summer romance (e.d.)

twenty-seven

anna

i wake up tuesday morning with an ear splitting headache. groaning, i rub my temples.

the light streaming in my room makes me want to scream, but i hold it back. i sit up carefully, and my vision is slightly blurry.

but i can make out the things on my dresser.

a powerade and some granola, along with a note.

with shaky limbs, i stand up and walk to them.

anna-

i hope you're doing okay. powerade and granola is really good for hangovers (or so i read), so i left you some. i know you probably don't remember a ton about last night, but don't worry, it wasn't embarrassing. your phone is in the kitchen, please call me when you can. i want to know how you're doing. rest a lot today and drink water. let me know if you need anything. yes, anything

your drunk caretaker,
e

i smile and cringe at the note at the same time, not believing the part about how he said i wasn't embarrassing. all i remember is being at the party, then being in my bed as he whispered just a bunch of random thoughts as i fell asleep.

why wasn't liam there to take me home?
why did ethan do it instead?

sighing, i slip the note into my desk drawer, along with the first one he left me.

i chug the powerade and munch on the granola as i make my way to the kitchen, and to my phone.

sure enough, there's texts from people at the club, asking where i went.

but none from liam, even to ask if i'm doing okay.

the thought makes me sad, but i click on ethan's contact like he told me to.

it rings for a couple moments, then he picks up.

"hey," i hear him say, rough morning voice peeking through. "did you see my note?"

"yes, thank you," i answer, my voice feeling scratchy. "i'm eating the granola as we speak."

he chuckles at that, and i continue. "hey, why were you the one that ended up taking me home last night? why didn't liam?"

he's quiet. "let me know when you're feeling 100%. then we can talk. drink water, okay?"

i'm about to protest, but he hangs up.

furrowing my eyebrows, i mutter, "that doesn't reassure me at all."

instead of a shower, i take a hot bath in the claw tub and stay there for what feels like hours. i only get out when i begin to feel dizzy.

my headache has decreased significantly, but it's still an aching presence in the spot above my eyes. so i eat a healthy breakfast filled with protein and substitute my coffee with water.

by noon, i'm feeling about 85%.

that's when i get the text from liam.

«liam» hey babe. i've got a monsterrr headache. can you maybe bring me a smoothie from that place we went to one time?

i'm dealing with a hangover too. he didn't even ask me about mine.

so i don't respond, and lay my phone facedown by the coffee maker.

i do nothing but lay in bed until 3:00, and that's when i find the strength to let ethan know that i'm no longer dying.

he picks up immediately.

"i'm coming over," he says, then hangs up again.

"enough with the hanging up!" i yell at my phone, throwing it onto my bed as i wait for him to slip in through the window.

he does a few minutes later, tripping and falling through it. i laugh as he narrows his eyes at me, standing up from his fall and dusting off his black jeans.

"that was smooooth," i compliment sarcastically.

"maybe i will start using the door," he says.

"it's what most normal humans do."

he tosses me a smile. "shut up."

i giggle, sitting down on my bed. "can you tell me about last night now?"

without hesitation, he replies, "marlboro man."

i furrow my eyebrows. "what?"

"that's what it is, anna," he smiles. "marlboro man."

"i have no clue what you're saying."

"it's woodsy and slightly citrusy, which i like. personally, it smells like mahogany and teakwood's cousin—"

"wait," i cut him off. "what?"

"ah, so you don't remember smelling me and demanding that i tell you what i use?"

i facepalm. "no."

"don't worry. that was the most embarrassing thing you did. also, you threw up in my car," he laughs.

"no," i whisper, as if i can't believe it. the thought of me throwing up in ethan's shiny new car makes me want to crawl in a hole and die.

"well not in it. you opened the door."

"thank god," i breathe out. "is that it?"

he thinks for a moment. "yeah, i believe so."

"so why didn't liam take me home?" i ask quietly.

"he drank more than you did. he wanted to, i guess. but i told him no."

i nod. "so you didn't drink anything?"

"no," he says, wrinkling his nose. "sometimes alcohol just makes me really anxious for no reason. grayson likes it, though."

there's silence in the room.

"thank you for being responsible and telling liam no," i whisper. "i really appreciate that."

"of course."

"so... i told cameron thank you for the sweatshirt she gave me..."

panic crosses his face, but he hides it well. "yeah? what'd she say?"

"she said she doesn't listen to tame impala. and that she didn't give me a sweatshirt," i narrow my eyes.

"sometimes she gets confused—"

"ethan," i laugh. "why'd you give me it?"

he sighs, defeated. "i heard you talking about what music you listen to one day, and i remembered i had it and never really wore it."

"but it was limited edition. not many people got them."

he shrugs. "i had a feeling you'd wear it more."

i smile. "thank you."

"you're welcome."

"ethan?"

"hm?"

"what's on your schedule for today?"

"absolutely nothing," he responds.

"do you want to lay out by the pool with me?"

"lay out?" he scoffs. "please. i do handstand competitions in the deep end, and if you can't give me the same energy back then i'll have to decline."

"fine," i say, laughing. "i'll do a handstand competition with you."

"i'll let you win."

"you won't have to. i took one gymnastics class when i was younger, therefore i'm an elite gymnast."

ethan ducks his head, laughing a little.

"meet me at the pool in 10," he says, starting to climb back out my window.

"i'll be there," i call out to him.

a feeling of butterflies arises in my stomach, but i push it away.