hidden | ethma

thirty one

when i wake in the morning, i'm laying lengthwise on the couch, wrapped snugly in a blanket. the events of the night before flood back to my memory; how ethan and i decided to be friends and we both fell asleep on the couch. he must have moved me when he woke. i hear a hushed voice speaking around me.

"yes, i got the goddamn note," ethan is saying. he must be on the phone. there's a pause. "look, she has nothing to do with anything at all, so leave her alone." my heart rate accelerates.

"she's not part of this! what do i have to do for you to leave her be?"

a pause.

"i haven't told her shit, why can't you just listen to me?" his voice raises slightly.

he sighs. "fuck," he curses under his breath. there's a short pause. "alright, i'll be there by three."

i assume he hangs up, because a string of curses emits from him.

what note? what is he going to do today at three?

i yearn to find out, but i know i risk losing our newly found friendship if i snoop.

i stay with my thoughts for a while longer before falling back asleep.

after what seems like minutes later, the smell of toast engulfs my senses and i sit up slowly, squinting at the time on the DVR.

10:42 am.

"ah, you're up." ethan smiles at me from the kitchen where he gets the toast from the toaster. he wears a white shirt and his usual dark jeans. multiple necklaces hang around his neck his cheeks are flushed a healthy pink.
"about time, too," he says, placing some toast on a plate next to the stove. "i though you'd gone into hibernation."

this nice side of ethan is one that i'm unaccustomed to, and it takes me a moment to respond.

"you could have woken me," i say, standing from the couch. i look down at myself and realize i'm still wearing my jeans and cardigan from yesterday. i sigh.

"i went over and brought you some fresh clothes," ethan says, nodding past me at the coffee table. "thought you'd want to change."

i look down at the coffee table and sure enough, fresh jeans and a top are neatly folded. i pick them up, smiling a bit.

"thanks," i say, stifling a laugh. ethan went into my apartment to get me fresh clothes? who is this person and what have they done with ethan?

ethan raises an eyebrow at me. "something funny?"

"no," i say, shaking my head. "i'll just go change." i lock myself in the bathroom and stare at my reflection.

i quickly change into the jeans and baby blue long sleeved shirt. i let my hair fall and exit the bathroom.

i remember the phone call i overheard early this morning.

i can't let him know i heard.

"so," i say as ethan hands me a plate of breakfast. "what are you doing today?"