Chapter 42

My knees hit the pavement beneath me. The skirt of my dress was short enough that it didn’t cover my skin from getting scraped up on the impact. Blood and dirt coated my knees.

Feeling more helpless than I had in a long time, I openly wept on the corner of the street. I couldn’t understand it. Why was I being targeted left and right? Why did it feel like everyone was out to get me? Was this the price to pay for being with Ethan?

I didn’t know if I could keep paying such a high price at this rate.

I pulled my knees up to my chest as I cried, hugging myself and wishing that I had more comfort than my own two arms. Instinctively, I thought of Ethan. I knew there was something going on with that girl at the party I saw only a week ago, but he was the only person I wanted to see anyways.

I dialed his number on my phone, it didn’t even get a chance to ring before he picked up.

“Ava, are you okay?” His voice was deep with concern. “I had a bad feeling.”

I sniffed and a small whimper fell from my lips.

Ethan’s voice transformed into one of alarm, “Ava, I’m coming to get you. Are you still at Rachel’s?”

I started to shake my head, my throat hurt from crying, “No-” I croaked.

“Where are you then?” He demanded, fear coating his words. “Ava, are you okay?”

I cried harder, wishing that it would all just stop affecting me. Wishing I had thick skin like Ethan or a brave face like him. I was so sensitive, comparatively, so soft.

“I don’t know!” I blubbered out, “I was so mad I ran and cried and I’m lost.”

The streets had no signs around me, the buildings were large mansions with trees surrounding them. I might as well have been in the woods, there was nothing for me to look at.

“Stay on the phone with me, Sweetheart,” Ethan cooed in my ear, attempting to ease my emotions, “I’m going to get Tristan to track you, okay? You need to stay on the phone.”

I sat on call with Ethan for twenty minutes before he found me. We didn’t say anything. The silence was nice, companionable.

He found me in an area that was fifteen minutes away from Rachel’s mansion; I ran that far.

The luxury car he drove barely came to a complete stop before he bounded from the driver’s seat and threw himself at me on the ground.

His eyes fell on my scraped knees, still being pulled tightly to my chest, and he let out a thunderous growl.

“Did they hurt you?” He demanded, his eyes turning silver with anger as he looked at me.

“N-no,” I sniffed, “I fell. They just…” I paused. Would he think it was silly that I was so upset over something so trivial?

“What did they do?” He prodded, soothing my hair and resting his hand on the back of my neck. Our faces were so close to each other, if I wasn’t in such a horrible state I’d be a blushing mess.

“They made fun of me,” I shrugged it off, trying to pretend as though things were better than they were.

“Ava,” His eyes hardened, demanding I tell him the truth. I did not look like it was nothing.

I spewed it all out. Told him what they were saying, how they knocked things over and demanded I clean them - His face grew dark with anger, silver eyes turning stormy.

“We can go back right now, I’ll tell them all exactly what I think about their little display. I can assure you their husbands will know as well, no Lunas would act like they did, Ava. You are a perfect angel compared to them.”

Ethan’s words warmed my heart, but I asked him not to speak to them on my behalf. It would look even worse, like I would run to him at every inconvenience.

“I’ll make things better for you, one way or another.” He whispered to me as he picked me up and carried me to the car. I told him I could walk, but he didn’t want to listen. Once I was placed in the front seat, he reached across me to buckle me up as well. His fingers brushed against my thigh, tingles danced across my skin.

The entire ride home, I sniffled and cried. I cried for myself, I cried for Ethan, and I cried for my mother. I wished she wasn’t looked down upon by everyone so much.

“Here,” When we got back to the house, Ethan looped one arm under my legs and one around my back. He carried me up the stairs and put me on the bed in my room.

He turned as I changed out of my dress and covered myself with my comforter.

“I’ll let you get some rest,” He smiled lightly, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

He was reaching for the doorknob, when I called out to him, “Ethan, wait.”

He looked back at me from over his shoulder, “Do you need some pain reliever? Are your knees hurting?”

“Would you-” I swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling very silly, “Would you stay with me tonight?”

Ethan raised his eyebrows, “I thought you didn’t want to be ‘intimate’ anymore.” He used air quotes as he said.

I fiddled with a loose thread on my blanket.

“I know that’s what I said I just…” I paused, taking in a shaky breath. “I don’t want to be alone.”

The smile on Ethan’s face was enough to brighten an entire room, “Whatever you wish.”

Ethan left me briefly to change into pajamas. When he came back in, he shuffled under the blankets and took me into his arms, holding me tightly to his chest.

I let myself melt into his embrace, enjoying the warmth radiating from him.

“I’ve missed you,” He whispered and kissed the top of my head.

I kept telling myself that it was nothing, that the butterflies in my stomach didn’t mean anything, but I knew all those feelings I had for Ethan never went away. They probably never would.

I held onto him tighter, “Me too.”

The next morning, I woke up in Ethan’s arms. The scent of his cologne engulfed me in warmth, and I silently wished for a lifetime of this sort of comfort. Though, it was far-fetched.

I turned over to observe him while he was sleeping. He looked so peaceful, so at ease. Usually there was a permanent, underlying expression of stress and guilt in his features. His hair was messy, much like the way it was the first time I ever saw him, and his mouth was open slightly as he exhaled little puffs of air.

I thought about how I was so lucky to be in the company of someone so handsome. So kind, selfless, and brave as well. His bravery had saved me more times than I could count in such a short amount of time.

Something stirred in me. I wanted to be brave for myself for once. I got an idea, thinking about what Ethan would do if he were me.

I slipped away from Ethan, being careful not to wake him. I wrote a quick note on a bit of stationary on the nightstand, and slipped out of the house just as the sun began to rise in the sky.

I was ready to fight my own battles, stand on my own two feet.

I walked down the street until I reached a very familiar house - a house that was the place of my nightmarish childhood.

I took the steps to the front porch and rang the gaudy doorbell.

It took a few moments, but the door creaked open, “Hello?”

I squared my shoulders and puffed out my chest, “Hello Dora.”