saved | e.d.

24

"you told me you didn't know who did it" i turned to max with disgust and hurt.

"i- i didn't know i promise you i just pulled the trigger with my eyes closed along with others who were shooting as well. i- i didn't know it was my bullet." max stammered. max never trips over his words unless he's in shock. which mean he isn't lying.

"look i'm really sorry max but i think you should go" i said not looking him in the eye. i heard his feet shuffle away and i looked to ethan who was already headed back to the car.

"ethan, wait!" i said jogging over to him. "ethan" i tried. "e look at me" he stopped in his tracks and turned to me.

"i had no clue he did it." i said.

"i know, i could tell by how hurt and disgusted you were when i said it." he said.

"i'm sorry. so so sorry." i wrapped my arms around ethan and embraced him in a hug. he reciprocated quickly and my body got weirdly warm.

"let's go home?" i asked. he nodded his head and we walked to the car.

i really hope max doesn't do anything stupid.

-

when ethan and i have arrived home i walked with him straight to his room while we talked.

"hey i'm here if you need to talk, okay?" i say softly before leaving to go to my room.

"thank you, lex." he said. i smiled and shut his door. i really hope hes doing okay after tonight.

my feet carried me to my room, and i changed into comfier clothes after a quick shower. i layed in my bed with my eyes trying to sleep.

after an hour of laying in bed wide awake, i decided to head downstairs and get some water. it was currently 1 in the morning, so no one was up.

well- i THOUGHT no one was awake.

"grayson?" i whisper. he turns his head and looks at me before setting down his mug.

"why're you awake?" he asked.

"couldn't sleep." i answer shortly.

"same here." he says taking another sip from his mug.

"what's that?" i ask referring to his beverage.

"hot tea or something. supposed to help you sleep. aaron uses it i don't know." he says while swirling around the liquid in the mug. "want some?" he adds.

"sure" i agree. grayson raises off the bar stool and walks into the kitchen. he starts to make me the tea while i just watch. my mind keeps replaying the encounter with max.

i hate it.

"what's on your mind?" grayson asks holding a cup in front of my face. i snap out of my thoughts and take the cup from his hands.

"thanks, and a lot honestly." i plop down onto the barstool next to where grayson is sitting.

"well, let's hear it." he says in a duh tone. i raise my eyebrows playfully and shake my head smiling.

"well ethan and i went to dinner and got ice cream today," i start, but grayson interrupts me.

"ohhhh so you like him?" he says like he put some puzzle together.

"what? no- we went to dinner and an old friend saw me. except that old friend turned out to be the guy who uh...." i didn't want to be so blunt and just say it so i looked up at grayson and hoped he got it.

"who did what?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"the guy who killed your father. i didn't know but as soon as we ran into him ethan almost attacked him. i stopped him and we went home. i cant stop replaying it in my head. i'm worried about him." i finished.

graysons face was unreadable. and that scared me.

"well, first of all are you okay?" he asked. wow that was unexpected.

"yeah i'm okay, just worried about ethan." i answer.

"good. now, when you saw ethan last was he blank?" he asked seriously.

"blank?" i asked.

"yeah, like his facial expression looks hollow." he explains.

"oh, well then no. he looked bothered but like he was trying to hide his true emotion." i paused. "that's why i'm worried." i added.

"well. i wouldn't be too worried. ethan is one of the strongest people i know. and by the way you described him i think he'll be okay once he sleeps it off." i nod. "oh, and thanks for being there for him. i'm glad he has you." he says with complete seriousness.

"of course. i care about him a lot." we both pause and drink our tea. grayson downs the rest of his and places the mug in the sink.

"well, i'm off the try to sleep. goodnight." he says.

"night." i smile. "wait" i say suddenly.

grayson turns around and waits for me to speak.

"i'm here for you too." i say referring to our last conversation.

"thanks alex. i'm here for you too." i smile at him and for the first time, he smiles back at me.

———
A/N: all i gotta say is: 🥺🥺🥺

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