aeternum fortis

“I never met another man I'd rather be. And even if that's a delusion, it's a lucky one.” - Charles Bukowski

[madelynbray]

contaminated | meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Despite their shared schooling, Maddie and Ethan were acquaintances at best. It was easy enough to flirt with him, and perhaps it was the same reason why she was surprised by the beeline he made for the arcade. Decked out in her plunging dress and daring heels, the murmurs erupted almost immediately. In response, Maddie jutted her chin up and strutted over to where her new ‘date’ was currently crouched over a machine.

“You realise it doesn’t take these.” Two of the crumpled bills he’d gifted her were held between the tips of her forefinger and middle finger. Hip cocked to one side, she hadn’t seemed to notice the view his current position gave him up her skirt just yet. “Here.” Said hip was used to knock him out of the way, ignoring the boy’s sprawled limbs in favour of slipping a few coins into the machine. Righting herself, Maddie spared him a glance. “I can play both characters whilst you take a little wine nap, if you’d like.”

Despite his excitement being described as nostalgic, Ethan had never spent time in places like this. It wasn’t that he never had the desire to but that it never crossed his path, especially with the sort of lifestyle he’d grown with. All these video games were played in the comfort of his home, on a cinema screen.

“Scared you’ll lose?” He grabbed the joystick as the machine came to life. Giving his whole body to it, Ethan revelled in his glory after their characters sparred with his eventually taking the win. “That was only one round but I did throw you into the deep end, to be fair. I’m a Street Fighting champion.”

[laksko]

[madelynbray]

contaminated | meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

There was no mistaking her date displeasure, publicly cuckolded by someone younger and frankly, far more important where he was meant to matter most. Even as Ethan’s fingers grazed warm down her spine, Maddie turned her attention to soothing the man-child with murmurs of false praise that turned her stomach to speak aloud.

She was saved, thankfully, when more fawning arrived from the new owner of one of his pieces. It gave her the opportunity to slink back to the bar, her arm brushing against Ethan’s intentionally when she reached for another glass of champagne. “Your package feels small,” the notes remained tucked inside her dress, peeking out. She rested her chin on her shoulder and looked up at him through her lashes. “I’ll take it as a down payment.” Leaning forward against the bar, Maddie’s gaze flickered to the door and then, intentionally, to his lips. “Where are you taking me?”

It took him a moment to realise what package she was referring to. “Smart,” he noted with a touch of sincerity. “That’s how I do business anyway.” Ethan moved the prop of his wine away, moving closer to her. “I’m not taking you anywhere. The night is.” He winked, with the cringe-worthiness of his words soothed by his boyish grin. “I wasn’t planning to stay here this long anyway.”

As easily as he slipped in, they spilled out into the streets with a vague notion of direction. “This is usually the part where I take you back to mine, but I’m not feeling ready yet to head home.”

There were a few obvious hotspots where he took most of his conquests. It was easy to butter them up with expensive cocktails and flashy lights, but he was enjoying the city breeze too much to hatch up a game plan. His attention was immediately captured when they walked past some sort of retro arcade, with all the bells and whistles of the late 90s. Without a word, Ethan jogged in to land himself in front of a Street Fighter machine as he looked for some spare coins.

[madelynbray]

contaminated | meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Maddie was not one to play coy. The men who approached her knew what she was offering and in turn, she gave them what they paid for; no more, no less. Watching him unfold his wallet, however, felt strange. She thought of his family’s name, however many 0′s were attached to it and shoved those thoughts aside.

“Look no further.” It was easy to pluck the glass from his fingers, to slip her lips over the same spot his had occupied moments before and take a long sip in one fluid motion. Her eyes never wavered from Ethan’s, not even when her date’s hand curled around her waist. 

“You are friends again, I see,” There was no mistaking the possessiveness in his tone. Maddie smiled sweetly. 

“College chums, Raúl.” There was a sharpness to Maddie’s gaze, something that called to him in challenge. “Ethan was hoping we’d have the chance to catch up.”

Maybe it was the mood lighting or the buzz of too many wines, but Ethan was mesmerised by her movements. His gaze flickered from her lips to her eyes and immediately, he knew what he wanted. When the other male returned, Ethan unintentionally stood up taller, shoulders wider.

He wasn’t lying when he said he’d come to buy art. Sure, wasn’t particularly enthralled by it, but he enjoyed spending money. It was a bad habit to kill, but he wasn’t about to start tonight.

