Chapter 26: Chapter 26

I'm floating.

I am literally on cloud 9 because this level of comfort, of satisfaction, of utter perfection does not exist.

Should not exist.

But when I open my eyes, I know I'm not dreaming, it's real. Literally.

I'm on the realistic cloud 9 of Ethan's bed, in complete and utter satisfaction and perfection.

Here, with his arms wrapped around me from behind, and his legs pressed up against mine, spooning me.

I had always wanted to only exist at 05:00am in the morning, but now....

Now I wanted to exist here, in his arms, in his warmth for as long as time let me.

I close my eyes, needing to dwell in this moment a little longer when my stomach rumbles in protest.

I'm starving.

Dammit.

With Ethan behind me, I can't tell is he is awake or not, so with every will power left in me, I slowly turn around in his arms to face him just to find out his eyes are still closed.

He is still asleep.

Weird.

He was a light sleeper, so my movements should have woken him up. I relax a little, enjoying the calm look on his face whenever he was sleeping as I trace my fingers over my most favourite part of his body.

The small tattoo on his chest.

My stomach rumbles again and I'm scared he would open his eyes but he just groans a little and keeps sleeping.

Sighing, I plant a soft kiss on his forehead before slowly slipping out of bed. I feel sore a little between my legs but I head for the wardrobe anyway. I make a quick decision to wear his tshirt and my shorts instead of a robe just in case Trevor is back.

By the time I am at the bottom of the stairs, I'm sure my instincts weren't wrong because the scent of coffee is strong and Trevor is at the cooker when I walk into the kitchen.

"Hey." He says to me turning around a bit and I smile at him.

"Hi, Trevor." I say and pour myself a cup of coffee.

"You look.....different." He says, eyes scanning me before I look away.

"Its probably nothing." I almost stutter.

"Yeah. Probably." He says but keeps his gaze on me a little longer before turning back to the cooker.

"When did you get back?" I ask after taking a sip, trying to divert the attention from my heated face and he shrugs and says,

"Like 3 in the morning. Where's Ethan?" He asks absent mindedly, flipping bacon strips in the pan.

The scent of bacon in the kitchen is overwhelming and I take some eggs from the fridge to help him as I reply,

"Oh, he is still asleep."

I crack the eggs into a bowl and Trevor suddenly freezes.

"Ethan is still asleep?" He asks and looks at me.

"Yeah." I say then smile a little at the surprised look on his face.

"Weird, right?" I ask, whisking the eggs.

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, he hasn't overslept in a long time. Probably since......"

Trevor's voice suddenly trails off and he turns to me again, eyes intent on something.

I can feel my face heat up.

His eyebrows suddenly shoot up like something just dawned on him.

"Ohhh..." He mutters as his eyes meet mine.

There is a slight glint of naughtiness in them and he smiles suddenly.

Oh boy.

"How was your night?" He asks after taking the bacon strips out of the pan and setting out plates.

"I-It was good." I stutter stupidly as I begin the scrambled eggs.

Trevor just keeps smiling as he comes and stands at the counter near me, stirring cream and sugar into his coffee mug.

"Its just been a while." Trevor says, sucking on his teaspoon.

"Since what?" I ask nervously as I turn off the cooker and turn to face Trevor.

He shrugs, looking at me.

"Since Ethan's been...Ethan, you know. For two years ago, I could barely recognize him. He was shut out, he barely slept, he was always alone and occupied with work. He acted like he didn't want to live...until you."

Trevor says and gestures to me with his teaspoon.

"Me?" My voice comes out tiny.

"Yeah, April. The first day he met you, when he came home, for the first time in years, he wasn't drunk. And ever since then you were always bringing him out of something that haunted him...you just didn't know it. I mean he would leave the house anytime he found out you were in trouble. He stopped having pains, started smiling more, going out on dates and today he overslept."

Trevor's eyes are hinted with the purest kind of grattitude.

"He is not just my cousin, he is my brother. I was always there for him but you...you rescued him. I'm glad to see him like this again."

I'm smiling now.

"Me too. More or less, he rescued me too and in a way, we both brought each other out from the ghosts we used to be. He's my hero." I say with a little laugh and a shrug.

Trevor walks closer to me with a quiet smile.

"Thanks for being his hero too." He says and pecks me on the cheek, then pulls me into a hug.

I smile against his chest and hug him back.

"Hey! I overslept for one morning and you guys are hugging?"

Ethan's voice is groggy from his sleep and Trevor chuckles before letting me go.

"Oh, shut up. We made you breakfast." Trevor says as Ethan walks over to me.

"Too bad. Cuz I know what I want to eat."

His hands slip around my waist, knocking away every breath in me and pulling me close.

"Hey." I say breathlessly.

"Hey, yourself." He says and his lips are on mine, kissing me senseless.

"It hurts waking up without you." He says against my lips and I smile.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Trevor says and Ethan laughs as he pulls away, just a little. His forehead is still resting on mine.

"Let's have breakfast first, then I'll give you a scolding." He says and plants a kiss on my lips before moving away to grab a mug.

With unsteady legs, I grab a seat at the table right across Trevor and he winks at me.

I have no idea how I'm able to start eating with his words still echoing in head.

The first day he met you, for the first time in years, he wasn't drunk.

Is it true? Does Ethan see me as his hero too? Night after night, and I always thought I was the one being saved by him.

In a way, I am.

He saved me.

