𝐋𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐒

𝐵𝒶𝓏𝓏𝒾

3:15 
0:35 ───|────── 2:12
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Ethan laid back upon the pillow and stared up to the ceiling, an empty Tito bottle limply between his grip. He'd been drinking since yesterday night and just hadn't stopped. He knew this was going to have consequences but he needed to numb it all.

"I don't want you to go, E"

The words were slurred by Emma as she followed his actions and threw herself parallel to him onto the bed. She'd been drinking too and now her whole body was warm and the words she spoke were unstoppable.

Ethan felt guilt run through his body, truthfully he didn't want to get on the plane back home either but he needed to return to his brother and his family.

"This has been fun, Ems"

Ethan said back turning onto his side to look at the girl, she looked almost on the verge of tears and he understood why because he felt the same.

The alcohol was seriously making him consider staying there with her, he wanted to carry on like this forever with her.

She was different, no matter how cliché that sounded, she was unlike the other girl he'd ever met.

Ethan had never laughed as much, he had never had someone understand him quite like Emma did. He hadn't felt comfortable holding someone, kissing and nuzzling someone like he had with her.

He'd only been there for a quick meeting and was due to board a plane at seven but he knew that Emma was 2 hours away and a small road trip was a cheap price for his happiness.

Emma hadn't seen Ethan in a year, so seeing him on her doorstep caused feelings she never thought imaginable. She'd missed him one hundred percent, every guy that she'd hooked up with since felt wrong.

But now he was leaving again, and the void in her heart was already starting to gape.

"You know I'll never get the hang of dancing"

Ethan chuckled and Emma fell into hysterics, her giggles filling the room and his ears. It warmed his heart more than the alcohol.

"You're right. You're terrible"

Emma turned over drunkly and laid her arm across Ethan's torso as she carried on giggling, Ethan gasped and pretended to be offended but he couldn't keep himself from smiling.

Ethan tried to drink the last drop of alcohol but the liquid in the bottle was long gone, instead to cure his sadness he brought something else to his lips.

Emma.

He pulled her gently onto his body and with his right hand cupped her cheek and angled his palm just underneath her ear.

Their lips pressed against each other's desperately, a drug that they were addicted to and couldn't quit.

When Emma pulled away she looked at Ethan's sorrowful eyes and her heart shattered inside her chest, though her small smile masked it quite well.

"You got a girlfriend back in LA?"

She had blurted with no thought behind the words and to say it shocked Ethan was an understatement.

The boy clenched his jaw which sharpened it even further as if that was even possible. He'd been with girls but none of them compared, all mediocre, vanilla and definitely replaceable.

He'd put them all to one side for Emma. Always.

"None that couldn't be replaced"

Emma felt satisfied with his answer and pressed her lips back down onto his, more pressure behind it, more desperation.

"What time is it?"

Emma had asked threading her tiny soft hands in Ethan's rough, large and veiny ones. The heat radiating between their palms just proved their warmth when they were together.

"Its a quarter after three"

Ethan assessed his phone lock screen after reading the time, he'd changed the wallpaper to be the sunset he had captured in Cali before surprising Emma.

It made him feel alive, as did Emma.

He swiped across the screen to take him to the camera, he snapped multiple pictures of he and Emma. His favourite being one where she placed her lips firmly against his cheek.

Just as he was starting to feel content with her presence he was leaving again and he really didn't want to. Leaving Emma there was like leaving an injured bird to fend for itself.

"Don't forget me"

Emma had smirked trying to be playful although it was more of a beg, she almost choked on her words but luckily Ethan didn't pick up on it.

He locked his phone and let it fall onto the bed so he could turn his full attention to the small girl propped upon his frame.

"You know what'd happen if I had it my way, Ems"

Ethan sighed and watched as Emma's piercing blue eyes shot straight through his soul and hit a nerve that almost made him sob right there on the spot.

Emma smiled sadly, she knew she couldn't leave her home, her family was in Cali. Everything was in Cali.

"I know-"

"I'd fly you out, get your ass on a one-way"

Ethan just had to say it again, if he spoke it out into existence he hoped that it might make her think more about it. That's exactly what it did for Emma, now she really was thinking about leaving everything behind.

But she couldn't.

Ethan had started to get a headache, he wasn't sure if it was due to the alcohol or the pain of leaving Emma behind but he had to pull himself away from the bed. It was still warm and Ethan wanted nothing more than to climb back in next to her.

Emma had felt the cold breeze of Ethan leaving her side, but she decided not to open her eyes because it would only hurt more to see him leave.

Ethan looked back at the girl who he thought was asleep, she was tightly curled in a pink blanket, her hair fell across her soft face.

Once Ethan had shut the door behind him, Emma's eyes fluttered open, she looked across at the bare space in her bed and pulled her knees to her chest.

She let out a whimper as her eyes glazed.

Mid-flight Ethan found himself swiping over the photos they had taken only hours ago, his heart aching.

He typed out a message to her thinking carefully about his words, wondering whether she would be mad at his departure without a goodbye.

For a moment, I was feeling like I had you
Didn't wanna leave, I had to.