WANTED (Grethan)

Eight

Grayson Bailey

    The table was quiet, not a word said as everyone ate their eggs and bacon. Even Manny wasn't talking, and he was usually lecturing someone.

     "Ethan. Grayson. We need to talk after breakfast" Manny speaks up, giving Ethan and I a knowing look. A fire spread across my face, I knew what Manny wanted to talk about, and neither of us were here for it.

     "No we don't" Ethan argues, Manny's eyes spark with a flare. "Excuse me?" He asks, Manny dared Ethan to talk back but Ethan kept quiet. "Ok" he whispered, finishing up his plate.

       The awkward breakfast thankfully ended, our plates were cleared as Manny dragged me and Ethan into the main living room. "What's this about?" Ethan asks and I give him a look that basically called him stupid.

       "We have rules in this gang. Codes. No relationship of any sort besides friendship and brother-ship is allowed. Ethan, you created the rule, you can't go against it." Manny scolds, I immediately get quiet and look down at the floor. Nobody told me about these rules.

     "Yeah and since I made them I can break them whenever the fuck I want." Ethan mouths making Manny gasp, "talk to me like that one more fucking time, Dios mío, te golpearé con mi sandalia" he shouts.
(Translate- My God, I will hit you with my sandal)

     Ethan's breathing gets heavier, signaling he was starting to get pissy. Manny gives Ethan a daring look, challenging him to say something.

     "I'm gonna do what I want, when I want. You are not my mother, you are not my father, you are not somebody who is in charge of my life. So I would appreciate if you got out of my face and off of my dick before I put a bullet through your brain." Ethan threatens in a low, scary tone.

        "I dare you" is all Manny says before he walks off angrily, a door slamming is heard throughout the house. Everyone's eyes looked after the front door longingly, suddenly the mood in the room changed.

     I could feel the anger, everyone was mad at Ethan, even myself. "What was that?" I asked in a hushed whisper, Ethan clenches his jaw and rolls his eyes, running up the stairs and slamming the door to his room.

     Kari runs up to me with a bright smile on her face, nothing that had just happened seemed to affect her as she wanted me to play barbies with her. "Not right now KK, go play with Samuel" I tell her to go play with the other little boy and run after Ethan.

     I twist the door handle but it stops abruptly, of course he locked the door. "Ethan, you're over reacting, open the door" I tell him.

     The door opens, a pistol in his right hand, he lifts the gun at me making me immediately duck and go for his legs, pushing him to the floor. The gun slides across the ground, out of reach from the both of us, "are you crazy?!" I scream at him, my hands pinning his wrists to the ground.

     "I should of killed you when I first met you" he grunts, trying to fight me off of him. "Well you didn't, so suck it up and stop being such a fucking pussy" i get into his face and he spits, his saliva hitting my cheek.

    Anger surged through me, my hand reached back and let go, slamming my fist into his nose. A small pop sounded into the air as Ethan cried out, blood oozing from his nose.

    I get off of him and bolt out of the room, down the stairs and out the front door. The cool air hit my skin, goosebumps rising on my arms as tears flowed down my face. I wish I never met him, I wish I thought Kari was dead again, it sounds so fucked up but everything was easier. I miss freedom, I miss my small studio apartment, I even miss my asshole boss demanding a French Vanilla iced coffee with almond milk and two shots of espresso every morning.

     My knees hit the rough pavement, holding my head in my hands. The front door opened and slammed but I wasn't bothered to look at who it was.

      My shoulder was tapped and I jerked away, "fuck off, Ethan" I growled. "Actually, it's Jack" Jack laughs slightly and I look up at him. "Sorry" I mumble, "you okay?" He asks and sits down next to me.

      "Yeah I'm great. You know after almost getting shot, being spit on and then breaking a nose I'm doing fabulous" I say bluntly, looking straight ahead, I move my body to where I'm sitting on my bum, my legs spread out, my arm behind me to hold myself up.

       "He spit on you?" Jack asks in a surprised tone. "Yeah, I mean I expect it from him." I mumble and he shakes his head. "Don't expect it." He tells me in a serious tone.

        "Why?" I ask, he already did it. "Ethan has never spit on anyone, he thinks it's the most disrespectful thing to do, and unless someone genuinely deserves it than it's acceptable. You didn't genuinely deserve it" Jack speaks with confidence as if he's known Ethan his whole life.

         "So why'd he do it to me?" I ask and Jack shrugs, "maybe it's because you're the only person whose ever actually told him the truth or maybe it's because he's fighting feelings he never knew he had. We talk, Gray."

      "No, he can't feel. He won't" I argue but Jack just looks at me, "he's never tried, Grayson, he's never felt like someone was worthy enough. Be worthy enough." Jack pats my shoulder and gets up, walking away from me and back into the house.

     I leaned my head back, closing my eyes and letting the sun soak me up. "Please come back inside" Ethan's voice sounds desperate, I turn my head to look at him, he had dried blood in his nostrils, his nose looked red and swollen.

      I ignored him and turned my head back around, staring up at the funky clouds. "I'm sorry" Ethan pleads but I roll my eyes and shrug.

         "For what part, Ethan? For kidnapping me? For hiding my sister from me? For being a complete dick head? For trying to end my life? For spitting on me? You've done so much shit to me and I've only known you personally for a week" I rant. I was no longer angry, but exhausted from arguing and trying to figure him out.

         "For all of it, I never meant to hurt you. I just don't know how to feel right now. I'm struggling, and it fucking sucks to admit that but I am so much more fucked up than usual right now. I just need one thing to go right. Please be my one thing that goes right" he apologizes, I stand up and dust off my pants.

      I walk up to where he's standing, in front of the door. I grab his neck and pull him into me, kissing his lips softly, our lips mend together like soft clay.

       "Please" he begs, leaning his forehead against mine. "Okay" I whisper, his arms snake around my waist, hugging me tightly.

                         Be worthy enough.