𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘

The weak and fragile

| Ethan's POV |

"Emma!" Shouts Grayson in relief pushing past the police officer who was being a mega dick to engulf her in a bear hug.

Luckily we had been walking two streets down and I'd called her to ask if she'd fed the baby because I had literally forgotten and starved her all of yesterday. Shit I'm a bad dad. We both sprinted here and made it seconds before the police, Gray was inches away from being injured by a gun fire from one of the men when he tackled him.

"Thank you" she sniffles into his chest.

Recently it had been so hard to be the usual argumentative couple because something had changed ever since that day I hugged her. When I heard her panicked voice on the other end off the phone my whole heart shattered like glass and I couldn't run faster.

Obviously she means more to me then I let on.

"Come on lets get you out of here" Grayson soothes rubbing her back and she reply's with a small timid nod allowing him to lead her out the house as I trail behind.

I can't stop fucking thinking about her sobbing in the shower, it's breaking me.

I run my hand through my hair and let out a deep breath, she's still in shock I can tell but it's fully hitting me that she could've died. She could've died and the last thing she said to me was that she was sorry.

I just can't think, when did all this rivalry start? What made me feel so strongly against her? What had that small, precious, fragile girl ever done to me?

We reach our house and Grayson leads her in with a smile, he's so sweet to her it makes me envious. Why can't I be nice to her?

"E-" Grayson begins a sentence

"Shut the fuck up" I snap sprinting upstairs leaving them both speechless.

I'm scared okay? Do you know what it feels like to spend every single passing minute thinking about someone and how you're going to make their life hell, only to realise you've fallen for them?

I promise you, the rumours are true, there really is a fine line between love and hate.

-

"What was that?" My brother hisses entering my bedroom I bury my head into my mattress holding my pillow over my head to muffle all the sounds. No matter how hard I press down it still doesn't muffle my thoughts. "Ethan" he snaps

"WHAT" I scream shooting up from the bed to show my bloodshot eyes

"Bro-"

"Just leave" I growl but his feet stay glued upon my bedroom floor

"E just talk to me"

"I'm freaking out, Gray" I whisper in a horrible weak voice that I'd never let anyone other than Grayson hear. I feel so stupid I don't even know why I'm overreacting, Emma was probably downstairs on her own replaying her near death experience while I was hogging my saviour of a brother "just go downstairs to her"

"She asked me to come up here, E"

"S-she did?" I stutter.

Holy shit I'm seriously drowning right now someone save me before I fucking submerge. I'm supposed to hate her, that's how the worlds supposed to work

"Yeah she did" he whispers with a sad smile "the cops said that the boys that broke in were a notorious gang but their names rang a bell. I think they're pals with Diesel, I wouldn't be surprised if he was the instigator" he scratches the back of his neck "just thought I'd tell you"

I'm silent I don't know what to say to that. I don't even feel angry, I don't feel anything right now.

"We're going to watch a film soon, so get yourself together and come help me with your baby momma, okay?"

"Okay" I reply with a sad smile and he returns one back. I'm so grateful for Grayson he really is the best thing to happen to me, I'm very lucky.

-

They started the film without me so I decide to sit on the floor in front of them. I can feel her eyes as they burn into me as I watch whatever film Grayson had turned on, truthfully Im not that invested in it I just don't want to start up any conversations.

The film finishes but my eyes stay attached to the blank tv screen as I listen to Grayson's kind words as he assures her that she can stay here for the night. He even offers her his bed, but she sweetly declines.

I hate that she'll be downstairs on her own.

I hate that I care about that.

I hate her, right?

Grayson collects a pillow and a blanket for her to sleep with and she begins to set up camp on the sofa they had previously been sat on. My brother gives her a hug and whispers something to her and she thanks him for the hundredth time today.

Now we're alone and it scares me and I'm almost certain that she feels exactly the same. Or maybe I'm just being a baby.

"Emma?" I whisper and she turns to face me and answers with a dainty hum "Are you okay?"

I can barely see her face through the darkness of our front room but I can sense that her bottom lip does indeed begin to tremble.

I just want to hug her again.

Hell I want to fucking kiss her right now.

But instead I stand there extremely conflicted waiting for her sad response to tear me apart as always.

"I'm fine, Ethan, not like you care anyway" she mumbles and then proceeds in the quietest whisper to say "it would've been best if they'd have killed me"

Those words although I knew weren't meant for my ears still shot through them and boiled my blood. Why the fuck would she say something like that?

I step forward into the darkness and she jumps back in fright hitting her heels against the sofa and falling down into the sitting position. I don't want to scare her but at the same time it feels so good to have power over her, this never usually happens.

I can hear my own heavy breathing as I squat to her level and bring both her cheeks between one of my hands

"Don't you dare ever say that again" I spit towards her, she was being immature. It wouldn't be better if she was dead, was she insane??? And I care. I CARE MORE THAN THAT PRICK, DIESEL.

"Why, huh, because I mean SO much to you?" She says sarcastically and I grind down my teeth.

I really want to fucking kiss her.
Kiss her, Ethan, go on.
Do it.

"Yeah you're right. You mean nothing to me." I spit back, our noses just slightly brushing because of our close proximity. I press one hand so firmly down on her thigh to keep me stable that she gasps and I smirk down

"I hate you" she tries to shout but her voice cracks and a little sob follows afterwards and now I feel like not only has my heart been ripped out but also stamped on multiple times by a massive herd of elephants.

My eyesight now adjusted to the dark lighting I'm able to tilt my head down and visibly watch her heavy breathing. The fact that in this moment I have so much power over her makes me feel so good and the way her tits bounce as she misses a breath makes me fucking want her. I want her.

My hand moves firmly further up her thigh till I'm so close but all she does is stare at me completely submissively. Her eyes shimmer in the little lighting.

"Night then." I say quite abruptly with one last squeeze of her thigh.

I stand up quickly and almost sprint out the room, holy fuck, I need to go and sort myself out.