Chapter 4:
Hank watched as Gwen sat in her car, her hand shaking from the conversation she had
just shared with her ex-love. She was dabbing at her eyes with a Kleenex. Grabbing his latte,
he walked outside, and approached her car.
He knocked softly on the driver window. She turned to see him, and quickly rolled down
her window.
"Oh, hi, again." Her voice was emotionless. She wiped her eyes. On the exterior, she
gave the impression that she wanted to be alone. But he could tell that she needed a friend,
once again. And he was glad it was him.
"Don't cry, Gwen," he said consolingly as he stared at her with his blue mysterious
eyes giving off an expression she couldn't exactly understand.
She wished she could tell what he was thinking. Those eyes, they were so piercing, like
you could read into his soul easily, but only if he let you. It made her forget why she was
crying.
"You wanna talk about it?" he asked her when she didn't answer his last plea.
She gave a small nod and he walked over to the passenger side to sit inside the car
with her.
Once he was seated, she poured her soul out to him. Every emotion that she was feeling
at the moment, she let him know.
"Ethan's being a jerk. I mean I know he's trying to be nice, but unconsiously he's
hurting me. Telling me that he wants to be friends isn't exactly easing the situation, you
know?" Gwen said.
Hank nodded. "He's not worth it. At least now you know who the real Ethan is."
Gwen's head jerked up in confusion and surprise. That wasn't something she was
expecting to hear from Hank.
"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.
"Well," Hank began, "you used to know Ethan for how long? Most of your life, right?
And has he ever done anything like this to you or anyone you know? Betrayed you when he had
practically created a life with you? Now you know what a backstabber and unsure idiot he
is."
Gwen's mouth was open and her eyebrows were raised. She was agape. She had never heard
anyone refer to her ex-boyfriend that way. Maybe he was right... after all, it did make sense.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized what Hank was saying was true.
"You're right," she said after a while. "That's exactly who Ethan is. Twenty years I've
known him, but nothing has been more revealing about who he really is than what has transpired
between us this past week."
Hank stroked Gwen's arm as she continued to softly cry for the pain Ethan had caused
her. She wasn't aching over him any more. No, she was suffering for the regret she felt in her
heart for the past two decades she had spent with Ethan. It was as if every moment they had
spent together growing up had been erased from his memory. She knew that she, too, had to let
go of those memories soon. She would create new memories with someone who would love her
unconditionally.
From inside the Book Cafe, Ethan watched Gwen and Hank through the window as they were
talking in her car. Theresa had gone to the bathroom and he stared at them knowing that he
wouldn't be upsetting his new girlfriend.
I don't like her with Hank, he thought to himself. She barely knows him and is
vulnerable right now. I won't let him hurt her! I won't!!
A few minutes later, Hank walked back into the Book Cafe. Gwen had calmed down
considerably and had told Hank that she was feeling a little bit better and would go home. Hank
wanted to chat with his old high-school friend, Beth Wallace. Before he could approach her,
Ethan advanced towards him and stopped right in front of him.
Hank narrowed his eyes. What does HE want? he thought to himself. No Crane was going to
get the upper hand on him, no matter what the situation was. Besides, he was in no mood for a
confrontation. He pushed Ethan aside as he walked over to the counter where Beth was working.
"You stay away from Gwen you hear me?!" Hank heard the voice coming from behind him. It
wasn't a question; more like a demand.
His eyes turned menacing as he slowly began to turn around to face Ethan Crane.
{a/n: to those ppl who reviewed, thank you! i hope ur liking this. what do u think of
this situation between ethan/gwen/hank/theresa? if u like it, lemme tell u, things r gonna
heat up!! to those who care to know: i've already outlined the fic and it will end at about
14 chapters. the updates r going to be a bit sporadic, or not as often since my spring semester of college started today and im taking 16 units!!please r&r}
Hank watched as Gwen sat in her car, her hand shaking from the conversation she had
just shared with her ex-love. She was dabbing at her eyes with a Kleenex. Grabbing his latte,
he walked outside, and approached her car.
He knocked softly on the driver window. She turned to see him, and quickly rolled down
her window.
"Oh, hi, again." Her voice was emotionless. She wiped her eyes. On the exterior, she
gave the impression that she wanted to be alone. But he could tell that she needed a friend,
once again. And he was glad it was him.
"Don't cry, Gwen," he said consolingly as he stared at her with his blue mysterious
eyes giving off an expression she couldn't exactly understand.
She wished she could tell what he was thinking. Those eyes, they were so piercing, like
you could read into his soul easily, but only if he let you. It made her forget why she was
crying.
"You wanna talk about it?" he asked her when she didn't answer his last plea.
She gave a small nod and he walked over to the passenger side to sit inside the car
with her.
Once he was seated, she poured her soul out to him. Every emotion that she was feeling
at the moment, she let him know.
"Ethan's being a jerk. I mean I know he's trying to be nice, but unconsiously he's
hurting me. Telling me that he wants to be friends isn't exactly easing the situation, you
know?" Gwen said.
Hank nodded. "He's not worth it. At least now you know who the real Ethan is."
Gwen's head jerked up in confusion and surprise. That wasn't something she was
expecting to hear from Hank.
"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.
"Well," Hank began, "you used to know Ethan for how long? Most of your life, right?
And has he ever done anything like this to you or anyone you know? Betrayed you when he had
practically created a life with you? Now you know what a backstabber and unsure idiot he
is."
Gwen's mouth was open and her eyebrows were raised. She was agape. She had never heard
anyone refer to her ex-boyfriend that way. Maybe he was right... after all, it did make sense.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized what Hank was saying was true.
"You're right," she said after a while. "That's exactly who Ethan is. Twenty years I've
known him, but nothing has been more revealing about who he really is than what has transpired
between us this past week."
Hank stroked Gwen's arm as she continued to softly cry for the pain Ethan had caused
her. She wasn't aching over him any more. No, she was suffering for the regret she felt in her
heart for the past two decades she had spent with Ethan. It was as if every moment they had
spent together growing up had been erased from his memory. She knew that she, too, had to let
go of those memories soon. She would create new memories with someone who would love her
unconditionally.
From inside the Book Cafe, Ethan watched Gwen and Hank through the window as they were
talking in her car. Theresa had gone to the bathroom and he stared at them knowing that he
wouldn't be upsetting his new girlfriend.
I don't like her with Hank, he thought to himself. She barely knows him and is
vulnerable right now. I won't let him hurt her! I won't!!
A few minutes later, Hank walked back into the Book Cafe. Gwen had calmed down
considerably and had told Hank that she was feeling a little bit better and would go home. Hank
wanted to chat with his old high-school friend, Beth Wallace. Before he could approach her,
Ethan advanced towards him and stopped right in front of him.
Hank narrowed his eyes. What does HE want? he thought to himself. No Crane was going to
get the upper hand on him, no matter what the situation was. Besides, he was in no mood for a
confrontation. He pushed Ethan aside as he walked over to the counter where Beth was working.
"You stay away from Gwen you hear me?!" Hank heard the voice coming from behind him. It
wasn't a question; more like a demand.
His eyes turned menacing as he slowly began to turn around to face Ethan Crane.
{a/n: to those ppl who reviewed, thank you! i hope ur liking this. what do u think of
this situation between ethan/gwen/hank/theresa? if u like it, lemme tell u, things r gonna
heat up!! to those who care to know: i've already outlined the fic and it will end at about
14 chapters. the updates r going to be a bit sporadic, or not as often since my spring semester of college started today and im taking 16 units!!please r&r}