Behind his back, Ethan flicked a few Franklins between his fingers. “We already began, actually.” He slid past her, tucking the bundle of notes into the tight slit of the bottom of her open back. “Drinks, anyone?” Ethan moved off to find refreshments, briefly engaging with another female guest while he watched Maddie from the corner of his eye.

[madelynbray]

contaminated | meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Art had never been Maddie’s thing; at least, not art in New York. She knew enough to get by, and that was more than most of the charlatans she’d showed up so far with minimal effort. Ethan Hearst’s limited knowledge shouldn’t have impressed her and yet, Maddie found herself intrigued. 

“Do I strike you as a Weeping Woman?” Truthfully, her glare lacked the intensity to be genuine. It had been a long time since Madelyn Bray had been given the chance to spar - but then he was too close, all aftershave and distraction. “Are you asking on your own behalf?” Raúl was close though; she could hear the lumbering of his footsteps, and the tidy sum in her account had her promised to him until the gallery closed. “Make me a better offer.”

His immediate response to her Weeping Woman comment was never articulated, partly because it was inappropriate for their setting but realistically more so due to lost chance. “I don’t like to ignore promises of a good time. Whether that’s coming from me or you, well.”

Ethan was lacking in his critical thinking skills this particular night. There was a seriousness in what she said, but he was more used to banter coming from beautiful flirtatious women rather than proposed financial transactions. “Your better offer’s standing right in front of you. If you’re talking about money,” he continued retrieving his wallet only partially in jest, “I was looking to buy some art tonight.”

[madelynbray]

contaminated | meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

“Not think. Know.” With her chin angled up, the height difference between them felt smaller and Maddie’s price less… lofty. And it wasn’t, not really; after all, New York’s premium escort Natalie McLennan charged $16,000 for the pleasure of a single night, Ava Xi'an $45,000 for a week. There was no reason why she couldn’t be just as valuable, if not more.

Despite herself, the same mouth curled up into a wry grin. It was a credit to more recent acting talents that it didn’t falter at his dig. “See the painting over there, by the Yellin?” When she turned, the plunging back of her dress cut dangerously low to the ‘back there’ he’d referenced before. The canvas was of a woman’s nude body, subtle and revealing simultaneously. “I’m not here to buy the art.” She paused then, so that her next obnoxious statement would resonate and maybe then, he’d finally fuck off. Twisting back round, she patted his cheek a tad too hard to be playful. “I am the art.”

It was amusing at the very least that she played along with his antics. But Ethan was a little more preoccupied with visuals as she turned before him to really take anything she said too seriously. “Weak lineup tonight,” he quipped back with a mouthful of New York blood red. “I was looking for something more conceptual but this is as dull as the Baroque era.”

The most Ethan knew about art were the buzzwords he’d retained from his private tutoring. It didn’t take an art genius however to know when a party was dipping. “What are your plans for tonight anyway, Dora Maar?” Their absent party had made his rounds and was beginning to find his way back to the couple. “You only fuck ugly dudes or something?” He lowered his voice, yet it still managed to vibrate the space between them. “I wouldn’t, not him, unless you’ve got time to recover from chlamydia.”

[madelynbray]

contaminated | meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Part of her was tempted to throw the contents of her glass in his face. It would have been worth it to wash away his stupid, self-satisfied smug grin; but the Upper East Side thrived off drama, and Madelyn Bray had a reputation to uphold. She watched the display before her with narrowed eyes instead and when he offered her the scrap of paper, she snatched it with unnecessary force. “You’re missing a zero.” Coolly, she took the pen from him too and amended his scrawl. Behind them, there was mumbles of another painting sold; Raúl hurried away, but Maddie remained. “50,000.” She arched a brow and, mirroring his expression, her lips twitched into a cocky smirk. “Run off now before you embarrass yourself further, sweetheart.”

In other circumstances, he may have been foolish enough to waste that sum of money. But he was self-sufficient now, and not exactly stupid. “That’s a price,” he noted, meeting her eyes again. “And what makes you think you’re worth that much?” Ethan gestured towards the other pieces of art. “Just because all these other ones don’t have a wet mouth.”

He picked up the glass of red he’d left on the floor which hadn’t been knocked over by some miracle. “Look, I’m not saying I wouldn’t. You were the hotter friend, I get it. At least, back there...” He eyed her hourglass figure, taking a swig from his glass. “Wait, weren’t you a scholarship kid? Are you volunteering tonight or something?” Though his words weren’t said with a tone of mockery, they didn’t need to be.

