PEACH PIT :: ETHAN DOLAN

DOUZE

"Cam, hey!" Ethan laughs, dodging his sister trying to steal his drink. "It's not my fault you finished yours."

"Just give me a sip, dude. It's hot out."

"You know I don't like sharing drinks! Just stop somewhere and get a new one."

Cameron rolls her eyes, pausing at a red light and reaching for his drink one last time. Ethan groans, holding his water bottle out the window to keep it away from his sister. She settles for smacking his arm instead and driving toward the gas station up the street.

Ethan wanted to spend some time with Cameron alone today. She was leaving in just a few more short days, and he ditched Cameron and Grayson yesterday, so this time he wanted her to himself.

They went out to the driving range and just caught each other up on everything, then they grabbed lunch, and now they were deciding what to do. After stopping for drinks at the gas station, of course, considering Ethan wouldn't share.

"Is that Phoenix?" Cameron asks, pointing toward a girl out for a run. Ethan squints. She's running so fast toward them that she's pretty blurry, but as she gets closer, it's definitely Phoenix. "It's way too hot to be running like that, don't you think?"

It was one of the hottest days of the summer, and so humid that you started sweating just stepping outside. She was pushing herself hard, and Ethan didn't like it.

"Yeah... do you mind if I—"

"Go ahead. I'll see you at home later, I'm gonna go catch up with some more old friends."

"Thanks, Cam," he smiles, her car pulling to the side of the road. Ethan hops out and waits for Phoenix to get closer, her run slowing when she sees him. "Hey, Nix."

"Ethan?" She breathes, wiping the her forehead with the back of her hand. She was breathing heavily, and her skin red all over. "W-what are you doing here? Why'd you get out of the car?"

"Saw you running... it's really hot out, Nix," he pauses, seeing her waver slightly on her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah it's just... it's hot, ran out of water a mile back. Kinda nauseous, I was on my way home," she waves him off, checking her phone for the time. "Thought I'd take advantage of the weather, y'know? I should get back to it—"

"Have you eaten today?" He asks quietly, handing off his water bottle without a second though. "Drink."

Phoenix purses her lips, slowly accepting his water. "I was gonna eat when I got home."

"Phoenix," Ethan sighs, her head hanging low. She refused to look at him, bringing his water to her lips and keeping her eyes on the ground instead. If she looked at him, she would have to see the familiar, sad puppy dog eyes he always gets. Phoenix couldn't handle that right now, she couldn't handle the way it turned her stomach upside down and made it hard to think straight. Ethan doesn't let her get away with that however, stepping forward and gently tilting her chin up until their eyes meet. "You gotta take care of yourself. You can't go for a run, especially on a day like today, when you haven't eaten anything. And as soon as you ran out of water you should've stopped, Nix. That's dangerous. You fainted once recently."

"Breakfast makes me feel sick," she says, biting down on her tongue. Phoenix is putting on a facade of ice, like she usually does when she's trying to avoid something, but the heat and Ethan's gaze is melting right through her. "I should get home."

"Come hang? My house is empty. Cam's going to see friends, Gray is... bugging Alondra, I think," that makes Ethan click his tongue against the roof of his mouth, "and my parents are at work."