red | e.d

twenty three

EDEN-JADE THURLOW

I couldn't help but feel the tear fall from my eye as I took one last look at my mom, who hadn't moved a single bit. She was still asleep, her eyes shut gently and her lips pale.

Visiting times were over, and now Ethan and I were walking down the hallway. It was silent, with no words needed to be said. It was a comfortable silence though, because I knew I'd done the right thing. If it weren't for the boy at my side, I probably wouldn't have gone through with it.

" Thank you, Ethan " I smiled a little, sniffling as I took his hand into my own once again.
Ethan shook his head as if it were nothing, his cheeks turning slightly pink, as they usually did.
We both walked out of the hospital, the cool air hitting us instantly, sending a shiver up my spine. The sky was turning dark now, the sunset appearing in the distance.

However, as we walked across the parking lot and towards Ethan's car, I heard the familiar voice of my brother call my name. Fuck. I didn't stop walking, instead I told Ethan to hurry up, not wanting an altercation to happen right in the middle of the hospital's parking lot. But when Alex reached us and Ethan and I had no other choice but to turn around to face him, I realised that it was too late for that.

My brother looked between Ethan and I and at Ethan's car, which was right behind us. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to control his frustration, before he nodded towards me.
" Come on, I'll give you a ride home " Was all that my brother said to me, acting as if Ethan wasn't there.
I stared at him, a scoff of annoyance leaving my lips at this. He was acting like a brat.
" No thanks. I'll go with Ethan " I responded bitterly,
making my brother laugh from opposite us.
It was a cruel laugh, one that I dreaded hearing whenever his bad attitude was coming out to play.
" Ah, so he has a name " Alex smirked out of satisfaction, knowing that he had been right about Ethan and I all along.
Although the look on his face was one of amusement, I could tell that deep down he was filled with pure anger and rage. He was overprotective, especially knowing that Ethan had upset me in the last.
His eyebrow raised slightly as he peeked his head to the side, getting a better look at Ethan " You gonna break my sister's heart again? "

When Alex said this I was shocked, my eyes widening out of pure disbelief.
" Alex " I warned, wanting him to stop.
However, when he took a step closer to Ethan, so close that there was only a small gap between their chests, I grew worried. This was not going to end well, if I didn't interfere.
" Word spreads fast, kid. I know people. Calling my sister selfish and yelling at her in front of a whole damn party, and you thought I wouldn't find out about it " He started to shout, his words making me freeze.
I knew exactly what he was talking about, and he was right. Ethan did break my heart that night at Grayson's party, when he thought that I'd slept with his brother. But we were past that now, I'd forgiven him. It was all one big misunderstanding, and the boy I came face to face with that night was not who Ethan really is.
" She came home a mess, thanks to you. You don't deserve her, you know that, right? "

I stayed silent, not sure what to say. My eyes remained fixated on the ground as I nervously fiddled with my fingers, finally gathering the courage to glance up at Ethan, who hadn't said a word yet.
" Do you talk? " My brother spat, his rather cruel side on show as he looked down at Ethan, scrunching his eyebrows in disgust.
My brother was the best, but when he was angry, he was horrible. Everyone had two sides to them, but his was something that nobody ever wanted to see.

I thought Ethan wasn't going to speak up, but when the boy suddenly shook his head vigorously and stepped towards my brother, shoving him backwards a little with his hands, my heart rate began to increase. This could not be happening.
" Not to ignorant dickheads like you, no- " My jaw nearly dropped when Ethan said this so confidently, not even getting the chance to hear my brother's response before a punch had been thrown straight into the side of Ethan's face, landing on his eye.
Ethan fell back against his car door at the impact, his hand flying to cover his eye, which was definitely going to bruise. My lips parted in shock as I stared at the two of them, both Ethan and my brothers chests heaving up and down out of pure anger.
" What the fuck, Alex?!? " I yelled, pushing my brother back by his chest.
He didn't do anything, he just stared at me in silence, even shocked by his own actions. Within seconds, my brother had walked away, never turning back to look at the poor boy he had just punched, or me.