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"What the hell is going on?" I snapped, ripping my arm out of Ethan's grasp. He never stopped walking so I stood in the middle of the hallway and crossed my arms. "I'm not moving until you tell me what's going on."

He turned around and stomped towards me, grabbing my wrist and dragging me into the elevator. 

"Ethan-"

"Holy shit do you ever shut up?" He snapped. 

I stayed quiet and crossed my arms over my chest and made sure I was the first one out of the elevator, through the lobby, and into the car. I slammed the front passenger door, refusing to sit in the back with the asshole. Ethan jumped in the back and huffed, telling the driver to take us back home. 

Nobody spoke. The silence was so tense and awkward but nobody broke it. 

I looked out the window and smiled at the old couple sitting outside of an Italian bakery, the little girl holding a puppy in her arms and smiling at the park, and the young couple walking down the sidewalk hand in hand. 

My eyes followed everyone that they came across. Even when I was little, I watched people. Not in a  weird way, but I was so intrigued by everyone I saw. I always wondered what they were like, what their families were like, everything. 

Before I knew it, the car pulled up in front of my house. The price for the ride popped up on the screen and I pulled some money out and handed it to the man, mumbling for Ethan to pay the rest. I jumped out and went inside. My legs carried me to the couch and I flopped down, turning on the tv. 

Footsteps could be heard getting closer and closer and I instantly became bitchy again. 

"We need to talk." Ethan mumbled, sitting down beside me. 

I turned towards him and crossed my legs and placed my chin in my hands. 

"Talk then." I spat. "I want to hear everything. Obviously you telling me there were no secrets between us was bullshit."

"Before anything is said, I want you to know how much I love you. You mean the absolute world to me. I love you more than life itself, and I understand if you never want to speak to me again. Just please listen and get that it was a spur of the moment thing and... I love you, okay?" 

I nodded, letting him know to get on with the explanation. 

"So when I met Kelsey, she told me how she had this cousin named Taryn. My mind instantly jumped to you, but I thought nothing of it. Then when I saw a framed picture of you and Kelsey in her living room, I lost my mind. I started freaking out and crying saying how much I had to see you. I told her about us. Everything. From the day we met to the day I left. She told me that if we got back together, she would make your life a living hell. So, she made me a deal.." Ethan explained. He grabbed my hands and shivers made their way down my spine. 

"She said that I had to come visit her here, and pretend we were a couple. If I didn't, she would have made your life horrible, and I didn't want her doing that to you. So I said yes and we decided that we would "break up" whenever she decided but I couldn't take it anymore. I want you and only you." Ethan said, sounding like he was going to cry. "She's trying to make me out to be a horrible person but I love you and hope you can forgive every stupid thing I've ever done."

I didn't even know there were tears falling down my cheeks until I felt them drip onto my legs. I knew in the end, all he wanted was to see me. He wanted to protect me and I love him for that. I get why he had to hide this from me and I'm not mad. Not one bit.

"Ethan.." I whispered, pulling him into my arms. He began to cry and wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me tight. 

"I just love you!" He sobbed. "I've treated you so badly and somehow you always find it in your heart to forgive me. I don't deserve you." 

"Stop saying that."

We held each other for what felt like hours, but it was only five minutes. My mom walked into the kitchen and slammed her purse and keys down, snapping us out of our little moment. 

"Sorry to interrupt guys! I didn't see you there." She said, forcing a sympathetic smile on her face. 

"Its okay," Ethan smiled. "I'm just gonna go jump in the shower." 

He walked by kissing me on the cheek and I blushed. My mom looked stressed out and on the verge of tears so I decided to go talk to her, since we haven't spoken a lot lately. I used to be so close to my mom but as I get older, we drift away from each other more and more. 

"Mom, whats wrong?" I asked, sitting at the island. She stood across from me and rested against the counter. 

"Just work stuff, I'm not allowed to talk about it." 

I sighed, but I knew whatever was bugging her was going to eat her alive if she didn't tell someone. 

"Mom, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone."

She instantly broke down into tears. "Remember how I was defending the family who lost their five year old daughter in that car accident a couple months back?" 

I nodded, "The one that got hit by the drunk driver?"

"Yeah. I thought I was getting so close to getting that asshole behind bars, but the judge concluded that there wasn't enough evidence against the man and he got off free! He killed a little girl and he got off free, Taryn!" She cried. "I failed the family. I promised them justice for their little girl and I couldn't give them that. Now they get to go on without their daughter forever while the man gets to spend everyday and every night with his."

I don't think I've ever seen her this upset before. My heart broke at the sight of my crying mother in the middle of our kitchen so I got up and hugged her tight. 

"I love you mom. I really do."


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hello friends! i really should be doing my chemistry homework but this is more important lmao

so theres about 2-3 more chapters of this book left! i know its short notice but I've been working on it for a really long time and theres not much left to write about but theres gonna be a lot of interesting things happening soon!! my next fanfic will be another ethan one too and i really think you guys are going to like it!

thank you for reading! i love you xoxo

-dont forget to comment and vote! it really helps!

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