PEACH PIT :: ETHAN DOLAN

NEUF

June 17th

I'm driving back to see Christine today. Longer than I thought I'd be away but I got sidetracked in the mountains. Just me, a deck of cards, and nature. I'm getting better at being by myself and not getting bored so easily. I'm also getting better at doodling, I think (that's why there are so many stupid things drawn in the margins)

I promised to stop in, but I don't think I'll stay long. Enough to get her number so we can stay friends once I get my phone again. Like I mentioned before, I think we needed to find each other. And I wanna know how she's doing.

I talked to Grayson when I got into a town with a pay phone today. I asked him about them.

He didn't say much, but Grayson's never been very close with either of them. They were always more my... people? Idk. He told me they've seemed a little down, but that they also seem to be coming to terms with it, and didn't think it was good for me to hear about them considering why I left in the first place. He's probably right.

I miss them anyway.

-

"Ethan!"

"Calm down, bro!" Ethan laughs, hopping across the ledge onto another rock. It wobbles when his feet touch it, but he sticks the landing safely.

Down below, maybe a twenty foot drop, Grayson, Phoenix, and Alondra wait anxiously. The four of them needed some air and went for a hike, only for Ethan to see a rocky area up high he wanted to climb on on their way back. The rocks were jagged, some were wet, others unstable or just too small to stand on. Even Grayson didn't think it was a good idea.

Ethan however, thought it was fun. Maybe the slightest bit stupid, but harmless. They couldn't tell him what to do.

He takes another step onto a rock that skids down off the hill when he tries, causing him to almost lose his balance. He was teetering on the edge of falling and worrying them all. Ethan couldn't find it on himself to care-all he was doing was climbing on some rocks.

"Ethan Grant Dolan, get down from there!" Phoenix screeches, crossing her arms. Her eyebrows were knit tightly together, emotions laid out plainly on her features. Ethan imagines this is how she would've yelled at him for the broken rope swing over the summer. "You're gonna hurt yourself!"

"She's right, dude. Be careful and get back down here before I kick your ass," Alondra shouts.

Ethan's eyes roll, glass crunching under his shoes. "I'm fine, guys. But whatever."

Starting his descent down the rocks, he hops around far too much for their liking. Ethan makes it about half of the way down the before his shoe lands on a wet one, causing him to go skidding the rest of the way down.

The sharp rocks tear into his skin, glass embedding itself, impact sure to leave bruises.

"Ow! Fuck, ouch-"

The three of them wince just at the sight and rush to the groaning, whimpering, bleeding boy at the bottom of the hill.

Scrapes are mostly on his legs and arms luckily, and shallow, but there's some glass stuck in the flesh that he needs to get out. There's also a cut across his cheekbone, and he tore his hands open trying to stop. Not to mention he's sore from falling in the first place, especially his back.

It really didn't seem like that big of a deal to him. It looked fun, so he did it. Was that a crime?

Ethan got a little banged up, he was hissing in pain now, but it was better than focusing on his thoughts running rampant. Christine was still on his mind, and so was everything with Phoenix and Alondra that happened lately.