Step-Brother • e.d

epilogue

ETHAN || year's later

"Riley, why are you crying?" I knock on her door and hear her sniffle. "Bri, told me you were crying in the car from school what's wrong," I keep asking and tried to open the door but she locked it.

I keep knocking and finally she opens the door. Before I get to say anything she hugs me with full force so I hug her back. "Dad-," and every time she called me dad it made my heart jump. She already knew I wasn't her dad that Dylan was but that he died.

"I don't know how to tell you this," she breaks down into tears leaving me worried. I didn't know what to expect did some guy break her heart? Is she pregnant? Oh my god, did someone hurt her?

I start to grow angry but worried sick at the same time. I was feeling like a roller coaster,"I'm not happy with myself. Today my friend brought up the fact that I haven't been with a guy since Ben. But I don't even think- I like guys,"

"Do you like girls?" I ask and she slowly nods her head.

She breaks down as she continued to look at the floor beneath her,"I know it's wrong to like the same sex. I hate myself and I'm so disgusted that I like girls. I've tried to like guys but it doesn't work," hearing her say that it broke my heart in two.

I stop her,"Don't you ever say that! You are amazing I love you Riley, I don't care if you're gay or straight I will always love you. Look at you, you're all grown," I pull her in for a hug. "My little girl is all grown," I start to cry

"Are you crying?" she looks up on me. I nod. "Why?"

"I'm glad I decided to raise you, it was one of the greatest decisions I've made in my whole life. Dylan would be so happy right now," I sniffle.
—-
[ethan wrote a book about his love for macy but he never named her in his book. this part is where people asked him questions about the book]

"Why didn't you take her back if you loved her so much?" a girl in an orange shirt speaks up.

If they knew who it was,"Because I never put my feelings first it was always hers never mine. Until I was tired of begging her. I do regret it at times, I wonder what we would've been today,"

She writes on a piece of paper,"But what about all the things you all went through to just be together even if it was just for a second,"

I didn't even understand her questions anymore. They are still gonna be the same answer. "Maybe it wasn't worth it in the end. Any other questions?" I speak out loud

"If she were here what would you want to say to her?" a guy blurts out

"I wouldn't know what to say," I force a smile. Just like that I get up waving goodbye. "Thank you all for coming today,"
—-
I stop by my dads house. "Dad!" I yell out his name and no one calls back. But instead I see her, Macy. She was sleeping on the couch so peacefully.

My heart went in a knot and my knees felt so weak. It was like the first time I realized I wanted something serious with her. It's been years since I've last seen her this up close. She was always traveling nowadays. I let out a sharp sigh just seeing her there. It brought back memories.

I was about to walk away when she gets up yawning looking at me confused. "Uh?" she says with her sleepy voice. I was starting to think the feelings are still there and they never left. "Ethan?" she says and I nod with a smile on my face.

"How are you?" I say still standing and she sits up.

She wipes her eyes,"I've been better," she says and that's when I notice the pregnant belly.

"Congratulations!" I say smiling at her.

She just laughs looking at me. "It's not my baby, my friend is trying to have a baby with her girlfriend so I'm her surrogate. I don't know how Brianna managed to make it through. I feel like I am about to explode,"