Broken Pieces {E.D.}

37

Sunday

Ethan and I called a team meeting at the Dolan household.

Honestly, everything we did was at their house. It just felt safe and open, we could express and talk freely.

Their parents worked a lot, which is why it was so easy to open up. It was just them.

We all saw the small toll it took on them though. It was like just Ethan and Grayson were living in a home together without any parents.

Grayson came downstairs after his shower, "Anybody else here yet? Ethan we have to grocery shop this week too man."

"I know." He twisted the cap back onto his waterbottle after a drink. "And no not yet." Ethan set his waterbottle down onto his knee, balancing it.

"Well," Grayson came and knocked it over before sitting down in the recliner.

"Dick." Ethan muttered, picking his waterbottle up.

"I'm excited this is finally getting over with." Grayson looked at me, "I just feel bad that you have to deal with it. I really think Ethan and I,"

"No." I shook my head, "No, I have to do this on my own. It's what they want."

"Yeah." He shrugged as he heard the doorbell.

Ethan got up and let in Jules, Dylan, and Alice. "Hey!" Dylan fist bumped him.

"Girl!" Alice came and hugged me, "I'm so ready to gossip about this."

"Me too. I felt like I was waiting for their text for forever."

Grayson and Alice both laughed as he opened his arms for her.

Jules smiled and sat down on the loveseat with Dylan. "I'm ready to kickass."

"Nobody is kicking ass babe." Dylan raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah except me."

I laughed and shook my head, "No it's a simple meet up. I'm just...nervous."

"If we're all there, it can settle nerves." Ethan added looking at me, then the group. "Or if they try to lie to Autumn or hurt her, we're there for backup. We know the truth."

"Do we though?" Dylan sassed.

Ethan stuck his tongue out at him. "Yeah. We do."

"Would they actually hurt her?" Alice shot me a look, her voice laced with concern.

"No." Grayson, Ethan, and Dylan all said at the same time.

All three of them knew Jack well, not as well as Ethan though. Ethan got sucked in.

The thought just pulls at my heart. Dylan and Grayson realizing how toxic it was and leaving, only to watch Ethan be sucked in and trapped in a friendship.

I guess he wasn't trapped, he could have gotten out. He chose the wrong road.

"I don't think they will." Dylan added, pulling me from my thoughts, "I think Jack's just trying to get inside Autumns head."

"When is this?" Jules looked at Ethan.

"Tomorrow at six at the park."

She nodded, agreeing. "I'm free. I'll be there."

"Me too." Alice leaned her head on Grayson shoulder, "Uh what are we going to do? We can't just stand by them."

"Oh shit." Ethan looked at me, "I hadn't thought about that."

"You guys could..." I pursed my lips, thinking.

The last thing I wanted was Jack and Cassidy to see them there. I didn't know what they'd do, but I do know I don't want to worsen the already shitty situation.

"We could all just chill in my car close by. As long as we're close incase something goes wrong, we should be good." Grayson threw his idea out.  "Is that okay with you?" He looked at me, his helpful eyes scanning my reaction.

I nodded, biting my lip slightly.

I knew I could handle it on my own, but I want them a little bit closer. In that parking lot maybe, but I knew that wasn't possible. I just wanted the reassurance during everything that I'm protected.

I didn't know what they were capable of, Ethan does and he wants the backup on me more than I do.

That worries me.

"Time to catch those assholes!" Jules rubbed her hands together.

"I think you really want to fight someone." Dylan laughed, putting his hand over hers.

"I'll fight you." She sassed.

Ethan smiled, his hand snaking it's way to place on my knee, "Honestly, about time we diss these assholes."

I nodded and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"The pose looks like a magazine cover." Alice laughed, referring to the way we were sitting.

"Thanks." I laughed and kissed Ethans cheek, "We cute like that."

"No." Grayson protested, "Nasty like that."

"Not to sound like a fatass, but we should go get tacos." Dylan sat up slightly, "That new taco place opened up."

"True!" Grayson grinned at the thought of food, "I'm down."

We all got up and hopped into Ethans bmw to go get tacos.

On the way there we jammed out to Ocean Alley, but my mind wasn't focused on the music.

It was focused on Jack and Cassidy.

What if they told me something about Ethan I didn't know? Something bad enough to make me leave him?

Nothing could make me leave him. Could it?

I bit my lip slightly, being pulled out of my thoughts by Ethans hand, now placed gently on my thigh. His other hand on the steering wheel.

Hot.

"You okay?" He turned down the street of the taco place.

I nodded and smiled softly at him.

This was my Ethan. The one who made sure I was okay always.

Jack and Cassidy didn't know this Ethan.

I'd be okay tomorrow night.

This was my Ethan. He wasn't going anywhere.

"Love?" He looked at me quickly, before moving his car into a parallel parking spot.

"Never better." I smiled, watching as he fit into the spot.

——-
Wow I'm so sorry this is short I cry
This is leading into the meeting
So I knew it'd be short but AH I feel so bad making it so short
However I've been working really hard on this book as well as the Grayson one
Bare with me
Get ready