wanderlust

c. iv

CHAPTER FOUR
ICE CREAM

marley griffin.

      "you should be working too, madison." mae's voice called out from the kitchen.

i wiped the counter down. madi sat in front of me playing on her phone. "i will, i'm just taking an off day. i'll help if you need me."

"so, what's up with you and ethan?"

i shrugged. "i don't know what you mean."

"oh don't play dumb marley. you studied together, sat at his table, and who were you with last night?"

"i was with him. he's just a new friend."

she rolled her eyes. "right. i'm gonna go wait tables so my mom doesn't yell at me." i threw her an apron and she put it on.

after a couple minutes i felt a presence sit down on the bar stool in front of me. "hey marley!" her cheery voice spoke out.

"oh, hi, haley. what can i get you?"

her eyes trailed around the place. "a dr. pepper will do. i'm not staying for long." then what are you here for?

i stuck a glass under the dr. pepper dispenser and let it fill the cup, then placed a cherry straw in it and set it down in front of her.

"what's up with you and ethan?" she asked me.

i put the coins she gave me in the register. "just a friend. we only recently started hanging out. why?"

"i just think as his best friend, i should know." her fingers tapped on her phone screen. "i don't mean to scare you."

"uh, no i'm okay." when im scared i stutter, and ive been speaking to you pretty clearly.

haley stood up from her chair. "well, i'm gonna go. see you around."

madi walked back over to me. "who is that?"

"ethan's friend, i guess. i think she's in the grade below us. both times we've spoken she just bombards me with questions, it's really awkward." i spoke.

i took my phone out from my apron pocket.

me
hey. wanna hang?

ethan <3
i'm down with that. can
i pick you up?

me
i'm at mae's. my shift
ends in four minutes.

ethan <3
omw
read.

"i'm gonna head out." i told mae, walking in the kitchen and giving her a hug.

"see you monday sweetie."

the dolan residence

     "i don't understand how you and gray are literal twins, like came out of the same womb, and aren't the bestest of friends." i told ethan.

"we like different things i guess."

my body was sprawled out on a couch while ethan was laying down of the one across from me. we were watching vampire diaries- his request.

i sat up, the fluffy blanket falling halfway on the ground. "brady and i use to be very close and he came out a year earlier than me."

"ethan?" a quiet voice spoke out.

i looked to the entry way and saw a little girl staring at me. "who's she?"

"her name is marley. she's okay to be around, harper." ethan said.

i smiled at her. "okay!" her little feet ran back upstairs.

ethan paused the episode. "she's cute." i told him.

"yep, she is." i think it's cute they have such a sweet bond. "wanna go somewhere? i'm getting bored."

i furrowed my eyebrows. "where would we go?"

ten minutes later

i could feel the breeze flowing through my long, brown hair. the windows were all rolled down and we were listening to our playlist.

ethan pulled into an ice cream parlor. "ice cream?"

"what's wrong with ice cream?" he asked me.

i smiled. "nothing."

e got cookies and cream while i got cotton candy. when he wasn't looking i swiped my card. "you bitch."

"in your face!" i giggled.

we sat down in the plastic booth. it was dark outside but the city looked beautiful lit up.

"so how many girls do you take out on car rides and for ice cream?" i asked him.

he smirked. "all of them."

"are you serious? that's so aw-"

ethan cut me off. "you and harper. calm down princess."

princess?

my spoon swirled around in the blue and pink mush. my blush seemed to be apparent, because ethan couldn't stop looking at me.

"so where did you take your other girlfriends, then?"

"i don't really date. relationships aren't my thing, i only do quickies." he shrugged. "i don't see you dating too many people either, lane."

my knees rose to my chest and i wrapped my arms around them. "i've never wanted to date anyone. nothing has ever been serious, or we wanted what the other couldn't give. i like to go on adventures, but i've always had my friends to keep me company."

my phone, that was laying face up in front of me, lit up.

brady >:(
where the hell
are you?

i rolled my eyes. brady always acted more like my dad then my brother. my dad wasn't even as strict and over protective as him.

me
none of your business.
lay off of me. dad knows
where i am and that's all
that matters.
read.

WANDERLUST.

new note from c!
i hope you all are staying safe
and if you are protesting, take
precautions and go with a friend
or like.. nine. love you so much<3