lemonade | ethan

thirty nine

ethan's pov

my phone in my pocket begins vibrating, and i immediately knew who it was already. checking the caller ID anyway, i prove myself right.

i excuse myself from devon so she wouldn't hear the call, for if she had, i'd have to answer questions i wouldn't know how to answer.

"hello?" i say, shortly after picking up.

"good evening, ethan. how are you doing?" the voice on the other line says. fancy of him to make small talk. it's what he usually does before asking for something.

i sighed. "i'm good. and you?"

"fine. we haven't talked since before your new years trip. how was that? fun, i assume?" he asks.

"yeah, it really was." i simply say, reminding me of all the fun things i did with devon that weekend. and how completely stress free i had been without ruby around.

he clears his throat. "the winter formal at brooklyn bay high is coming up soon. i assume you'll be taking my daughter, correct?"

shit, i knew where this was coming. "uh, actually–" i wanted to tell him that i wanted to take devon instead, but he cut me off.

"remember our deal, dolan. your future is on the line." he sternly says.

"very well, mayor brooks." i sighed. "i'll take ruby."

"i'm glad ruby found you, you know. she doesn't have much friends." mayor brooks tells me, leading me into his office.

i chuckle. "yeah. she's sweet." i tell him honestly. she got me this full ride, it's nice of her.

mayor brooks sits down at his desk, motioning for me to sit across from him as well. i do as told, and he begins talking about his wants in this situation.

"i barely see my daughter because of how busy i am, but i can almost always tell how lonely she really is. being the mayors daughter has its disadvantages." he says. "i know you're a south sider, and you're not supposed to be stereotypically involved with north siders, but i can truthfully say that you are a great influence on my daughter."

"ruby has trouble making friends because of how difficult she can be. she isn't the nicest girl, but with you.. she is." he explains. "this full ride is one hundred percent yours because i would do anything for my little girl and it's what she wants. but people don't just get what they want without earning it. so, ethan. i'll make you a deal. break it, and you lose your full ride. understand?"

i nod. "i understand, sir."

"it isn't difficult, so don't sweat it too much. i just want you to be ruby's friend. i want you to be there for her in her darkest times, and hang out with her at school. i want you to compliment her on her makeup, or walk her to places, i don't know." he explains. "ruby likes you, ethan. i don't know why, but like i said: i'd do anything for her."

LEMONADE

it's been about a week since mayor brooks phoned me while i having a calming evening with my lady, walking on the only pier in brooklyn bay. i'm having a hard time comprehending what he wants of me, to be honest.

i'm dreading asking ruby to the winter formal. this is my senior year, my winter formal. i just want to take my girl, and mayor brooks is stripping all of that away from me.

my girl. gosh, that's sounds right.

i don't have the heart to tell devon what's happening. but i cannot keep lying to her, and i cannot keep waiting for a miracle to happen. hoping i could be saved by ruby going to the dance with another guy, or mayor brooks calling me and telling me it was all one big prank.

since the phone call, i've been hanging out with devon almost every day. we've been doing stupid yet simple things like having picnics on the beach, or going to our annual southside parties, or even things as simple as baking cookies in her kitchen while her parents are gone and then watching a movie.

well, we plan to watch a movie but usually don't even end up watching it because sometimes we're too busy... you know.

wow, ethan. you're whipped. and it feels so good.

but, i know why i'm really doing this, hanging out with her everyday. yes, of course i'm doing it because i like this girl, and she's everything to me. but i also just want to make the most of it before she hates me when eventually i have to ask ruby to the dance instead of her.

i sighed, stuffing my face into my pillow. "wow, you're such a softie. devon's impact?" allie stands in my doorway, leaning against the doorframe. she lets herself in, jumping on my bed and laying down next to me. "what's up, e. i won't judge." she says, shaking her head.

i looked at her with an eyebrow raised but eventually just decided to tell her. "mayor brooks is making me take his daughter to the winter formal."

allie cringes. "oh wow. that is bad." she replies. she knows her people, so explaining who ruby was and what ruby has done wasn't a problem when it came to her.

i nod, sighing. "yeah. it is."

allie stares at me for a bit before she gets up and pushes me off the bed. i fall to the floor, a confused look on my face. "ow! what was that for?"

"come on, ethan! mama ain't raise no bitch! walk up to mayor brooks and tell that jerk right in his face 'NO'!" she lectures me, looking me dead in the eye. "are you gonna spend the rest of your time with devon not doing anything you can, just to properly be with her? she went against her norms, lost her friends, made several enemies, and is slowly losing her moms trust just for you!"

"now what are you going to do for her?" she adds, crossing her arms. "wow, i should really become a motivational speaker." she gasps. "oh! a therapeutic chef! perfect!"

allie was right. devon sacrificed a lot just to be friends with me in the first place. she went for it, not even looking back to what she could be missing if she even associated herself with us southsiders.

devon is a mysterious person. but allie's lecture just opened my eyes a bit. everything leading up to now, everything she's lost, she lost just so she could have me.

i don't want another minute wasted with that girl. it was time i did something for a change, like allie said.

i got up from the ground, looking at allie. "you're right. i'm gonna go talk to him."

"how? your car is in the shop." allie said, rolling her eyes.

i shrugged. "i'll run."

"okay, usain bolt. suit yourself." she says sarcastically. "also, uh, wear a jacket. it's chilly." she adds, throwing me my jacket.

"can you manage being home by yourself for a while?" i ask, quickly slipping on my jacket.

she scoffs. "i'm not a kid anymore." she replies. "now go, lover boy. before it's too late."

lover boy, huh?

END OF CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

ahh!!! alexandra truly is my fav character. she's sassy and SMART and talented! love her