid?" kyle asks, gripping my arm tightly as he leads me into the house. he throws me against the wall, making my head hit the frame.

"kyle, i'm sorry!" i say, worriedly.

"sorry?" he asks, "that's all you got?"

"it was an emergency!" i exclaim.

"i don't give a fuck!" he screams in my face. "that doesn't fucking mean you leave with the damn car and leave me there alone!"

"i won't do it again!" i cry.

the palm of his hand makes painful contact with my cheek. i feel it begin to throb as i hold the part that he slapped.

"it better fucking not." he whispers, huskily. pushing past me.

i slid down the wall, with tears streaming out of my eyes.

"you're sleeping on the couch tonight." he calls out, throwing pillows onto the couch. "and shut the fuck up with your crying, i don't want to hear it."

i bury my head into my hands, running my fingers through my hair.

"and before i forget." he says, standing above me. "some bitch gave me her number to give you." he bends down to reach my level. i move away from him in fear.

"you know i love you, allison." he cups my face in his hands, "don't you?"

i nod, hesitantly.

"good." he smiles, "get some ice on that cheek. it's already bruising, beautiful."