𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙙 - e.d. [ completed ]

Seven

Emma

I would be lying if I didn't steal more than a couple glances at Ethan, while Melanie watched SpongeBob.

I would also be lying if I said I didn't see him steal a couple my way too.

I tried to keep my face from burning up, and thankfully he couldn't notice me blushing like a tomato every time, because the lights were turned off, only the TV and the light turned on in the kitchen, lighting up the room.

"She fell asleep." Ethan chuckled looking down at Melanie, leaning on his shoulder. I was to preoccupied with stealng glances at Ethan, I didn't even notice her falling asleep.

"We should let her sleep." I say, reaching for the remote, turning the TV off. None of us were really watching it, so it made sense to just turn it off. I stand up from the couch and Ethan, genlty lays his sister down, so she's more confortable, and she snuggles her Barbie closer to her chest.

Me and Ethan move to the kitchen quietly, making sure not to wake her up. I glance up at the clock on the wall, and see it's only 8:32 pm.

"Well, what should we do now?" I ask, casually. "Want anything to drink?" I ask, walking to the fridge, getting myself a bottle of water.

"Water's fine." he says, and I hand him one too.

"Well, I'm going outside, wanna join me?" I say, as I walk to the glass door in the back of the kitchen, leading to the back yard.

"Sure." he says.

We sit down on the two small white wooden sun-chairs and look up to the sky. The summer sun is barely setting, making beautiful orange and pinks to decorate the sky.

To me, I feel like sunsets are the only thing left to bring me some type of joy. For someone like me, I find it hard to find joy in anything, and looking at the sun set just always seems to bring a smile to my face. I guess it's just the sole fact that sunsets are something that will always be the same. Something everything sees the same. It's just a reminder that all people have something in common. Because these days everyone just seems so far apart.

The only thing I feel remotely close to is my grandma and my notebook.

"I like it when you smile." Ethan comments randomly. "You don't seem to do it a lot." he adds and I look at him, eyebrows furrowed.

"Uh, thanks." I say blushing. He notices visibly, the smile on his face, turning into a grin.

"Why?" he inquires.

"What do you mean?" I ask, unsure.

"Why don't you smile more? I mean, I personally smile at anything, I smile so easily." he chuckles at himself. "But you don't. Why?" he ends, making me stiffen up.

I stay quiet. I don't know what to say. I mean, how would I possibly explain this?

"I don't know. I guess I just don't find a lot of stuff funny." I say.

"You don't have to find stuff funny, to be able to smile. You just have to look at something that makes you happy." he says. "What makes you happy, Emma? Cause I wanna see that smile more." he leans over, and I smile again. He grins, as if he acomplished something great, and looks back up at the sky.

I get this weird feeling in my stomach, when I'm with Ethan. I don't get it. And for a couple seconds, that constant pressure in my chest, seems to go away. Even if just for a moment, I want it to last forever.

After years of misery, I finally feel myself somewhere close to maybe opening up to someone, feeling like it's worth it to try and stay.

And Ethan makes me feel that way.

"I like to draw, I guess." I say, after a few moments.

"I know, I saw you sketching in the diner." he says and I chuckle, remembering it. "Maybe one day you will show me your sketches?" he says, it coming out more as a question.

"Maybe." I say, and smile again.

Wow, three smiles in the last five minutes. I'm breaking records.

"You're smiling again." he says, bitting on his lower lip, to contain the growing grin.

"Am I?" I say, as if I didn't know.

"Yep." he pops the 'p' and I purse my lips to contain mine. I look away, into my back garden.

Last remember being here, there was no flowers in the back. But now, there's yellow lilies decorating the gate, a couple purple ones splattered in between.

I used to love lilies. I have a few memories in this back yard, but since I was only three when we moved, there isn't many.

"Why do you always wear a hoddie?" Ethan says suddenly.

"Huh?" I say, confused.

"Why do you always hide your face?" he says.

"Because when I don't people stare." I say. I think it's pretty obvious I have a huge scar across my face.

"Why wouldn't they? You're beautiful." he says.

His comment takes me by surprise and I can't help but look at him, with my eye brows furrowed.

I'm having such a hard time figuring this boy out. Why would he think I'm beautiful? I'm obviously not, so why would he say I am? Why would he want to hang out with me? Socially, I am a nobody, I have absolutelly no future, and I can't see myself ever loving anyone or anything ever again.

So why would he even try, to get me to be happy?

I just ignore his comment and look back at the now, dark sky.