best friends | e.d. ✔️

f i f t y - o n e

nova's pov (flashback) :

i sit on the black leathered couch and play with the straw of my shirley temple. perla, pal, and bri playing a random game with grayson and his other friends and alison and ethan on the other side of the room, all up on each other.

and i thought he said he would wait for her to break up with anthony.

smiling to myself sadly, i get up and walk to the kitchen, throwing away my shirley temple, not feeling thirsty anymore.

"hey. you ok?"

turning around, grayson sends me a sympathetic look and me motions his head to look at ethan and alison.

i look over and alison is on a table, her legs wrapped around ethan's torso. he plays with her hair and tucks it behind her ear from time to time. alison chuckling and laughing from time to time, everytime ethan says something amusing or funny.

i take a deep breath and look back at grayson. not realizing it, a hot, salty tear strolls down my cheek and grayson's eyebrows furrow. he scoops me into his arms immediately and i wrap my arms around his torso, snuggling in even more, in need of his comfort.

"wanna play video games upstairs? or, take a nap. i can leave you alone if you want or-"

"grayson. it's bri's birthday. i can't just ditch and cry about ethan like i always do." i laugh sadly and wipe my tears away

"bri would understand. she's one of your best friends. she knows what's happening."

i nod and look down at my converse, playing with the laces.

"hey. chin up. i'll stick with you. forget ethan. just hang out with us, ok?" grayson smiles and holds onto my chin

i nod and sniffle up my tears once again, wiping some tears away. he chuckles and helps me out, wiping some tears away with me also.

wrapping an arm around me, he guides us to the back where pal, perla, bri, and grayson's other friends sit. i look back one last time at ethan and alison and feel a pang at my heart, seeing them kissing.

at least he got his happiness.

—

"no! you did that! not me!" bri argues

"perla was there!" pal argues back

perla puts her hands up in defense and snuggles up closer to me, seeing me spacing out. she sets her head on my shoulder and i smile, setting my head on top of her's.

"what the fuck alison?!"

pal springs up and i turn around, seeing anthony with ethan and alison. my eyes widen and i run to them, afraid of what anthony might do.

"no, nova! god damn it grayson! you were right next to her!" perla shouts from behind me

"so we're you!" grayson argues

"what the fuck? i go to the bathroom for five seconds and i come back down to see you sucking face with dolan? and you dolan! i thought you were with this bitch!"

he points to me and i step back, feeling intimidated.

"don't talk to her like that." ethan grits his teeth together

"who? your best friend who's in love with you. it's so obvious." he laughs

my heart races and pal, bri, grayson, and perla all stand behind me, grabbing onto me incase anthony tries anything.

"how about you shut the fuck up?!" ethan yells

"i will! once you let go of my girlfriend!"

"she's already cheated. what's the point?" ethan says

i scoff in shock and everyone turns around to look at me.

"what? does the bitch have something to say?" anthony teases

ethan's arms flex and he charges at anthony, pushing him down to the ground and punching him repeatedly.

"ethan!"

i break away from pal's grasp and tug on ethan's shirt, trying to pull him back.

"you fucker! thinking you can call my girl those names!"

"your girl?" alison whispers

"he's just in the moment alison! now fucking help me!"

she jumps off the table and also tugs onto ethan's shirt. he falls back and stares at anthony, with heavy, angry breathes. his chest raves up and down and he wipes the blood dripping down from his mouth.

looking back at anthony, his nose looks dislocated and there's blood all over his shirt and face.

"say some shit about her one more time and you'll get it worse." ethan hisses

getting up, he looks at anthony, then back at me. his nose flares and i see him take a quick step towards anthony again.

"hey, hey. calm down."

i step in front of him and place my hand on his chest, sending him a reassuring smile. his rapid, heavy breaths slow down and he wipes the sweat off of his forehead with his hand.

grabbing my hand, he runs up with he upstairs into bri's bathroom.

shutting the door, he pulls me in for a hug and almost chokes me from how hard his grasp is on my neck. i wrap my arms around his waist while his is on my neck and he snuggles in even closer. he places a gentle kiss on my collarbone and my eyes widen and i feel tingles and sparks throughout my body. he pulls back but still has a firm grasp on my arms.

"you're amazing ok. all of that shit that dickhead said was-"

"ethan. it's ok." i laugh

he smiles and jumps up on the counter, letting out a deep breath.

already knowing what to do from previous events, i open bri's drawers and cabinets, trying to search for bandages and medical tape and i finally find it, setting it out next to ethan.

"you're bruised e." i hiss

i examine his knuckles and he laughs, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"i'll just go to the doctor's tomorrow and-"

"no. you're going today. with me. i'm taking you to the emergency room and we're getting this fixed up right now-"

"hey. hey." ethan laughs and pulls me in closer with his other hand

"i'm fine n. it happens."

i let out a deep breath and he falls back, letting me bandage his knuckles.