𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 | ethma

Ten

ETHAN

I get to the bar and wait for Emma's arrival. This was my chance to try and not fuck up having a friend that isn't my brother.

It's been about 20 minutes since I told her meet me here, I was starting to wonder if she dipped until I see her walk through the door with a light-weighted, black, oversized sweater and ripped jeans.

I greet her with a smile, "I thought you weren't going to come and you were pulling a mean prank on me."

"No, I thought I would actually give you a chance to hang out with me," she says taking a seat.

She is bossy and a little bit full of herself, but she makes it look good.

"Drinks and food on me tonight. Get your little fruity drinks or whatever," I tell her.

She rolls her eyes back, looks at the bartender and says, "Can I get some whisky and order of cheese fries? Thank you."

I want to be shocked, but I'm not. I should've known she likes the hard stuff.

"Have you talked to Grayson since yesterday?" I ask her.

"Not really, but I'm sure he will make a surprise appearance at my apartment like usual."

"How come I'm not invited? If you invite one twin, you have to have the other, it's a fact," I tease.

"You're the one that chooses to get on my worst side. Keep in mind he's been my friend for years," she says.

I laugh, "And you were also in love with him at one point, I never forgot what a fail that relationship was."

She darts her eyes at me, "Okay yes, but that's because we were just trying it out and figured we were better off as best friends. I'm just glad we were able to not be weird after it, you know?"

"You're right. Maybe I can join the next dinner party," I partially joke, but also kind of hoping.

God, I am so alone.

She gives me a funny look, "Mmmm..I don't know about that. I kind of have lightly ranted about you to Leo."

"Wow okay I see how it is," I act playfully hurt by placing a hand over my heart.

She giggles, "Oh shut up. It was just "my coworker really annoyed me today" kind of thing. But maybe a dinner will happen."

She laughed at me being annoying and a goofball? There's no way this is the real Emma.

A few, actually, several drinks and a plate of fries later, we had got into in depth discussion about work and relationships.

"I just..I miss him. He's always working, I mean I am too. But when I'm home he's not, vice versa. It's been hard..." She's stumbling on her words a little bit; she wasn't drunk, but she was definitely feeling it.

"You should talk about it with him," I try to give her advice.

"The worst part is he knows he's been absent. He wants a weekend trip soon, I doubt that will even happen."

I feel bad with her, she really loves him but I can see she's tired of not having him around.

"He will come around. You guys will work it out, at least y'all have something to figure out. Meanwhile I'm stuck in once-in-awhile hookup land."

"Maybe you should try to find loooove, Dolan," she tipsily says, walking her fingers up my arm. She is too cute beyond words.

"Well maybe love will find me," I say making eye contact with her. We hold the gaze for what seems a while.

Her phone screen then buzzed and lights up. We break eye contact, and I look at her phone. It's past midnight, and I see she has a text from Leo. It takes her a minute to read it.

"Shit, it's late. Leo is wondering where I'm at, I need to go."

"I will get us an Uber. They will take us to your place and I will get the driver to take me home."

We wait a while, and the Uber arrives and takes us to our destination.

I enjoyed Emma's company tonight, she talks a lot, kind of annoying, but I am too.

We get to her apartment, and before she gets out, I tell her, "Thanks for, uh, hanging out tonight. It was nice."

She smiles, "You're not too bad, Dolan. See you tomorrow."

And with that, she closes the door, and I'm left to be all by myself again.