PEACH PIT :: ETHAN DOLAN

UN

The warm New Jersey air came with a feeling of nostalgia, as if years had passed since the last time Ethan had been home. Summer wasn't quite over yet, the sun still beaming down on his tan skin, the flora still blooming, birds still singing. The familiar yet slightly disconcerting sight of his hometown had butterflies filling his stomach instead of fluttering around in the breeze.

A lot of things had changed since he was here last. When he left, he was running away from everything he'd ever known, desperate for things to change-desperate to feel different.

He learned a lot about himself over the summer, and all the alone time gave Ethan the space to sort through his problems and feelings, and stop feeling the need to sacrifice himself for others. Coming home was a test though, to see if that really paid off, or if he was bullshitting himself.

A lot of things stayed the same too. His hometown looked exactly like it had when he left-kids playing in the streets, local shops all in the same places. Surely his brother would be the same, surely the girls he was nervous to see would be the same. It was only early August, he'd only been gone two months, it wasn't that long.

Ethan could've stayed away longer, for the entire summer, but he thought he needed to be back now. He needed to face reality and stop running, he'd done enough of that.

Parking the car in the empty driveway, he took a deep breath. His hands ran through his hair as he climbed out, grabbing a few of his bags and watching the summer breeze blowing stray flower petals through the air as he approached the front door of his house.

It was stupid to be nervous, right? This was his house. With his family. Not to mention, it looked empty right now.

Ethan didn't call as often as he should've over his time away. He called Grayson once a week, at most. He spoke to his parents every couple of weeks, and only spoke to Phoenix and Alondra once after the first night he left.

Sure, he wanted to call them all more often. But he truly felt that he needed to separate himself from everything. Cutting off his twin brother was too hard though, so he called him the most often.

Ethan's key still unlocked the door, not that he thought it wouldn't. As expected, the house was quiet, the air inside still.

It still smelt of home though. Fresh flowers sat on the coffee table, a new couch sat in the living room, and surprisingly, Ethan's phone sat on the kitchen counter, next to the bowl of fruit. It was turned off, probably had sat there the entire summer, but he tucked it into his pocket instinctively. There were some boring nights without it, but ultimately, the time offline was good.

A sigh leaves his lips as he stomps up the stairs, walking toward his bedroom that had been vacant for months. Just as he's pushing the door open, he hears another one open behind him.

"Ethan!"

His bags drop to the floor as his brother tackles him in a hug, messing up his hair as both of them laugh. "Hey, bro."

"You didn't-why didn't you say you were coming home?!"

"Kinda just woke up two days ago and decided I was," Ethan shrugs, a grin on his face. "Packed up and drove back here... but don't worry, I took breaks to eat and sleep. Figured I'd just see you when I got back."

Grayson's smile took up half his face, ecstatic to see his brother for the first time since graduation. They'd spoken, but only through pay-phones or borrowed cellphones, and Ethan always kept it brief. Never spoke about where he was, or too much of what he was doing. Just that he was okay.

Shoving his brother, Grayson huffs out, "I can't believe you just fucking left."

"It was good for me," Ethan sighs, plugging his phone in. It's not quite dead, since it's just been off all summer, but it probably needs a charge. "And hey, at least I called."