Touchdown | E.D. + E.C.

14: "I'd Be Surprised If You Got Murdered"

Emma's POV

It'd been three days since Layla woke up. And I still hadn't left the house.

I told Olivia and Amanda I wasn't feeling well and need a couple of days to catch up on schoolwork and writing. Being the best friends ever they brought a whole basket full of snacks and coffee for me during the time and I nearly cried.

The last few days had left me a mix of emotions. I tried to distract myself by deep cleaning my room and bathroom but my head constantly continued the same circle. I missed him, our times together and then I felt my heartache again. I wasn't sick but getting out of bed was the least appealing thing I could think to do at that point.

My laptop lay open, filled with short poems and paragraphs I had written; anything to help me get back to writing at the speed and quantity I was use to. Not a lot was flowing though, so I stared at the ceiling for awhile, until I had every pattern on it memorized and drifted of to sleep.

tap tap tap

What? My eyes cracked open as I peered around my room. Light still filtered into the room, so it hadn't been more than a couple hours since I had drifted to sleep.

tap tap tap

It was coming from the window. Confused, I slid to the edge of the bed before stretching my arms above my head and lifting myself off the bed. The tapping continued and I started to get a little nervous; who the hell was at my freaking window? I softly pulled my light green curtains back and breathed out, almost closing the curtain again.

Ethan.

I debated whether I wanted to hear this, but the desperation was painted clearly in his eyes. I couldn't leave him out on my balcony. However he got up there, I doubted even he could get down that way without hurting himself. Finally, I unlocked the door and opened it.

We didn't say a word, just stared at each other. I could tell he was taking me in the exact same way I was taking in his appearance. It'd only been three days, but our appearances probably revealed the years our minds had experienced.

His hair hung down in his eyes, he hadn't bothered to brush it up like usual. A slight stubble had grown on his chin and I longed to brush my fingers against, intrigued to what it would feel like when I'd grown so accustomed to his smooth skin. He wore a plain black shirt and grey sweatpants, it was so simple yet he made it look better than anyone else. The bags under his eyes spoke volumes; he'd gotten as little sleep as I had.

I needed to say something, anything.

"How'd you get up here?"

Ethan's mouth quirked up into a delicious smirk and I felt my heart leap knowing I'd caused it.

"I climbed all the way up here for that reaction?"

I wasn't sure what uncontrollable body reaction he managed to read but Ethan held his arms open, realizing my need to hold him before even I did.

I didn't mean to but my eyes began to watered as I finally wrapped my arms around him as he threaded his fingers through my tangled hair. On instinct, I pressed my nose to his chest and made sure to memorize his scent, but nothing compared to the real thing.

His lips pressed against the top of my hair, "I missed you, so much."

I could only nod, my heading finally filling with the doubts and questions I'd held for the past three days and they threatened to break like a dam.

Even after everything I've been through with him, I still find it so easy to fall back into his arms. Ethan was my comfortable space, not matter how much I try to deny it. No matter how many times he teases me and embarrasses me, the special smile and eyes of longing I know he reserves only for me remind me he feels the same as I. We don't need to say it, I just know now. And even though I long to tell him the words everyday, this little bump has set me back.

Ethan showing up here is a step in the right direction for sure. I pull away from him and already wish I could inhale his pure scent again, but I force myself to take a few steps back and look into his eyes. Already, he looked refreshed from our hug and I knew I probably did too.

"I- I don't really know what to say. I'm still dealing with this... thing that happened with Layla and my head has been filled with thoughts and I have questions and I just-"

Ethan lifts his hand to cut me off, "I know you probably have a lot of questions and I've been confused myself. But I promise you, I'll explain everything okay? But not here."

I lift my eyebrow in confusion while he chuckles in response.

"I don't know I've got a lot of work to do and you could be leading me to a remote area to... finish me off," I say. Ethan rolls his eyes at my overdramatic statement.

"You watch enough Criminal Minds, I'd be surprised if you got murdered."

I burst out laughing and a warmth fills my heart. Easy, just the way I like it.

But are we constant? I can't be doubting myself constantly, especially after my time with Healani...

I don't even realize I'm chewing on my lip till Ethan's fingertips pull my bottom lip out.

"Don't- you're gonna bleed." He begins to softly swipe his fingers across my lips and I quickly lick my lips in response to his touch. His eyes darken in need and he cups my chin.

"Go pack some stuff in a bag and we'll talk this out in a much better place."

I eagerly began to fill my duffel bag with random clothes from my dresser before running into my bathroom to shovel my stuff into my bag. I don't know why I had even cleaned my room; I was gonna make it dirty in two days anyway. Before leaving the bathroom I took a moment to collect myself. Ethan made me feel like such a girly girl- for the first time in my life- but I didn't need him knowing that. Calmly, I walked out to join him by my bedroom door.

"Not gonna climb back down the balcony Romeo?"

"Only if you'll catch me at the bottom Princess." I laced my fingers with his before we ran out to his car. My heart was already racing from this spontaneous adventure but this was where I thrived. No matter how much natural light I let pour into my room or succulents I bought to brighten the room, it was still confining. And the past couple days of being trapped in my room only added to the stress of being trapped in my head.

And then I looked over to Ethan. The windows were down and his hair flicked freely around his face; he opened the door, allowed me to finally breathed and I was beginning to worry about how much I had grown to need him, but I didn't care. I was grateful for Ethan's presence.

Whatever it was between us, never once had I gotten a bad gut feeling about it and it always felt natural. Way more natural than my relationship with Healani and I thrived in the fact that I didn't feel like I was chasing Ethan.

This was where I needed to be. And I was ready for the conversation ahead of us.

With that reassuring thought, I turned up the music and smiled, my body warm from the sun and my hair whipping around my face.

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Hello!! So I've decided to keep updating this story but more on a bi-weekly basis because of my college workload and all my extra side work. So don't fear, this story will still continue and will be completed :)

~G