[madelynbray]

contaminated | meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

What Maddie knew of Ethan Hearst was from the Daleton gossip circuit and his association with Roman Haven. The latter was enough to earn her full contempt. His response confirmed everything she’d learned about him over the years and she glared, drowning out her date’s hasty attempt to deescalate the conversation.

“And run the risk of rabies? I’ll pass.” He wasn’t the only one who’d stared down the plunging cleavage of her dress tonight but now she kept her arms folded, tone acidic. “You couldn’t afford me if I was.”

Was it rude he couldn’t exactly remember her name? All thoughts of baseline courteousness dissipated as she continued. “I don’t think the New York thots are spreading rabies this century, not just yet.” Perhaps unintentionally, she’d offered him a bait. Ethan obliged.

“Alright, name your price.” He patted his pockets before turning to their rather isolated mutual party. “You got a pen, Fabio?” The man frowned at his obvious mistake, before supplying him with a stupidly excessive fountain pen. “And paper.” In lieu of a chequebook, Ethan scribbled up an amateur agreement. He waited for her response.

[madelynbray]

contaminated | meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Dating men for money had not been part of Madelyn Bray’s ten-year plan. Still, little in life stuck to the script and so, when she’d found a fast-track, Maddie learned to adapt. 

New York was saturated with girls who’d had the same idea - and at twenty five, most were younger, plenty prettier too. She’d lasted as long as she had not for her looks or her body (although both certainly helped), but by playing smart. The new faces faded as fast as they’d emerged and Maddie remained, her nest egg ever closer to spreading its wings. Right now though, she was bored. Bored of the man whose arm she’d spent the night chained to, bored of his false friends, stumbling over each other to compliment him first. Her disdain was veiled, however thinly, with the kind of glib, superficial charm that people loved from beautiful women - so much so, that she was still smiling insincerely when she turned to face him. 

“Madelyn,” she hated the sound of her name in his mouth. Raúl continued, “this is Ethan-”   

“I know who he is.” She turned catlike eyes on him, cold and assessing. The smile was long gone. “Are you lost, Hearst? I didn’t think you’d know art if it bit you in the ass.”

Even with what he’d thought was a stark divergence from the Hearst heir roadmap, Ethan had nevertheless remained in New York. He’d made the first round of draft picks but taking pointers from the bench wasn’t the ideal he’d had in mind for this long.

Without the limelight, Ethan had to stroke his ego elsewhere. He knew New York, and New York knew him. There were places he could go, exclusive to the elite, and even being a backup quarterback for the city’s NFL team came with its own perks.

Like most nights, he was buzzed. Even so, the voice that reached out to him scathed his ears a little too much to ignore. “Did you want to bite me in the ass?” He grinned beguilingly, looking the familiar figure up and down. “If you want an autograph or something, just find me later. Unless, you’re also up for sale tonight?”

[madelynbray]

hear you me // meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Despite the force of her retort, Maddie didn’t feel so resolute. She heard rather than saw him retreat and for a while, she simply stayed close to the bathrooms where it was quiet. Inevitably, the noise of the crowd lured her closer. Although she didn’t rejoin the crowds in the bleachers, she was standing by them, watching when Ethan Hearst scored the final touchdown in his collegiate career. Not so long ago, the outcome would have been entirely different. She’d have been wearing his jersey, would have broken through the victory celebrations and launched herself at him for yet another public display of their… affection. For all of her sardonic quips, it would have been happy. Instead, Maddie watched Ethan slip away back towards where they’d spoken and felt a strange sense of guilt. “Ethan–” he’d opened her mouth to speak, but the voice belonged to someone else. One of the cheerleaders had noticed his not-so-subtle escape; she clung onto his arm. “Where are you going? The party is just starting.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder, smiling up at him. From where she stood, Maddie was greeted by the peculiar sight of someone who could’ve been her doppelganger: the same long hair, a similar figure. She smoothed down her sweatshirt absently and strode forward to interrupt.

As soon as Ethan spotted her, he was held back by the tone of a female voice rather than any physical might. There were probably better ways—more subtle ways at that—to have organised to meet. But riding the high off his win, Ethan wasn’t fussed with being covert.

“Yeah, I’ll be there,” was what he responded emptily with to the cheerleader that had tagged along. Others were peering in, having been curious enough to drag their feet along with Daleton’s current star. But even despite the more doleful nature of the discussion they were about to have, Ethan couldn’t keep the infectious smile off his face as he approached Maddie. He didn’t know whether or not she watched the rest of the game, but she couldn’t have missed all the Daleton cheer.

