summer romance (e.d.)

twenty-one

anna

the sun creeping through the window makes me shield my eyes, and i sit up.

i'm incredibly disoriented as i yawn and glance around the room. popcorn bowls and red bull cans litter my coffee table, and i try to remember the details of last night.

i almost jump when i see ethan curled up in my blanket on the floor, his head resting on a pillow that was taken from my room.

the tv is on, and playing random morning channels.

i scratch my head. "ethan?" i say.

he doesn't stir.

grumbling, i stand up and nudge him a little with my foot.

"e, you fell asleep here," i yawn.

immediately, he sits up, hair messy and fluffy as he scans the room.

"what?" his voice is raspy and deep, and he rubs his eyes.

"i don't think you were supposed to fall asleep here."

he groans, falling back. "fuuuu..." he starts, but apparently doesn't accumulate enough energy to finish it.

i laugh. "hurry, the sun is still rising. you can get in before your mom wakes up."

"but i don't want to leave," he whispers, staring at the ceiling.

"why not? robert can make you a better breakfast than i can."

he glances at me. "is that an offer?"

"won't you get in trouble?"

he shrugs, sitting up. "they don't have to know i was here. i can say i went on an early morning run."

i crack a smile. "ethan, you're wanting to spend an awful lot of time with me lately..."

he reddens. "it's not like that, i just—"

"i know," i laugh. "sometimes you just feel like one person understands you more than others."

he tilts his head at that. "yeah. but don't be getting an ego about it, okay? i still hate you."

"i hate you too, don't worry."

he follows me to the kitchen and takes a seat at a barstool as i grab a skillet and a carton of eggs from my fridge.

"what'll it be? scrambled? hard? sunny side up?" i ask.

he thinks for a moment. "scrambled."

"sunny side up is superior."

"okay, anna-marie. just make my eggs."

i laugh, turning the gas stove on. i drop vegetable oil over the skillet before cracking the egg and hearing it simmer.

after a couple of minutes, i use a spatula to chop it up and serve it scrambled.

he looks at the plate i hand him, inspecting it closely.

"not up to your standards?" i ask, rolling my eyes.

"no," he meets my eyes. "it's perfect."

i make one for myself, (sunny side up, of course) and eat it standing up and leaning on the counter across from him.

"what's the party later this week even for?" i ask after i finished chewing.

"celebrating the end of june?" ethan shrugs. "i don't know. does there have to be an occasion?"

i furrow my eyebrows. "why don't they just push it back a little and it can be considered a fourth of july party?"

"because the fourth is fun and it's own special day. my favorite day of the year, probably."

"why's that?" i smile.

"everyone usually goes out to the beach, but i stayed on the patio last year," he explains. "but anyway, fireworks go off and it's just a really fun time."

i look down at my plate as i casually ask, "think you'll go down to the beach this year?"

"no," he breathes out. "maybe next time."

"that's okay," i nod. "maybe you'll change your mind."

"i'm not going to the damn beach, anna," he says roughly.

i flinch, stepping back. "i'm sorry."

he huffs, running a hand through his hair. "it's fine i should... probably go."

i nod in agreement and watch as he grabs his shoes from my room, right next to the window.

"bye," he mutters as i hold open the door for him.

"bye."

after he leaves, i lean my back against the door and sigh. just when i thought we were starting to become friends, something always happens.

i take notice of the full, shining sun streaming in my window and pick up my phone from the counter.

a message stares back at me.

«liam» beach today?

smiling, i type out my answer.

«me» meet me here whenever :)