Rough Heart | ethan dolan

[twenty nine - another note & disappointing anne]

"I should probably head home. It's getting pretty late," I tell Ethan.

He sighs and leans over to lay his head on my shoulder. I appreciate how adorable he is being tonight, it's so nice when he's this way. I love it.

"Okay."

I slowly stand up from his bed and trot over to his bedroom door.

"I'll see you at school on Monday," I smile.

Ethan's face drops. He stands from the bed and starts to walk towards me.

What is it now?

"Actually, you won't."

"What?"

He sighs, and begins to rock back and forth on his heels in front of me.

"I got expelled, Jess."

"You what?!"

"When I broke all that shit at the stupid dance, the principal expelled me."

How could he let this happen? Tonight was ending so well, I should have known something like this would ruin it.

"For how long?"

"Ten days."

"What about the football team?"

"I can't play in the game next weekend, but I can still practice."

"Have you told Anne?"

"No. The principal said he would call her first thing in the morning, so I'll just let him handle it."

I sigh, then turn to lean against the wall. I try to take a moment to take it all in, but I don't think I could even if I had all the time in the world.

I'm definitely upset about it, but then again I know it's not truly his fault. It's Samantha's for stirring him up. She knew exactly what she was doing, and it saddens me to think she's probably satisfied with this result.

I hate her.

"Ethan, you need to tell Anne yourself." I tell him, and mean it.

"No way." He throws his hands in the air dramatically and walks back over to his bed. He returns to his previous seat on the edge of the mattress.

"You need to be the one to tell her. I'll do it with you," I offer.

"Why can't we just let the principal do it in the morning?"

"Ethan, please. This way, we can explain to her what really happened and she'll know your side of the story. Not just what the principal saw,"

He looks at me for a moment as if he's debating what to do in his head.

"Do it for me." I say the only thing that I think will convince him.

I grab his hands in mine, intertwining our fingers. 

"Fine. I'll tell her, but you stay in here."

He abruptly stands from the bed and jerks his hands out of mine. I jump back slightly at his sudden outrage.

"Are you sure you don't want me to-"

"No. Just stay in here."

He slams the door faster than I can even blink, leaving me alone in his bedroom. I am a bit taken aback by his actions but I realize that he does not want to tell Anne. He needs to, though. It would terrible if she found out by the principal in the morning, and Ethan needs to own up to his mistakes anyways. 

I can't believe he's expelled for ten days.

I don't really know exactly what I think about it. I walk over to Ethan's desk, taking a seat in the chair in front of it.