“Should we go somewhere? To talk?” He’d almost had to yell, despite them being only feet away. It was difficult not to touch her, considering the routine of his past wins. “I think it’s a bit too loud around here.”

[madelynbray]

hear you me // meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Maddie and Ethan’s… whatever it was had hardly been a secret. If not for plastering each other all over their Instagram feeds, then their frequent and very public displays of affection cemented that they were involved. Or rather, had been. That didn’t faze his teammates. After they’d all dispersed and it was just the two of them, she kept her arms folded across her chest and looked up at him through her lashes. She didn’t smile back. “No.” Maddie’s voice was firmer than she felt. “I’m not your good luck talisman when you’re – I’m just not. That’s not fucking fair.” Now he’d met her gaze, she found it impossible to look away. But the rest of his team, his coach, fucking life was pulling them apart - and Maddie knew how much this out of everything meant to him. She took a step back with a sigh. “Just go. I’ll be here.” Wiping the back of her mouth with her hand, the extent of her fatigue played across her features. She leaned back against the wall behind her and rubbed at her face. “I’m not going back out there, but we’ll talk.” 

He should have anticipated a response somewhere along those lines, particularly given how they left off. There was an earnestness present in Ethan’s eyes, trying their best to convey a message. She still gave him more than he could fairly ask for and with that, he was content. Nodding his understanding, Ethan soon disappeared into the vocal and visual mass of football players.

The second half started off rocky, but even as Harvard gained a lead, the match remained a close one. Eventually, with the odds in favour of Daleton, they were led to a tight victory. The end siren cued the band, the cheerleaders, everyone on the bleachers. Like every other game, each followed the same narrative. Except Ethan didn’t indulge in his victory for long. It was impossible for him to dash away from the spotlight but even so, he headed back to where he last saw her, much to the confusion of everyone else.

[madelynbray]

hear you me // meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

The opinions of others had never mattered to Madelyn Bray – least of all a snivelling, spoiled, spurned brat like Jonathan Blumenthal. She ignored him, turning on her heel and barely sparing Ethan’s fanbase a glance; but his words still stuck. At almost three months gone, the bump was smaller than most but a noticeable change from her usual physique. By the time the game started, Maddie was still fidgeting to cover up. Football was no longer foreign thanks to Ethan. His passion was infectious and considering how much time he spent practicing, she’d come to understand the various ins and outs. Both teams had gone to extra lengths to keep their quarterbacks from butting heads and, it seemed, to actually play fair. She tried to lose herself in the intricacies of the game, the jubilance of the crowd, but her eyes never left Ethan’s form. It was close to halftime when the smell of popcorn, hotdogs and all the other treats Daleton’s students had brought with them began to play on Maddie’s stomach. Edging her way to the restroom, there was some relief when she found it empty. You should have stayed at home. For once in agreement with her intrusive thoughts, she rinsed her mouth out and vowed to leave. Naturally, fate had other ideas. Halftime had been called and when Maddie left the bathroom, she walked straight into the team. “Hey Hearst, your girlfriend’s here looking for ya.” Like a scene from a movie, the boys parted to reveal their star player. Maddie prayed to all the deities she could think of for the ground to swallow her whole.

Everything was picture perfect in the spirit of American college football. The Lions were leading by a field goal and each play was executed meticulously with Ethan’s lead. When halftime came, Daleton was still leading by three, holding on tenuously to a possible win. The players began to scatter off the field, bumping rivals either by accident or purposely and patting the backs of others. Ethan wasted no time squandering around, heading straight to the locker rooms as soon as the siren rang.

He’d only vaguely heard his name from one of his teammates when they all gave way to reveal a certain brunette. All their amped up masculinity dictated cheers and shoves, whilst Ethan stayed silent in the midst. He stopped in front of her as the others continued, whoop-ing and ahh-ing into the change rooms.

“You came to the game.” He managed a thin smile, although it was difficult to look her in the eyes. “I didn’t expect you to be here. It’s good though, I’m glad.” The tension was there, still as solid as when he last saw her—or rather, left her on the bleachers. He knew he didn’t have much time. It wasn’t the most ideal time or place to have crossed paths again but a part of Ethan was thankful for it. Relieved, even.

Hearst! The voices echoed from the locker room. “Look, we should talk. Not now, but...” He fiddled with his helmet. “Stay until the end of the game. Please?” Ethan looked her in the eyes, this time maintaining his gaze with sincerity. “I promise it’ll be a good play. I always play better when you’re here.”

