Sawyer stared after him with a mixture of fury and hurt etched on his face. Sawyer's reasoning was different from Ethans. He felt like Ethan breached a level of trust. He gave a special part of himself to Ethan he had never allowed another to have. Another classmate anyway. Ethan had been a confidant. A real friend. A hidden source of encouragement. I mean, Sawyer would look for him in the halls and secretly hope Ethan would look his way and say hello. Sawyer looked forward to those moments. Thought about them often. Then the words Ethan said reverberated back through his ears. "Twenty four hours a day. Seven days a week. Constantly alone."
Sawyer was sincerely hurt. I don't have to take this, he thought. Sawyer grabbed his jacket and flung it on and hurriedly grabbed his books and flung them in his bookbag. He hurried out the door in a flash and accidentally slammed it in the process. He stomped to his car and made it to the end of the driveway when Ethan's front door opened in a fury.
"Where do you think you are going?" Ethan screamed in a fury.
"Where does it look like I am going?"
"You can't just walk out and leave. My mom paid for your time."
"I don't have to stay here and take your abuse."
"What abuse Sawyer? Everything I said was the truth."
"No It's Not," Sawyer screamed. He dropped his book bag and ran at Ethan. He got right in front of him and pushed him as hard as he could.
"Just because I'm not like you and your stupid friends doesn't mean I am alone or pathetic. Have I ever demoralized you Ethan? Have I ever made any rude comments about your lifestyle or the way you do things? NO! I never have."
Sawyer turned and stomped away from Ethan, grabbing his bookbag in the process. Once in the car, Sawyer skidded out of Ethans driveway and shot out into the street and up the road as fast as his car could take him. Ethan just watched Sawyer drive off, feeling so bad he could cry. Why do I even care about this guy? - was Ethan's final thought before he rushed back inside to tell his friends he was on his way to the party.
For the first time in his life, Ethan drank a beer. Unfortunately, he didn't just stop at one. Ethan downed two. Then three. Everybody looked at him and watched him as if he had gone crazy. Whenever he was questioned about it, Ethan would shrug their questions off and start on a new one.
Ethan got drunk and passed out in the living room on the sofa of his friends house.
When the party ended at three and Ethan wasn't coherent enough to drive himself home or even wake up, his parents were called. His dad had to drive all the way to his son's friends house and literally pick him up and carry him to the car and take him home.
When morning came and Ethan woke up, he found a letter on his pillow beside his head. It read, "you are grounded young man" in his dad's handwriting. Ethan didn't have time to think about it though, because he started vomiting all over his bed the moment he'd woken up. Hangover city. Ethan vomited and vomited. It was so bad and so loud his parents came rushing into his room in a panic. When they saw all the puke both of his poor parents went reeling. Ethan prayed for death to take him. Mr and Mrs Fester became nurses that day. Their poor son was in no condition to do anything for himself. Mr Fester promised certain retribution once babying his son was over, and Ethan knew it and saw it in his eyes. By ten o'clock that night Ethan was finally at peace. His bed was clean and his room smelled good, thanks to his parents care. It was then that Ethan thought of Sawyer. Closing his eyes, a single tear slid down his cheek. Minutes later he was out like a light.
Several days later Ethan found Sawyer at their schools baseball field. Sawyer was leaning against a fence texting. Ethan was on the other side and watched him for a second.
Finally, Ethan said Sawyer's name. Sawyer jumped.
Turning around, Sawyer faced Ethan.
A look of fury went into Sawyer's face once he recognized Ethan. Turning around, Sawyer walked away in a hurried stupor.
Ethan stomped after him. "Sawyer! Wait!"
Sawyer didn't slow down even a notch. "Sawyer! Stop!" Ethan ran after him. Once he caught up to Sawyer's side, he grabbed Sawyer's wrist. "STOP."
Sawyer turned in a rage and faced Ethan. Ethan threw his arms around Sawyer and forced him into a bear hug.
"Let me go Ethan!" Sawyer yelled. He had his hands on Ethan's arms, trying to pry them off of him.
"No! Not until you listen to me!"
Sawyer could smell Ethan's sweat. Ethan had just come from a workout. "I don't have anything to say to you Ethan. I'm sorry!"
"Please stop Sawyer. Please! I care about you man." Sawyer heard a small squeak in Ethan's voice. A sob. Something vulnerable and pure. Sawyer's resolve faltered. Instead of forcing Ethan's arms away, Sawyer went to embracing Ethan back.
"Ok Ethan," he said gently. "Ok."
