His Addicting Love|| Ethan Dolan

Twelve

-Grayson
I watched an unfamiliar Jeep pull into my driveway. I was confused for a good ten seconds until I spotted my definitely familiar baby blue girl being dragged behind the Jeep, and my soon to be dead best friend step out of the passenger door.
    Ashtyn walks through the front door and I turn to her. "What...did you do...to my precious baby?" I clench my jaw so tight I'm surprised my teeth didn't break in my mouth. It takes everything in me to try not to flip out all over Ashtyn.
"Grayson," she holds her hands up and slowly walks towards me. "It was a total accident! I'll pay for every thing!"
"Yes, you are paying for everything, but what happened? Was it your fault or-"
"Yes, Gray! It was my fault. I wasn't paying attention to the road and I ran a stop sign and crashed into someone else. I'm so sorry." She looks down and I can tell she is truly ashamed of what happened.
I can't be mad at her forever. "I understand, Ash. Things happen, people make mistakes. And I'm so glad you're obviously okay. I'm not going to hold this against you. Just please pay attention next time you're driving someone's car...because you sure as hell aren't driving my car again!" We both bust out in a laugh and a tension in the room is released of the room. "Now come here." I hold out my arms and she shuffles into them.
"Hey...at least the guy I ran into was really nice and I happen to have met him before so I don't have to pay for both of the damage..." Ashtyn mumbles in my chest.
I push her off of me. "Wait-who is this guy that was so generous as to not make you pay for the damage?"
"Um, well, you remember the guy that I happen to also bump into at that store you love?"
My eyes widen. "Wait! You mean you almost ran over the cute guy from the store?"
"Uh, yeah. And he was really sweet and drove me to the place I met Ethan at, and I might've gotten his number..."
    "Oooh Ashtynnn!" I nudge her in the shoulder. She just rolls her eyes, turns away, and starts waking for the living room.
     "Friends, Grayson!"
I follow her. "Uh huh! We'll see about that!" I laugh as Ashtyn plops herself down onto the couch.
As I plop myself up onto the couch right beside her and lie my head on her lap, a couple seconds of silence pass before a startling phrase spills from Ashtyn's lips.
"I mean I kissed your brother so..." I shoot upward and my bulging eyes stare into her soul.
"OMG I FORGOT YOU LITERALLY JUST WENT ON A DATE-DATE WITH MY BROTHER!" She laughs and shakes her head. "How did you end up kissing him, Ash!" Don't get me wrong, I love the girl and trust her with everything, but I already know she's about to fall for his games and straight boy charm...
"Well first after the guy, his name's Kaleb, brought me and your poor car to the restaurant, I went inside, found Ethan, sat at the table with him, and we just ate and talked for awhile. He seems more of a genuine person than I would've taken him for being...but sadly as we were talking, I didn't hear much of anything about his past, and no mention of you or his family." She sighs and lays her legs across my lap. "All I got outta him was that he's been in some, 'slight trouble in the past,' nothing major."
"Oh, I'm sorry, but I don't think he's going to just come out and tell you about what happened...but you still didn't answer my question of how you ended up smashing lips with him!"
"Ew, I hate when you say that!" We both laugh.
"It's true!"
"Whatever." She rolls her eyes. "But how we ended up kissing, was when he drove me home and we were in the driveway and I was about to get out but then you know, boom bang, and our lips...smashed." I see the cringe spread across her face after saying it.
I give a slight chuckle but it fades into a sad sigh.
Ashtyn obvioulsy notices and frowns. "What's wrong?"
"I just want to be so happy for you, Ash, I really do! It's just so hard keeping from you what he did and what he's capable of. I want you to be safe...why can't you just fall for a guy like Kaleb? Now he seems like a super sweet guy!" At some point, I grabbed her hands and shook them as I spoke, pleading for her to listen to me.
"Yes, Kaleb does seem like a good guy, but there's something about Ethan that-" I shake my head in annoyance, and apparently she notices because she stops herself before continuing on that thought. "And you're not keeping whatever Ethan did from me. I'm the one that won't let you tell me what happened, so please don't be so hard on yourself."
Still holding hands, a few moments go by of me and her just staring into each others eyes, not awkwardly, but of me looking into her soul and coming to a realization. She's not that vulnerable 14 year old girl like when I first met her. As I look into Ashtyn's eyes for the good 15 seconds I do, I see a strong independent woman who can handle Ethan on her own. She'll find out eventually. She doesn't need me hovering over her and criticizing every move she makes with him. But what she does need is a friend that'll be happy for her, not quite supporting the decision, but happy.
"I love you, Ash. And I'm still so happy that you're here in person with me! Now we can go and actually hangout together like normal best friends...how about we go out and go get some froyo?" A sneaky smile spreads across my face because I know what I'm about to do to her spirit.
"Ooh, yeah! That actually sounds so good right about now. It's been a night." She jumps up from the couch excitedly, and I follow.
"It definitely has but, oh wait! You know I just remembered something," I say sarcastically, and Ashtyn stops and turns towards me. "I no longer have a car to take us anywhere anymore!"
    The excitement in her face instantly drops, and she spins right back on her heels toward her bedroom, bringing up her middle finger as she walks into the room.
    All I can do is fall onto the couch from laughing so hard.