Emma's POV
"Emmaaaa." he groaned. "Are you being serious right now?"
"Yes. I'm just scared." I whispered, not being able to meet his eyes, I stared into his nose.
"Of what?" he said gently.
"What everyone will think." I said honestly.
"Emma, when have you ever cared about what other people think?" Ethan scoffed.
"It's different. I have 4 million eyes on me. Like, all the time. And what will my old friends and family think?" I explained.
"Are you embarrassed of me?" Ethan asks.
"Of course not, E. I've said this over and over. How could I be embarrassed of you, Ethan Dolan?" I reasoned.
"Well when you say it like that..." Ethan said cockily. I giggled weakly. A few minutes passed of us sitting in comfortable silence.
"So what do you want to do?" Ethan prompted me.
"I think..." I started. "I think I need to take a while to think."
"Okay." Ethan said, tightening his grip on my torso. I heard the hurt in his voice.
"I'm sorry. I just have to be sure of what I want. And I'm in a really weird place right now, with YouTube and new friends and old friends and..." I mumbled.
"I understand, Emma. Don't apologize." Ethan assured me. "Do you want me to stay?"
"I think I'll be okay," I decided, "I just had to tell you...everything."
"We're still friends?" he asked me.
"Duh." I said. "Will you still come over when I call?"
"Duh." Ethan smiled, his sharp features softening. "I'll see you tomorrow, Emma."
And he kissed me on the forehead, and tucked in the blankets around me. "Sleep well," he mumbled with a wave. I smiled in admiration. I had a lot to figure out.
The next few weeks were the strangest of my life. The feeling I got around Ethan was heightened drastically, and I found myself sitting by Ethan and wanting to be as close to him as possible. And he didn't have a problem with it, as far as I could tell.
I wasn't sure how much Ethan had told Grayson, or how much James had noticed our pairing off, but I told myself to forget it. Who cares, after all?
Despite our magnetism in the last few weeks, I had stopped calling him in the dead of night. I found it easier to go to sleep, and even though the rumors of Ethan and I dating, and the increase in comments and/or death threats didn't bother me. Ethan noticed, and one day, when we were sitting at his kitchen table, eating burritos, he grinned at me.
"You're happier, Em. I can tell." he smiled.
"Oh, really? How do you know? I'm generally a very happy person." I said, trying to be as convincing as possible.
"Bullshit. You've come to terms with yourself, and what's going on in your life. You've accepted the crazy lifestyle, and you're embracing it." he said wisely. I was shocked. He was spot on.
"And I think we should celebrate this new Emma." he continued, "With a vacation."
"Are you kidding? I just got back from Arizona!" I insisted. It had been a very hectic three months of traveling during the summer, and it was still July.
"I don't care. We're going somewhere. How about..." Ethan thought aloud.
"Vegas!" I heard James yell from the other room.
"You're eavesdropping?" I yelled, not surprised.
"Of course! I'm free next weekend, how about a good and fresh sister squad vacay." James said, walking from Grayson's room to the kitchen.
"I'm down." I shrugged.
"Gray! Get in here!" Ethan yelled. Grayson ambled in a few moments later. "You wanna go to Vegas?"
"A road trip to Vegas?" Grayson questioned.
"Oh, I don't know about driving-" James interjected.
"Shut up, a road trip is exactly what you need, James." I teased. Grayson cackled.
"Don't be fucking rude!" James exclaimed.
"We're not working on the music next weekend, so we're free too. Let's do it then." Ethan said.
"You drive us, and I'll book the hotel." I offered.
"Are you sure, Emma? Vegas prices are kind of outrageous. Almost as bad as here." Grayson warned me.
"Totally. You guys have been buying food and shit for me since we met. And you need to save your money to spend it on stupid stuff in Vegas." I reasoned.
"Not to mention they made your social blade nice and green," James mumbled.
"James," Ethan scolded.
"No, it's true," I giggled, slapping James nonetheless, "You've all helped me adjust to this place. Let me say 'thank you' with a sick hotel." I looked at Ethan meaningfully. He's the one who has helped me adjust.
"Oh, and you have to let me vlog it." I added. "Gotta pay for it somehow."
"I'll film a get ready with me!" James cried excitedly.
"E, we should do something." Grayson decided, running a hand through his hair.
"We'll figure it out when we're there. There's enough crazy shit in Vegas for a whole series."
"Tea." James and I said in unison.
"I hated that." I laughed.
comment/vote for next chapter
