lemonade | ethan

sixteen

overnight, i began thinking about the charity money and who could've possibly stolen it. the only people i was certain didn't steal it were ethan and i and mrs miller because she was talking to the entire town the whole time and crying her eyes out.

why would she hold a charity event only to steal it mid event? she wouldn't, so it isn't her.

"clayton? no way, why would he need to steal the money?" melanie asks through the phone.

"to frame the south siders. if he can somehow convince his mom that south siders are one hundred percent responsible, then she can convince the mayor to do something about it." i explain. "he's had it out for them his entire life, mel."

"hmm... the motive isn't strong. his family hosted the event. he knew how important that night was to his mom. she was heartbroken, i can't see him doing that." melanie replied.

"clayton barely has sympathy. especially for his mom." i rolled my eyes.

"how are you so sure?" melanie questions.

"mel, i dated him for three years." i explain. "i know him."

"are you going to confront him?" she asks. "i think you should."

"i think i will." i say. "gotta go, see you later."

"byeee." she drags out before hanging up. it was a shame that she was still out of school, but i truly wish her the best with her pregnancy.

i immediately spot clayton at his locker, shoving books inside. usually he's with his boys, but today he was completely alone.

i walk up to him, leaning against the locker next to him. "hey." i simply say.

"what do you want?" he asks in a harsh tone. his eyebrows furrowed and he still looks angry with me.

"you okay?" i ask, trying best to be sympathetic. despite what he said about me, i need to be the bigger person here and show him it didn't affect me.

he closes his locker, finally turning to me revealing his busted lip and cut on his cheek.

"ouu.. that doesn't look too good." i wince.

he chuckled. "you should see ethan. he's fucked."

"soon." i reply, indicating that i would talk to him as soon as i could.

he ignores me. "you didn't answer my question." he says, beginning to walk down the hallway. i follow him, side by side. "what do you want?"

"i just wanted to see if you were okay." i shrugged. "and i wanted to ask... why did you really invite the south siders? you hate them. i know you, you wouldn't have invited them without purpose."

"i already told you." he sighed. he was frustrated. "they deserve to save the ocean too."

i shake my head. "i know you, clayton." i stand in front of him, stopping him from walking anymore. he rolls his eyes, sighing. "did you take the money?" i ask. "only to frame the south siders?"

he immediately gets defensive, holding his hands up. "woah, what?! you're accusing me of stealing the money?" he scoffs. "i'm rich, why would i need charity money?"

i shrugged. "to blame the south siders immediately after." i explain. "i know how you feel about them. so did you?"

he looks at me, disappointed that i think he'd be capable of something like this. "no. i did not steal the money."

"then why?" i ask. "why invite them?"

he sighed, rubbing his temples. "because, devon. i knew you wouldn't show if they didn't."

LEMONADE

the entire day, i noticed that ethan didn't show up to school. i questioned this to sonny, and he simply explained that he was probably at the garage fixing in a couple more hours so he could make that extra money.

knowing that things were finally partly okay with us, i trusted my gut and went straight to the local garage after school to see if he was there.

to my luck, i spot him working on a car. i park, and walk towards him after getting out of my car.

he notices me, sighing and throwing his towel over his shoulder. "first my house then you show up to my work?" he jokes, chuckling.

i crack a smile. he faces me, probably wondering what i was doing here.

i take in his face. clayton was right, it is pretty messed up. he has a black eye, a bruise on his cheekbone, and a cut on the bridge of his nose.

i take a step closer, brining my hand up to run my thumb gently along the bruise on his eye. he looks down, his breath hitching.

he steadily grabs my arm, slowly sliding my hand off his face. forcing a smile, he says, "i'm okay."

i feel my heart soften.

"you should see clayton's face though. he's fucked."

i scoff, laughing slightly. i think for a bit about how i was going to ask this. "why'd you beat up clayton?"

ethan shrugged, turning back around to work on the car once more. "he said some things i didn't like."

"he talked about me." i state.

"no." he explains. "he wasn't talking about you. he was talking about him."

"what?" i ask.

"he was talking about what he was to you." ethan explains. "he doesn't care about anyone but himself. so the fact is, he was trying to make me jealous by telling me everything he once had  with you. about what he took from you."

"deep." i say. "but i'm not bothered."

"i know." he replies. "you're strong. from the moment he said those words, i knew you wouldn't let it affect you. especially in front of the whole town."

i let myself sit down on a stool in the garage. i cross my arms, pondering my thoughts. "who do you think stole the charity money?" i ask, changing the subject completely.

he shrugged. "i'm not sure. it could be anyone, the whole town was invited."

i sighed. "i just wish whoever did it had a good reason."

END OF CHAPTER SIXTEEN

goodnight y'all