when all is said and done | e.d.

epilogue pt. 3

ethan

^^sorry they've all been ethan chapters so far ahah. i'll make sure to include harper ones.

*december 12, ethan's classroom*

"so," i say, tossing up my rubber band ball in my hands. "what did shakespeare mean when he said, love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; therefore is winged cupid painted blind?"

silences overcomes my last period before lunch, and i sigh. "are you all asleep, or confused?"

mia, the classroom know-it-all, raises her hand excitedly.

"mia," i tilt my head down, holding my hands out a little. "how many questions have you answered in a row?"

she thinks for a moment. "twelve."

i kick my feet off my desk and sit up straight. "are we just gonna do this to poor mia?" i ask the class. "come on. what does he mean by that quote?"

her hand springs up, but i motions for her to put it down. "i appreciate the enthusiasm."

blake lazily raises his hand from the back. my face ignites into a smile as i point at him. "yes, my man. take it away, blake."

"can we go to lunch?" he asks blandly.

i sigh again, sitting down on the edge of my desk and rolling up my sleeves. "i always hated the boring classes in high school, and i always promised myself i would never make mine like that. what can i do to be better for you?"

i ask this question at least once a week. then we all have a group discussion about what i'm doing, and how i can make it more interesting.

"well... we read the book," layla says nervously. i always encourage feedback— even if it's harsh— but she always feels bad anyway. "what else do you want us to do? we don't know anything this guy is saying."

i laugh. "okay, how about we work it out together?"

they all sit up a little and nod.

"okay," i cross my arms, trying to think of how i can explain this. "picture this: i met this lovely woman—"

"where?" blake asks loudly.

"tinder. shut up," i brush his comment off and the class laughs. good, they're waking up. "anyway, i meet this woman and she's not up to society's usual beauty standards. but i love her."

"don't you have a girlfriend?" someone asks.

"come on now," i say. "i said this was hypothetical. anyway, she's not the prettiest duck in the pond, but she makes me very happy, and has the kindest heart out of everyone i've ever met."

all the classroom eyes shift to the door, and i turn around confusedly.

harper looks at the class sheepishly, and to me.
"hi," she says quietly. "sorry. i um, i brought lunch? i didn't know you still had a class."

"perfect," i say happily, taking her by the shoulders and standing her in front of the class. she reddens as everyone stares at her. "some of you may have met harper. anyway, pretend she's the ugliest woman alive—"