magnets | ethma

24

Emma

Holding onto this ten thousand dollar check felt unreal. I'm 15 years old and I have access to some people's dream. The fact people have worked for years and years trying to get what I have easily in my hand.

Money when I was little meant nothing to me. It really did grow on trees for my family but moving away and starting all again with Mom proved to me that I had lived a life people would of beg and wish for.

So having this money right now- scares me.

What am I supposed to do with it?

"Emma!" He stood on the bed.

"Oh my god." I said to myself in disbelief.

"Do you know what this means?" He jumped on the bed and smiled like he was a little boy again.

I can't spend this money can I ?

"What does this mean?" Finally I said, looking up at him.

"We can actually move away, start our lives again. Be who we want. You don't have to be sad and caring about everyone else. I don't either." He sat next to me, finalising his sentence gently- noticing I was sad. "Just you and me."

"But that's Pa's money." I sniffed.

"Money that he gave to you. See there?" He pointed to the cheque and the Pa's writing on it. "That's your name. Miss Emma Chamberlain. It's yours." Joy scribbled over his face.

"But-"

"Pa told me something when you was getting dressed." He stood and turned to me, dropping the cheque on my lap. I just looked at him, scared of what was next coming out of his mouth.

I forgot Pa saw me naked, fuck.

I can still taste the embarrassment.

Shaking my head out of it. "What?"

"That he loved you. He wanted this for you." Ethan sighed, in a gorgeous way though. If that's even a thing. He made it a thing. "He wouldn't give you 10 thousand dollars for the fun of it."

"I know he loves me and I know he would just send us away for nothing. I'm just so scared. I'm always scared, I have to be. I've got a psychotic Dad schizophrenic Mom." I laughed to myself.

"You know?" He pointed as he questioned me.

"You know?" I copied.

Pa must of told him.

"Pa told me."

I was kinda grateful he did. Makes me not have to tell him and explain shit. My brain already hurt enough.

I must of just been silent for too long because Ethan spoke up.

"Look, Em- I'm not gonna make you leave and runaway if you really don't want to. I wouldn't do that." I looked up, his eyes meeting mine. "But I know it would be good for you, good for me too. You can restart and no one can take you away from shit you care about. You can be in control, completely."