Together Forever

From where he got the audacity to appear at my doorstep after what he did?

The question pops up in my mind and I tighten my grip on the doorknob. I feel my heart hammering in my chest as I stare at him without blinking. As much as I don't want to confess how much I missed seeing this face the last couple of days, I can't also forget the moment he kissed her.

For the first time in these few days of acquaintance, I am watching him looking all unprofessional today. The sleeves of his white shirt are rolled up to his elbows and his hair is so messy as if he ran his hand a couple of times through them.

Finally I gather all my strength and speak up,

"What are you doing here?" I ask in a cold voice as he looks at me with a tired look on his face.

"Let me in."

I immediately block the doorway and give him a cold stare, I am used to giving the ones I hate but this time...

No, I don't hate him...

The feeling is something else.

"Did you watch the time? I don't think you came here late at night to talk about business."

"Fuck that business!" He grits as he holds my wrist in a tight grip and pushes me in, getting inside forcefully and locking the door behind and I just stare at him in shock.

It shouldn't have been this way. We shouldn't be all alone here in the middle of the night. No.

"What the hell, Ethan? What do you want?" I shout as he steps forward, towards me.

"I want to talk to you." He replies.

"I don't have anything to talk to you about."

"But I have." He says and comes closer.

I back away. Suddenly he looks down and his eyes lock. I follow his gaze and when I look at my clothes, I feel underdressed all of a sudden. I am in my shorts and top.

Shit.

Nobody ever saw me like this except my family.

He didn't have to see this, did he?

I clear my throat and he turns his head up immediately. He walks forward and stands just in front of me. I stare up at him to see his troubled expression as his breath hits my face for the closeness. "Listen Evelyn, I have something to explain. You have to listen to me. That day in the mall, what happened I..." He tries to say something in a desperate tone but I cut him off, raising my hand.

"I don't care at all. Did you hear me? I DON'T CARE. What you did, you did. It's finished now. And why do you even want to explain to me? Did I ask for an explanation? That's your life. Not mine to talk about. Remember our relationship is just about business. You shouldn't enter your personal life here. So please, just leave now." I shout in a breath and see his shoulder tensed, indicating he is angry.

He looks at me with a clenched jaw and before I understand anything, he grips my hand and yanks me around. My back hits him with a jerk and he wraps his hands around me tightly. It all happens in an instance that I don't even get the chance to process.

He moves his face closer to my ear and I shiver at the feeling that is surrounding me.

"Do you think we are still within the limit called 'business'? Hmm?"

He whispers and I let out a small gasp when I feel his lips softly brushing against the bare skin of my shoulder. It feels like someone has put fire on that place where his fiery lips touching me.

I place my hands on his and try to remove his hands but that just makes his hold tighter.

"L- leave me."

He chuckles slowly at my words, "Did I hold you to leave you?

He tightens his hold on me, resting his head on the back of my head. I squirm under his touch but he remains his hand still.

"I said leave me."

"And I said no."

"What the hell?"

"I want you to listen but you are making it harder for me. Now if you try to be a good girl and listen, then I will leave you 'temporarily'."

Anger rises within me hearing that. It's enough, isn't it? Now what is left there to talk? Is it how good it felt kissing that girl?

I unwrap his hands and push him hard, backing off.

I shot him a glare before gritting, "What the hell do you want me to listen to? I clearly stated that I don't want to hear anything from you. I just don't want to see your face. I beg you, leave." I shout at the top of my lungs.

I felt so hurt when he did that. Now just remembering that moment, it's hurting me more. I don't want to listen to anything. I don't.

He stands there for sometime quietly scrutinizing my face. Then he abruptly moves forward and grasps my wrists, pushing me back as I hit the wall with him blocking me. I try hard to free myself but man, he is way stronger than me!

I need to start learning weightlifting!

His one hand wraps around my waist pulling me closer and another one grabs my shoulder. He moves his face closer and takes a sniff of my hair as if he was craving it for so long.

He pushes a lock of hair from my shoulder and buries his face there, inhaling my scent.

"Wh- what are you doing?" I whisper, my voice cracking.

"Do you have any idea how much I missed it? And now you're telling me you don't want to see me? How could you say that, huh?" He growls, his hand gripping my hair softly.

"What?"

"I missed you." He breathes, burying his face deeper in the crook of my neck.

He missed me? Is it a joke?

My heart flutters as I feel butterflies in my stomach. He missed me. I thought I was the only one who was spending sleepless nights thinking of him without any reason. I thought I was just dying to see him but he did miss me too. I don't know why but it made me happy despite everything.

This feeling is too overwhelming. The closeness I want, those words I want to hear, his touch burns my skin as well as soothes my heart. He does things to me, no one ever did.