[madelynbray]

hear you me // meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

It hurt. Before, where Maddie might’ve fostered anger, there was only an empty sense of sadness. It was difficult to fault someone for a decision you’d already made for them.

The weeks that passed were a blur. They followed much the same routine she’d maintained in her absence beforehand; a cycle of barely-eat, study, barely-sleep. And Madelyn Bray survived. Something as simple as falling out with a boy would never hinder her, but the uncertainty of the future persisted and she solicited comfort in routine. However, even holed up in the library, gossip was inescapable. The whole of Daleton was swept up in the fever of the final game and despite her better judgement, Maddie found herself heading along on the day. She’d always been comfortable in her solitude, but amidst the crowd it somehow felt more apparent that Maddie was alone. Maybe that was why he approached her in the first place. “Maddie,” she turned at the sound of her name. She’d heard that the Lions would be playing Harvard, but she hadn’t factored in that also meant Jonathan. His gaze raked over her body and she resisted the urge to squirm. “Babe. You’ve really let yourself go.” “Fuck off, Jonathan.” There was no heat to her words; Maddie simply sounded tired. “Don’t you have pre-match tears to be shedding over Ethan Hearst somewhere else?” His shit-eating smirk grew. “Speaking of Hearst, what happened?” Maddie followed the jerk of his chin over to where Ethan had just slipped out of the changing rooms, a gaggle of cheerleaders flocking around him almost immediately. Jonathan’s fingers sliding over her hand called her attention back. “He dump you because you got fat?”

How he’d handled things, it definitely wasn’t his greatest moment. Ethan had panicked, distanced himself from the situation entirely. It was a spineless move and the days after he found himself drowning in a mixture of guilt, regret and everlasting confusion.

Thankfully, there was an absence of free time on his hands. The big home game was on the horizon and most days were dedicated to preparing for it. He managed to push the other pressing matter to the back of his head, which was the only reason why Ethan had maintained their no-communication streak for so long.

When Game Day arrived, he’d almost completely rid himself of any distracting thoughts. That was, until he saw none other than Madelyn Bray near the bleachers with another player from the rivalling team. He watched as the other male got closer to her. In any other instance, he would have interrupted the exchange and although he considered it, Ethan turned a blind eye.

As the cheerleaders found their group formations, Ethan and his teammates began to practice throws on the field. He found himself continuously prying over to where he saw Maddie, seeing if he could find her again. After a few attempts, he heard a loud voice calling from the sides, ‘Hearst, concentrate’ which forced him back to the game that was about to begin.

[madelynbray]

unfair // meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Sodden-socked, fatigued and sat by Ethan Hearst wasn’t what Maddie had envisioned for her Saturday morning. Her pregnancy being outed by a pharmacist wasn’t exactly in the plan either. There was something cutting in his voice; his words bled, and Maddie couldn’t find it within herself to defend her actions. “Seven now.” When their arms brushed together, she didn’t pull away. They’d grown comfortable in their shared silences; too often they shaped the words and thoughts they couldn’t speak aloud. Now it was awkward, stilted and only drawing out the inevitable, painful outcome. “I get it, Ethan.” Her voice was soft. “I know who you are. I know who I am. I can’t – termination was never an option for me, but like I said before… you have your whole future planned out for you. So you don’t need to tell me.” Maddie’s shoulders had drawn inwards the longer she spoke, her chin turned away so she couldn’t see him even in her peripheral vision. She sighed and it didn’t sound as strong as she would’ve wanted, “Don’t say it, okay? I already know.”

It was too late for denial from either party. Even still, Ethan felt a strange feeling in his stomach once Maddie authenticated his suspicions. There was a fleeting moment of panic; one which made him consider running far away from the situation as a whole. It was then that he understood, why she’d been avoiding him the way she had. He could have pointed fingers, asked questions, but Ethan couldn’t blame her for anything.

“Are you...” It felt wrong to even ask, even if it was just to confirm her already made decision. He mimicked her sigh. “Say what? What am I supposed to say?” It wasn’t accusatory, simply helpless. To take into consideration all the factors, to even try and formulate an approach to their new circumstance was an impossibility. He needed time. “I’m sorry,” he said and with that, he stood. Ethan busied himself gathering whatever belongings he hadn’t brought anyway. “I– I need to get ready for the game.” It was a vague and poor excuse, but it was all that he could offer. And it was with that, Ethan passed her like a coward to leave.

