𝐒𝐈𝐗 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑➳𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐍✔

TWENTY

after taking in grayson's words and processing her thoughts, arabella had him call up ethan to invite him over.

she made sure grayson didn't tell ethan she was here or else he might've not agreed to come.

ethan agreed, saying he'd be on his way now which gave arabella about twenty-five minutes with grayson.

they'd went back to their original spots on the couch to talk, arabella ready to for whatever grayson had to say. "grayson you have three seconds to explain what the fuck you just said," arabella demanded, crossing her legs to get comfy.

"when ethan and i talked, he told me that he went out, got high, and came back to play fortnite," grayson explained, arabella instantly realizing what time it must've been.

it must have been early this morning when he'd left, then came home and played fortnite while arabella was cleaning.

"it was this morning wasn't it?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"yeah," grayson hesitantly confessed, looking down in shame that his brother was relapsing.

arabella nodded her head, mind racing with thoughts of guilt because if she hadn't messed with him, then maybe he wouldn't have ran to drugs for comfort.

shameful silence filled the room as both felt guilty for not being there for ethan.

a loud knock interrupted the silence and grayson got up from the couch to let ethan in.

he didn't even bother to buzz him in, so he opened the door and ethan strolled in.

his eyes immediately focused on arabella, "the fuck is she doing here? and why don't you have a shirt on?" he spat at grayson who ignored his comment and came to sit back down on the couch.

"ethan please. nothing happened, so come sit down," arabella argued, motioning him over to the living room area.

ethan scoffed before plopping down on the white, half accent chair next to grayson.

grayson was glancing back and forth at the couple who were pretty much ready to rip each other's throats out.

"ethan i know what you did today," ethan froze, before exchanging a glance with grayson who then looked down at his lap.

he started to bite his nails and shake his leg out of nervousness. "and i want you to know that i'm very sorry for what i've done to you these days and that you could've came to me or gray if you were stressed," arabella said, grayson nodding his head in agreement.

ethan took her words in and stopped biting his nail and shaking his leg. "well maybe if you didn't go behind my back, then we wouldn't be in this mess arabella," ethan pointed out, this time his tone was lighter.

"i'm sorry about that ethan i really am, but you need to get help for your problem. what i did does not compare to you doing drugs behind me and gray's backs."

"yeah and as your brothe-" grayson was cut off by ethan jerking up from his chair.

"the fuck is this?! a fucking intervention?!" he shouted, grayson turning his head towards arabella. "don't listen to him. him and his emotions always get like this," he whispered and arabella nodded.

"all we want is for you to get help ethan and we understand your frustration, but think about this," arabella flipped a strand of curls over her shoulder, "would you rather have a nice, stable life with me and grayson or a fucked up life with drugs and nobody to help you?"

ethan slouched back in the chair, putting his hands in his face. his emotions seeming to be all over the place at the moment.

arabella got up from her spot and walked over to ethan's chair. she bent down over his right side, placing one hand on ethan's shoulder and the other on the armrest.

grayson followed, coming over to ethan's other side. "e, we're here for you and if you want the help, then you can definitely get it," grayson said, and ethan removed his hands uncovering his puffy, red, and tear-stained face.

arabella's heart sank at the sad sight of ethan's crying face and she began to lightly rub his back. grayson sighed, hating to see his brother so upset.

"so can we just forget about what i did and focus on the bigger issue now ethan?" she gently asked, not wanting to upset him some more.

ethan sniffled before nodding his head. "yeah that'd be fine," he wiped his eyes and arabella helped him out, using the pad of her thumb to wipe some of the tears away.

grayson rubbed his brothers back, thinking back to their teenage years when ethan was on the same exact drug.

and now, nine years later and with arabella by his side, was his chance prove that he cared and wouldn't abandon ethan ever again.