Him & I • E.D.

chapter twenty three - over for good

"Eliza wait, please!" Ethan called from down the hall.

I looked back and he still didn't have a shirt on.

"What Ethan?" I asked, angrier than ever.

"Eliza, I thought you were done with me for good. You left me a voicemail to end things. I deserved more than that.

"I couldn't give you more than that, Ethan! You wouldn't take my calls and you were always too busy for me."

"I'm sorry. College has had me really busy."

"Yeah, obviously." I said before walking off again.

He didn't even try to stop me this time.

——————-

I went to a restaurant nearby the college and sat down myself. I wanted to cry but I couldn't. I was too angry to cry and too sad to rage. I felt stuck between emotions. My flight back to California wasn't scheduled until tomorrow night and I can't change it so I'm stuck here until then. Thankfully Rob got me a hotel.

Someone sat next to me at my booth, interrupting my thoughts. I looked over and saw that it was Ethan.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I wasn't at that party because I wanted to be." He said.

"Okay?" I said, with an attitude.

"I was struggling in my classes and stressing out so much over it and Grayson thought my first college party would be perfect to get my mind off things. I didn't even want to go and I didn't even have fun." He said.

I just looked at him, showing no emotion in my face.

"And Grace." He started.

"Oh she has a name." I said, crossing my arms.

"She was helping me study and catch up in my classes. I knew she was into me but I didn't even care, I was so focused on my classes and stressing about getting dropped from all of my classes for failing."

"That's funny, because you seemed to care about her this morning." I said.

"After you left me that voicemail, I had hope you would call me back and we could talk through things. And I got dropped from two classes that day as well. I was a mess and I just wanted to talk to you. And you weren't there and I convinced myself you wouldn't come back. And Grace was there and made a move and I was vulnerable and I did it. I'm sorry Eliza. I didn't mean to hurt you." He said, almost crying.

"So now this is my fault for not being there? Ethan you didn't let me be there. You acted like I didn't even exist the second you left." I said.

"Liz-" he said, before I cut him off.

"Like I said, I'm done Ethan." I got up and left him once again.

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I got to my hotel and cried. I spent the rest of the day watching sappy movies and eating junk food, until I fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning and saw a text from my mom.

Mom:
How did it go? Did you talk to Ethan?

I didn't even respond, I was too embarrassed to tell her what happened.

———————-

Ethan's POV;

"Hey Rob, it's Ethan Dolan." I said over the phone.

"Hi Ethan. How's it doing?" He asked.

"I've been better. Listen, can you tell me where Eliza is staying? I messed things up yesterday pretty bad and I need to make it up to her." I said.

He gave me the hotel she was staying at and the room number. I showered and got dressed up. I went to the shop and bought some flowers. It was almost 5pm by this time. I rushed over to the hotel and went up to Eliza's room. I knocked on the door. The door opened and I saw her beautiful face.

"How did you find me?" She asked.

"Umm, Rob may have helped." I said, smiling.

She let me in and we sat on the bed together.

"Eliza-" I started to say before she interrupted me."

———————

Eliza's POV;

"Ethan, we can't be together." I said, before I started crying.

"But why?" He asked. "I'm so sorry I slept with Grace, I am." His voice was started to weaken as he held back the tears.

"It's not just that. Ethan, this long distance thing isn't working for us. We should've just ended things before you left for college." I said, crying even more.

"Eliza, please don't do this." He said, grabbing my hands in his, on the verge of crying.

"I'm sorry Ethan." I said, tears running down my face.

"I am too." He said.

I leaned in and kissed him one last time. When I pulled back, I saw he was crying. I don't think I've ever seen him cry. I wiped his tears away before getting up and grabbing my things.

"I have to go to the airport now." I said.

"Do you want me to come with?" He asked.

"No, that's okay."

I grabbed my things and walked out of the hotel with Ethan. He handed me the flowers when we got outside.

"I can't take these Ethan. And I can't take this either." I took off the necklace Ethan gave me at homecoming. I handed him the flowers and necklace.

"No, I'm not taking that back. That's yours." He said.

"I don't want it." I said as I put it in his hand.

I felt horrible but I couldn't keep it and hold on to the memory of us. It hurts too much. I got into my taxi and went to the airport.

———————-

I sat on my flight and thought about Ethan.

Ethan Dolan.

He will always be my first love.