Literally, emotionally, socially. I can never imagine myself deciding to go sky diving at all, or stretching out of the window of a speeding car.

Attending a charity event.

Racing to his apartment by 3 in the morning.

By the time we're done with breakfast, Trevor has gone in to take a shower, Ethan is raiding the fridge and I'm sure of one thing.

Its not just the fact that he rescued me,...it's him.

Its all him.

Its those intense, grey eyes and the way he knows exactly what to say to make me smile, how he holds me close when I'm scared.

A random person could have saved me any of those times that I was literally in need of help.

But when Ethan did it, it was different.

He was different.

The concern in his eyes, the shock in his voice, the protective warmth of him.

My thoughts are still in a rumble as I carry the plates to the sink and then I feel his warmth behind me before his arms come around and hold me close to him.

"You've been awefully quiet all morning." He says in a low whisper and I shudder a little at the feel of his breath on my neck.

"I'm fine." I say in a low moan before his hands grip mine and turn me around to face him.

"You're not gonna tell me then?" He teases, holding my gaze.

"It's nothing."

His eyes narrow a bit and I can see panic evident in them.

"Are you having regrets?" He asks slowly, as if scared of saying each word.

"What? No." I say and lean on him, bringing my face close to his and I can feel his body relax.

"Then why are you so quiet?"

Because I cant stop thinking about you.

I bite my lip, wondering how I'm supposed to confess such, when his hands grip my waist and in a quick second, he lifts me up easily and tosses me over his shoulder.

I let out a scream and he just laughs.

"Are you nuts? Put me down!" I squeel but he keeps his hand firm around my kicking legs and carries me up the short stairs.

I feel helpless in this position, and I can't help laughing with my hands and hair dangling downwards.

"I told you, you needed a scolding for leaving me alone. Biting your lip just made it worse." He says as he walks in his room and tosses me on the bed.

"Then scold me." I tease, biting my lip on purpose this time and Ethan is above me instantly.

His face is inches above mine and those intense, grey eyes enchant me into a trance.

To the first time at the café.

The bar.

The ice cream parlour.

At my room.

On my bed.

Walmart.

His apartment.

His bed.

The CARMA event.

Over and over in the different places that I've stared into those eyes, they held the same meaning that I'd never noticed.

Interest.

In me.

He was interested in me.

This handsome, funny, daring, puzzling, sexy man is interested in me.

Me.

April Skye.

And more than anything that interest seemed to pull me more into this familiar, amazing, comforting warmth that was all him.

"April?" Ethan is saying, raising a bro at me.

"Is it just me that's making you turn red or you're having secrets?" He teases but I can't think.

Can't ponder.

I've spent days here with him even with my dorm room waiting for me.

And I've enjoyed it.

Enjoyed him.

And I don't want it to end.

"April?"

"I think I'm falling in love with you." I blurt out, letting the burst of feelings in me take over.

His face is blank as he stares at me.

"What?" Comes his quiet question but I can't help it.

"I love you."

He is shaking his head now.

"I love you. I love you. I love you."

Ethan moves away and sits up.

"No, no, no, no, no." He is muttering, a slight frown forming on his forehead.

I let out a laugh because I'm sure he is just surprised.

Hell, I'm surprised too. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't help it.

"What?" I ask, dazed by my confession and admission to my feelings.

"April, you can't be in love with--"

"Why not?" I ask now, sitting up.

"Listen, you don't know what you're feeling."

"What?"

He can't be serious.

"You're just excited, it's the aftermath of what happened last night."

"So, it's wrong for us to ever love each other in this relationship?"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Ethan. I love you. I love being around you, waking up next to you and all the extraordinary bizarre things you do to me."

I say and touch his face.

"April, you don't know what you're saying. Its too soon to tell." He says, pulling away.

"You're right. It is." I say when he avoids my gaze and I get out of bed, all the while my head spinning.

How many times is this going to happen?

How many times was he going to reject me before I stop hoping.

How many times do I have to play the fool?

"April, don't go." Ethan's voice comes in a plea but I just grab my overnight bag from his wardrobe.

I have definitely over stayed my welcome....

"Baby, please."

His hand is on my arm but I pull away, turning to face him and I hope my the shattering hope in me is evident in my eyes so he can stop.

So he can just stop trying.

"It's okay. Forget i just opened up my heart to you. Apparently I'm to excited to think or know what I'm feeling."

"April, listen to reason. In the early times that we met, most of them you were emotional and vulnerable. How do you know this is real? How do you know this isn't just a rebound? Just give this relationship more time to really decipher what you feel--"

"Rebound?"

I could laugh. I don't believe it.

"Rebound. Right. I guess that's the way you looked at it the entire time. Just a weak, emotional and vulnerable girl in desperate need of a companion and a shoulder to cry on."

My voice is quivering the entire time.

"April--"

"I'm stupid. I'm so stupid. Time and again, you chase me away. Time and again I come crawling back."

"Just, please--"

"So I'll make this easy for you Ethan." My voice breaks once I mention his name but I keep talking,

"How about I just go and not come back? Will that be good?"

He is quiet, staring at me with pleasing eyes. My chest is heaving uncontrollably as I grab my bag and let my tears fall.

"Goodbye for real."

Author's Note

I'm so sorry to do this to you guys, but this story won't get another upload for some time.

Life caught up and I'm trying to get balance.

Please, bear with me.

I'm not abandoning it, I promise.

Just time is all I ask.......