Long Distance

Panera.

3 weeks later [Ethan]

All I could focus on was the red, weighted bag hanging in front of me. I threw a punch, one after the other, each with more force than the last.

I took a break after a while and made my way to the bench strapping off my gloves and using my towel to wipe the pool of sweat on my face. I laid back on the bench positioning my hands on the barbell before taking a deep breath and lifting the bar up.

I had been lifting weights and boxing as a distraction. I guess it was working considering I hadn't hooked up with anyone since I started. Rachel had been helping me and I was surprisingly happy that we had moved on from being sex buddies to maybe even friends. I didn't understand why she was helping me after everything I've put her through, after the countless times of me using her but I was grateful. Everything that's happened made me realize that I needed to get my shit together.

"Hey." I look up at the sound of Rachel's voice. She had been meeting me here sometimes so we could go out to lunch and talk about how she was going to help me with Aria.

"You ready?" She asks and I nod my head, picking up my duffel bag.

We decide to head to Panera Bread and I pay for both of our meals before finding a booth in the back.

[Aria]

"Thanks for taking me out," I say to Mads as we enter one of my favorite food places in the world. "I really needed this."

"Of course. I don't know what's going on between you and Kris but I'm here for you." She replies. It had been almost a month since that party and I hadn't talked to Kris since regardless

We order our food and she leads me to a secluded area in the back.

"So, how are things with you and Mason?" My heart drops at the mention of him. I haven't talked to Mason in weeks and every time I've tried to call he would never answer or say he was busy and couldn't talk. Things between him and I weren't the same and I felt like I was losing him.

"Complicated, huh?" She says when I don't say anything and I nod my head, suddenly not hungry anymore.

"I'll have Matt give him a call for you and talk some sense into him." She says determinedly.

I give her a small smile and look around until my eyes land on the last person I wanted to see. Ethan.

The sight of him makes me angry for some reason and I begin to remember all the horrible things he's done. It's his fault that I'm in this mess. His fault that Kris and I aren't on good terms and it's his fault that I might be losing Mason.

[Ethan]

Aria's eyes meet mine the moment they land on her. She was sitting with her friend, Madison I think, looking as beautiful as ever. Her hair looked a little different with the addition of highlights and my heart ached at the sight of her.

She looked at me with hatred in her eyes and I avert my gaze, turning back to Rachel.

"She's here." I say and Rachel's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Who?"

"Aria." She looks at Aria and quickly turns back around, picking up her food.

"We should go. We don't have a plan yet and I don't think Aria is happy to see you right now." I'm silent for a moment, still staring at Aria and then I reluctantly agree and follow Rachel to our cars.

The image of Aria looking at me with hate in her eyes made me feel horrible. For a second I just wanted to throw away all the effort I was willing to put into winning her over. There was just something about her that made me go nuts and no matter how much I tried to avoid it, those feelings grew. Aria was the only girl I wanted and I was going to have her, even if it meant having to go through her hatred. Fuck, I'm turning into a lovesick teenager.