[madelynbray]

unfair // meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

This, this was exactly what she had done her best to avoid. Accepting the bag from him silently, Maddie could barely suppress the urge to run. The nausea she felt now had far less to do with what the medicine had been prescribed for, but Maddie rifled through the bag and popped two pills anyway - just for something to do with her hands. Her fingers faltered screwing the cap back onto her water when Ethan spoke.

She’d considered telling him. She’d imagined the words, pictured choking on them when she couldn’t spit them out. Now, she watched his lips shape to say ‘pregnant’ twice and didn’t notice when the water slipped out of her hand. It bounced when it hit the seat below, splashing both of their feet and startling Maddie. “I mean, probably. Anti-emetics can be used for a range of ailments - motion sickness, gastroenteritis, even to help with the effects of chemotherapy.” There was a quiver to her voice though, and she was staring down at her hands. Maddie took one long moment to compose herself. “But a course of these and some sleep and I’ll be back to normal in no time.” 

If Ethan’s reaction to what the pharmacist had said was dramatic, Maddie’s sudden demeanour wasn’t far off. It was impossible not to notice, even with his own preoccupations. He watched the bottle of water hit the bleachers, splashing his sneakers and socks. She was proficient at avoidance—hell, she’d avoided him for this long. But even Madelyn Bray had her weak spots and they were becoming bright as day.

There was silence after she’d delivered her response. He only turned slightly to look at her and it was that visual cue that solidified everything. “How long will that be?” He sighed, resting his elbows against his knees. It was a slow process of comprehension, but he was beginning to comprehend, nonetheless. He wondered how long she was planning to keep this from him. A couple months until word started spreading and reached him? Until it happened? It was a feeling close to betrayal that made her deliberate absence hurt more. “Nine months?”

[madelynbray]

unfair // meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

However much they may have wanted to deny it, Maddie and Ethan knew each other. When he didn’t answer, she didn’t call again. There was a reason behind it, a need for space to digest the information alone, but Maddie didn’t respect that either. Instead, she made a beeline straight for the same place she’d met him hours before, any trace of fatigue diminished. 

Sure enough, Ethan’s silhouette was visible even some way off. From a distance, it looked as if his head was in his hands. The dread that had settled at that image remained once she was close enough to climb up beside him. There was so much to say, justifications and explanations, but all Maddie could manage right then was a simple “hey.” Her eyes drifted to the paper bag, bunched up tight in his hands. 

Caught up in his own thoughts, Ethan was taken off guard when someone joined him. “Oh, hi,” he managed to respond. Neither filled the short silence that extended after that until he looked down at his hand. “Here.” He offered her the scrunched up paper bag, now creased and distressed by his prolonged grip. “Sorry, I should’ve given that to you.”

He didn’t know what else to say. Was it even for him to say anything? There was still a chance that this was all a misunderstanding and he held on to that possibility, perhaps ignorantly. “The pharmacist, she said something funny, actually,” he began, but his eyes didn’t indicate that there was anything funny about it at all. “She thought you were pregnant. Assumed it was morning sickness or something. I guess it must be the same kind of medicine they give to pregnant women.”

[madelynbray]

unfair // meth

[ethan-hearst]

madelynbray‌:

Maddie’s body had won out to the desperate need for rest. She was only saved from her chin sliding straight off her knee and face-planting by a steady hand on her shoulder. “Pardon, miss?” Jerking awake, she was startled to find the pharmacist’s face so close. “Are you okay? I think your boyfriend went to go get your car but, um, he left without saying anything and I-” 

He knew. It wasn’t logic that drove her to the conclusion, but rather a gut feeling. Maddie managed a garbled excuse to the woman, but she was slipping out of the pharmacy before she could finish her sentence, head whipping round to catch sight of Ethan. She fumbled with her phone to unblock his number, holding the ringing device to ear as she set off towards the one place she could think where he’d go.

It was easier to be in denial if he silenced any thoughts that entered his mind. But in practice, the reality was that there were too many to even locate just one to focus on. Ethan wasn’t in a hurry. He wasn’t even planning to go anywhere. Ignoring any familiar faces he passed, he found himself wandering across campus until he found himself on the field.

His legs eventually gave way, landing himself on the bleachers with the paper bag still tight in his grip. He hadn’t even registered that his phone was buzzing, nor did he make an effort to check who it could be. Instead, he cast his eyes across the empty playing field. Ethan counted the yards and when that didn’t help, he attempted to run through plays in his head. Nope, this is all just a misunderstanding. He wanted to believe it, despite all the pieces that came together to disprove it.