Time (Ethan Dolan)

Chapter 35 - Comfort

"And I mean that." Ethan says. "Anything."

"You know," I say with tears running down my cheeks. "Hazel, she's uh, she's a lucky girl, Ethan."

He smiles at me. "And James is a very lucky man."

"You think?"

"Definitely." Ethan replies. "You're one of a kind." He wiped away my tears with that damn smile still on his face. "You ever need me, just call."

With that he turned around and begun to walk down the street. I placed with my necklace as I watch him walk away. I roll my eyes and I run after him.

"Ethan!"

He turns around. "Yes."

"I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight." I say. "Um, James and I... We've been watching a lot of movies and we'll, they're horror's." I laugh.

Ethan's P.O.V

"I see." I nod.

"And I was just wondering if you could maybe, stay with me tonight."

I grin at her and Carson shakes her head furiously.

"Not like that!" She laughs.

"Of course ill stay." I chuckle.

Carson smiled hugely and we go back to her house. She unlocks the front door and she leads me to her room.

"My mom and dad won't be home tonight, so, we should be good."

I nod and I take a seat on her bed. I get out my phone and I text Hazel telling her I won't be in.

"Texting your friend?" Carson questions. "Telling her that you've been kidnapped."

"I was just texting my brother." I answer. "Nothing interesting."

Carson nods and stares at the bed.

"Ill sleep on the ground." I say getting off the bed.

"Do you think you could sleep with me? In the bed?"

"Sure-"

"It's just... I don't know how people who are scared of the dark can feel safe with someone only being in the room, and not touching."

"Not sure if I follow." I tease.

"I like comfort." Carson rolls her eyes. "I'm not going to force you-"

"Calm your shit, Woodridge."

Carson laughs and laughs. It sounded like she hadn't heard a joke in a while. Or maybe even laughed in a while. She jumped into bed and I followed. There was a gap between us and we lay there awkwardly.

"This is awkward." Carson states as if I don't know.

"Yes. It is."

"How do we make it not awkward?" She quizzes.

I move closer to Carson and I wrap my arms around her body. She turned on her side to get comfortable and I held her closely. There was something different about holding Carson. Carson felt more warm. More like home. It was a place I was familiar with and a place that I had missed.

"Ethan?" She whispers.

"Yes." I reply

"I love you."

I wanted to pull her in closer but it was impossible. "I love you so much more."