Let Yourself Fall // sequel to My Ethan Karpathy

Chapter 36.

ETHANS POV:

"Maybe you should ask Chloe!?" Chris yells as he hangs up the phone.

Chloe!? Oh my god. Paisley thinks I'm cheating on her! She left! Where is she? Where did she go? How does Chris know? A billion questions swirl around my head, I'm so confused. I can't concentrate. I can't believe it. She left. She's not going to forgive me. What if she doesn't believe me? She's not going to believe me. I black out.

CHRIS' POV:

I spent the night with the girls at Grace's. I am on the bus home because mum and dad had to work today. I can't believe Ethan would do such a thing! I really thought he was so much better, I thought he was like me. I thought he respected girls, not cheated on them. I thought he loved Paisley, I guess my senses were off. He's caused her so much pain and she just keeps forgiving him. Maybe it would've been better for Paisley to stay with Jai. But then again, that connection between Paisley and Ethan, it's undeniable. I realise I'm at my stop and I have to run to the front of the bus before the doors close. I jump out on to the footpath as the bus drives away. I walk the short distance from the bus stop to my house and let myself in. I just sit down on the couch when I hear a knock on the door. I reluctantly get up to answer it. I open the door to see no one but Sir HeartBreaker Karpathy. He looks incredibly upset like he's been crying. Or worse.. I didn't think of that. No, I guess he shouldn't have cheated. It's his fault.

"Chris I-" Ethan starts but I cut him off by closing the door on him. Unluckily for me, I didn't lock it, so Ethan just opens it and storms in.

"Chris! You have to listen to me!" Ethan yells.

"Listen to what, Ethan!? How you cheated on Paisley!? I thought you were better than that! I thought you respected her, I thought you loved her!?" I yell back.

"I didn't! And I do love her!" Ethan shouts.

"Then why'd you cheat on her!?"

"I didn't!" He defends himself. This is the biggest load of bullshit I've heard in a while.

"She saw the texts, Ethan!" I reply.

"Let me explain- wait.. How do you even know?" Ethan asks. I have a split second to create a lie.

"Um, Grace told me. I don't want you in here right now!" I say, raising my voice at the end.

"Chris! Hear me out! I thought you were someone who never made a decision without hearing both sides of the story." Ethan says, his voice now at normal pitch.

"Well I guess one thing we've learnt today is that people aren't always what you think they are!" I spit at him.

"Chris! Chloe is my cousin!" He yells.

"You're really that desperate that you have sex with your cousin? Well done, Ethan." I say, raising an eyebrow at him then turning away and walking into the kitchen. Ethan just follows me and pulls out his phone.

"No! She sent it to the wrong Ethan! She has a boyfriend called Ethan as well! Here, see for yourself. Scroll all the way up past the texts I got yesterday morning for proof that I haven't deleted or set up anything. She's my cousin." Ethan says as he hands me his phone.

I read all of the texts and I realise. This really is Ethan's cousin.

"I'm sorry." I sigh.

"No, it's fine. Do you believe me?" He asks.

"Yes," I reply hesitantly. "I do."

"Thank you."

"Paisley's really really hurt. Do you know that?" I ask him.

"I know! I need to talk to her. Where is she!?" Ethan asks.

"Don't talk to her yet. Let her calm down. She's okay, alright? I don't know where she is, but Grace told me she's fine. She's just hurt, really hurt." I half lie.

"I need to find her."

"Not yet." I tell him.

"Just.. Let me know that she's okay. Please, can you do that?" Ethan asks.

"She's okay," I assure him. "Now Ethan, please go home. I need to go."

"Holly's not coming home for a week." Ethan suddenly blurts out.

"Look, I can't worry about that now. I'm sorry, I really need to get somewhere." I say. I feel so bad for doing this, but I need to see Paisley.

"Okay," he says sadly as he turns around and walks towards the door.

"Ethan, just promise me you won't do anything you'll regret. she's okay, I'll try have her back to you as soon as I can." I tell him.

"I promise." he says as he leaves the house.

I follow Ethan's footsteps to the door, grab my phone and metro card, then walk back down to the bus stop. I get on the bus, swipe my card and sit down. I stare out the window for the next few stops but then someone calls my name from a few seats back.

Jai.