I didn't know when I came here that I would feel this peace in someone's arms. But now I am. I couldn't stop him. I didn't want to. I'm hypnotized.

This is different.

I don't feel like this in anyone's arms.

No one can make me feel like this.

Just him.

Now before everything, I just need to know why.

Why?

I place my hand on his chest and push him slightly but he doesn't even buzz.

"Ethan?" I breathe.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you kiss that girl?" My question makes his head up immediately as he watches me carefully.

"I didn't mean it." He replies slowly, his arms still around me. Solemnity shows in his eyes as he speaks those words.

"Then why did you do it?" I croak and feel my eyes wetting but I keep it back.

"Because of you." He sighs.

"Me?"

"What were you doing there with Nick?" The softness of his voice suddenly goes away at the mention of Nick and his face hardens.

"We- we were just talking."

"Then why were you so close?" He yells, making me shudder in fear as I gasp. I try to speak but his burning gaze shuts me up. I can't find anything to say.

His grip on my shoulder tightens making me wince in pain. The softness, the beautiful moment we were having a while ago, everything is gone. Again we are there where we were. I look at him in fear as he yells at me again,

"You are asking me why I kissed her? Before that you tell me what you were doing there. Do you know how I feel everytime I see you with him? Everytime he touches you, do you have any idea how much I get hurt? Why are you doing this to me? Why are you hurting me like this?"

Before I can speak, he releases my shoulder and throws a punch on the wall.

He tries to punch again when I grasp his hand stopping him. I hold his hand and softly touch his bruised knuckles to see blood pouring out of there in a straight line. Looking back at him, I ask slowly, "Why do you always hurt yourself?"

"Trust me Evelyn, you hurt me more than anything could ever do." He whispers back, his eyes boring into mine.

"Is it because of Nick?" I ask. He doesn't answer me and looks away.

"Nick is Leah's boyfriend, not mine." I state and his head snaps at me. He looks at me with wide eyes as if not believing what I said.

"What? Leah?" He shouts, confusion and disbelief in his voice.

I nod slowly.

It's time. Everything has been so messed up. Now if I don't tell Ethan the truth, I won't get the chance again. This misunderstanding has to end now. I need answers to a lot of questions. But before everything, I need to tell him the truth. I need to know how I hurt him.

"Nick loves Leah but he was afraid to ask her out directly thinking what if she rejects him. He told me to flirt with him so that Leah gets jealous and expresses her feelings herself. That's why we were acting. Nick is just my friend, nothing else." I say and see his face still confused.

"So you want to say that you...you don't have any boyfriend?" He asks me, coming closer.

I shake my head, "Yeah, never had one."

Relief washes over him at my words and his face softens. He lets out a huge breath and runs a hand through his messy hair.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Did you give me the chance?" I retort and he scratches the back of his neck.

Finally everything is over. I told him the truth. It was like a burden that was continuously giving me pain. It's over now.

My back is still pressed against the wall. Looking up slowly, he stares into me deeply and leans in, pressing his body against mine. This time I don't stop him because I know I can't. These days, a lot of questions have appeared in my mind that I don't have any answer to. But one thing I have come to realize, I don't have the strength to stop him. I don't.

He looks hesitant for a moment before his hand reaches for my face and he cups it with his bleeding hands. He caresses my cheeks slowly with the back of his fingers and I feel hot blood spreading there. He tries to say something but then stops and rests his forehead against mine, engulfing me in his embrace.

The room is still dark, colourful lights of the TV are wavering through the dark and falling on his face. In the faint light, I see his eyes closed and a weird peaceful emanation is veiling his always angry aura. He lets out a breath as he speaks slowly,

"I am sorry."

"For?"

"For everything. I didn't want to kiss that girl. I did it to hurt you because you were hurting me badly. I am sorry."

I nod.

Whatever, I am supposed to forgive him, ain't I? How can you still be angry at someone who is holding you like this?

"You are forgiven." I say and he opens his eyes, a small smile on his face.

"Really?"

"Hmm. But I have a question."

"What?"

I look down, not sure if I should ask it or not.

"You...why did you miss me? Who am I to you?" I ask, fidgeting with my fingers.

"Now I know." He smirks.

Cocky Ethan back.

"Then tell me."

"Now it's not the right time. But..."

"But?" I ask, looking up.

He tilts his head and leans in. I shiver when I feel his soft lips make contact with my cheek in a feathery touch. I clutch his shirt as his hot breath fences my face. His lips linger on me for sometime before he says something that makes my wild heart stop beating for a moment.

"Now that I know everything, no way in freaking hell, I am letting you go...ever."☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