when in rome | ethan

twelve

mia's pov

"are you guys sure this is a good idea?" Isabelle says, fiddling with her fingers. "we can't mess with fate. the universe will pull them together eventually. it does that shit."

Aria's eyebrow raises, "you believe that?"

"of course." she replies, "you don't?"

"okay, enough. we're doing this, Isabelle. if we don't, who will, you know? they're gonna avoid each other this entire trip and then go back to school like nothing happened." i said.

"but on holidays when they go home, they'll see each other all the time. pretty soon, they're going to have to stop being so stubborn." she replied.

"can we just get this over with? we're doing this for Cass." Aria says.

Isabelle pulls a seat at the table, "yeah, but she broke up with him. what if she genuinely doesn't like him anymore."

Aria scoffs, "um? are you oblivious? they kissed that night we did truth or dare!"

"they did?!" Isabelle and I say at the same time.

"I thought you guys knew! that's why we're doing this?" Aria exclaims.

"how did you know?" i asked, still surprised.

Aria playfully rolls her eyes, "please it was so obvious. 'Cassandra, let's go in the dark closet together! I have a secret to tell you'." she says, mocking Ethan, "besides, I was closets to the door and it was quiet. like, a little too quiet. and did you guys not notice them when they came out too?"

"no?" Isabelle says.

"of course," Aria mumbles, "they were clearly flustered. as you would be after a kissing sesh."

i sit there, my mouth hung open, "i can't believe she didn't tell me." i can understand though, why she wouldn't. and now i know why she's been so off this past week. they kissed and they weren't talking about it at all. that must've been bothering her so much.

"i have an idea."

•••

"are you texting him?" i asked Grayson. everyone was in the lobby, sitting at the tables, acting as if they were waiting for Ethan and Cassandra to come get lunch with them. just in case the plan failed.

"yeah, he should be coming down now." he replied. with permission and a little bit of bribing, Grayson and I had complete control over the elevator system and the cameras.

"okay. i just got done texting her now too. pretty sure she should be leaving now also." this felt so right yet so wrong. right because i was doing this for my best friend. wrong because i was completely controlling what they believed to be their fate.

Grayson and I planned on stopping the elevator, forcing them to be together for a little while, just hoping for some type of conversation, maybe even affection.

"look, look. there he goes." we watched as Ethan entered the elevator, pressing the lobby button. to our luck, Cassandra was just a couple floors down, pressing the down button. we made sure for it to stop at her floor.

Grayson leaned back in the chair, satisfied. I smiled, my hands resting on his shoulders, as I stood behind him watching the cameras as well.

right as she entered, we stopped the elevator in between two floors. she started to panic, as did Ethan. i felt kinda bad for making her scared, but it was slightly funny too.

they argued for some time, before she eventually sat on the floor. he sat with her, rubbing her back.

"awe," i say to myself. the time I've seen them spend together always felt genuine. but this moment, in which i saw through the security cameras of the hotel, was screaming 'i miss you' in many different ways.

the way he looked at her as she was experiencing so many feelings was genuine care. without actually saying it, i could tell he was telling her he missed everything about her. her laugh, her hugs, her kisses, her smile, and even something as simple as her voice despite hearing it everyday.

"I'll wait for you, Andi. I promise."

she finally glanced up to look at him. i could see him smiling, as did she. i walk around Grayson, pressing the button that resumed the elevator going. it jerked, and they both looked up, and immediately standing.

"we should go back. before they suspect anything," i explained to him. Grayson nods, sitting up from the chair and getting up. he follows me out the door, and towards the lunch area again.

i held his hand in mine, looking up at him. he smiled at me, "that was good, wasn't it?" he asks.

"it was a start," i smiled back. it was okay. a conversation and affection was shown. after days of not talking to one another, they were finally forced to. I'm sure it answered a lot of questions that they had. and hopefully it made the tension disappear, even if it was a little bit.

Grayson and I sat back at the table, the group stopping their conversation to bring their attention towards us.

"so? how'd it go?" Noah asked, folding his arms together.

"it went. they talked. said some nice stuff." Grayson simply said.

"that's it? no juice?" Noah replied. juice?

"what's juice?" Isabelle asks, eyebrows raised as she was confused.

"you know. the juicy stuff." Alex mentions, shrugging his shoulders.

I shake my head, "they both know it's way too soon for that."

the elevator dings, and we all whip our heads toward its direction. Cassandra walks out first, Ethan following behind her. their expressions as if they had just said something funny prior to leaving the elevator. her head is held high, as is his. she waves at us, greeting us before taking her seat next to me. Ethan sitting right across from her.

"so, things went well?" Aria whispers into my ear from next to me.

"you can say that." i smiled, satisfied.

END OF CHAPTER TWELVE

i wrote this in thirty minutes so