[18+] - CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Traumatized by life and grief-stricken, a young ex-soldier returns to his hometown hellbent on pursuing the woman he loves - a woman who is now someone else's fiancée.
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When she was fourteen, Love Johnson wrote a lett...
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He pushed the door to her room open with the caution of a thief in the night. Ava never shut her door at night for some reason, probably her claustrophobia and the silence of the house being the culprits. He stepped inside the darkness, noting the aesthetic atmosphere of his little sister's bedroom.
Everything was color-ordinated, cream color dominating the space which was occupied by her canopy bed with fairy lights strung above, her white desk, her bookshelf, and her wardrobe. She had her stuff in place, showcasing her prim and proper self while her small frame was curled up under the sheets. He shut the door softly behind him, his steps heavy as they carried him closer to her personal space.
He took a seat at the edge of her bed, barely touching his body to the mattress as his muscles were strung tight, hesitation thrumming his nerves. He moved a hand, reaching for her vulnerable state and she stirred when he removed a strand of her hair from her face.
He didn't flinch, reminding himself that he had to do it.
'Ask Ava' — that's what Love had said to him. That's what she had confessed. Whatever had been happening with Landon, was somehow connected to his sister.
It had thrown him off-guard. He had been quiet the ride home, staring at his sister while their mother drove the car. She had been quiet as always, lost in thought.
He feared what it was. Whatever Love and Ava had been hiding was about to be out soon. Love spoke her truth. Now it was Ava's turn.
"Hey..." he whispered, dropping his hand to Ava's shoulder and gently rocking her awake.
She winced, her eyes flying open with panic in them. She rose from her sleep with a jerk, sitting on the bed as her eyes found his. They were sleep-infused, deep pupils staring back at him. Her body shivered as the blanket slid down her frame. The weather had chilled through the night and it grazed her skin, stealing Jonathan's attention to her arms which were now showered by goosebumps.
Her hair was wild. She looked wild and it was no wonder that he had woken her up from the oncoming of a bad dream because her face had a crestfallen look.
"Nathan..." His nickname stumbled out of her mouth in a groggy voice. "What happened? What are you doing here?"
"Were you in deep?" he asked, referring to her sleep.
"Very..." She raised a finger to an eye, rubbing frantically.
Her mouth opened to let out a sleep-deprived yawn which made him feel guilty for asking what he was about to ask. He had no choice though. Love had left him with no choice.
"Why is Love marrying Landon?" he asked, already expecting her reaction.
Just as he had thought, her expression fell, the color of her skin going paler than white. She blinked at him with widened eyes, full lips forming a parted pout mid-yawn. Her hands dropped to the sheets, his eyes following the movement as she clutched the material in fists.
