lemonade | ethan

forty

ethan's pov

i stand nervously outside the gate of the mayors home that sits on the hill. i was shaking. i don't know if it was the fear or the coldness running through my body. maybe it was both, i don't know.

i buzzed the gate buzzer and the mayor answered. "what're you doing here so late, son?" he asked, seeing me through the camera.

"i just need to talk to you about something, sir." i explained, tapping my foot against the pavement.

he sighed. "come back tomorrow morning, ethan."

"no!" i quickly said. "uh, i mean.. it's urgent."

mayor brooks is quiet on the other side for a while before be finally opens the gates for me. i sighed of relief and let myself in.

i walked up to the front door, where he was already there, opening it for me.

he shuts the door once i'm inside, sighing and turning over to me as we stand in the middle of the large foyer. "what is it?" he asks.

"it's about the winter formal, sir." i say, confidently as i stand tall. "i can't go with ruby."

he furrows his eyebrows. "why not?"

i was glad he was willing to hear why instead of just taking away my full ride then and there.

"mayor brooks..." i say. "have you ever been in love?"

"i've been thinking about this word for a while now. love. i hadn't known what it truly felt like my entire life. i'm still not sure if i quite understand it yet but i know that what i have with my girl is real." i add.

"so thank you and ruby for this warm welcome into your lives, and thank you for this opportunity of a lifetime but i can't bear hurting her, so take my full ride away, i don't care. i'd do anything for this girl."

"... i love her."

mayor brooks shakes his head slowly, looking down at the floor averting his eyes away from me. "ethan. you're one exceptional kid. and i understand you completely. so... the deals off." he says.

"because any boy willing to do anything for the girl he loves, definitely deserves a chance at a proper future." he finishes. "i won't take this away from you. you'd do anything for her, just as i'd do anything for my daughter."

"i can't force a friendship, i realize that now." he explains. "winter formal is coming up in just a few days, son. i suggest asking this girlfriend of yours before another man takes your place."

he tells me to go, and i can't help but grin. i firmly shake his hand, though i had the strong urge to hug him to show him how grateful i was, but remembered he's the mayor so i probably shouldn't. i thanked him before hurrying out the door.

why wait, right ethan? let's go ask her right now.

upon arriving to her house, i quickly decide to climb up to her window as i noticed her parents were home after i grabbed something from the porch.

i quietly knock, careful not to attract her parents as i notice her sitting at her desk as she writes something on a piece of paper. she jumps in her seat, a confused look on her face before she comes over and opens the window for me to come in.

she grabs my hand, helping me in before speaking. "what are you doing here?" she asks, backing up for me yet never letting go of my hand.

"i have to tell you something." i say, out of breath.

"tell me something?" she asks to reassure, an eyebrow raised.

my eyes widen. "ask! i meant ask." i stumbled upon my own words, chuckling slightly.