𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙙 - e.d. [ completed ]

Seventeen

A/N: It's kinda short, but I liked how the chapter ends so I didn't want to ruin it by prolonging it. Also I know I said I'd update tomorrow, but I just wrote this down and I couldn't wait to post it so here it is haha enjoy

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Emma

The lake is completely still. Not a single wave in it. At least that's what it looked like from the dock, we were sitting on. The sun has set an hour ago, and me and Ethan were still here, sitting, nothing but silence engulfing us.

The moons light reflected off the lake and I brought my eyes up to the clear, starry sky, thinking.

Mom and I would sometimes watch the stars. She would tell me the different constellations and what they meant, I never remember any, all except one.

The Orion constellation. I know there are many myths and stories about it, but mom would always tell me this story she made up about it.

"Do you like the stars?" Ethan asked me. I nod my head smiling, remembering my mother.

"My favorite constellation is the Orion." I tell him, showing him where it is. I lay down on the dock, my neck straining from looking up.

"Why is that one your favorite?" Ethan asks me intrigued, lying down next to me, and looking up at the sky.

A sigh escapes my lips, before I started talking. "My mom would always tell me a story about it, and I guess it just stuck on me."

"What's the story about?" he asks, looking at me.

I usually don't want to bring up any memories about my mom. Talking about her hurts, it's only been a couple months since she passed, but talking about her to Ethan, somehow makes me feel better. I trusted him he wouldn't judge me for it. So I start telling him the story.

"Basically, she'd say that a long time ago there was this boy, Orion. His family was very poor, they barely had enough food to go around, and that sometimes he would only get a piece of bread a day to eat." I say, my eyes getting teary as I reminisce. "Well, one day, he saw a girl, being pushed around by some men, clearly bigger then her. And even though he knew they were much bigger and stronger he defended the girl, pushing the men away." I smile.

"Did he beat their ass and save the girl?" Ethan jokes and I chuckle, sniffling a bit.

"No," I conclude."On the contrary, he got his ass kicked." I say. "But, the girl became his friend and they even fell in love." I tell him, looking at him too. He seemed to be watching my face, as a tear slipped from my eye. "My mom would tell that somewhere out there, in the middle of all of these stars, there was my Orion. And that I will find him. One day. And that he would help me. Keep me safe. Back then it gave me a lot of hope. Now it's just a sweet memory of my mom." A few more tears slipped from my eyes. Ethan watches me, before leaning up, on his elbow and reaching his hand up to my face, wiping the tears away.

"What happened to your mom?" He asks and I close my eyes, the memories flashing trough my mind.

The memories hurt me, and I don't want to talk about it to anyone, but Ethan isn't just anyone. He's somehow managed to become a big part of my life, in these last few weeks we've know each other. I might not completely trust him yet, but he deserves to know what happened. One day, maybe I'll tell him the whole truth. But for now let's start with this.

"She was killed." I say and Ethan's eyebrows sadden, his eyes watching me in sorrow.

"I'm so sorry, Emma." he says, and I notice his eyes glossy with tears.

Why is he crying?

"No need to feel sorry, you didn't do anything." I say, sniffling again.

"Come here." Ethan motions for me to come closer and I hesitate but move closer to him, and he pulls me onto his arms, my head leaning on his chest and his arms wrapped around me tightly, one caressing my back comfortingly.

After a moment of surprise I relax into his embrace and close my eyes, listening to his steady heartbeat.

"I promise to always be around Emma. We might have just met a couple weeks ago, but I'm not going anywhere any time soon. You can trust me." Ethan says after a moment of silence, and I can't help but smile, just enjoying the tight, warm embrace from my friend.

A thought creeps into my mind, making me furrow my eye brows and look up at Ethan for a second, his lips parted a bit as he looks up at the sky, his dense eyelashes leaving a shadow on his eye brow bone. His eyes are filled with love and compassion and I can't help but wonder what if.

What if Ethan is my Orion?