Alps ✰ Ethma

TWENTY EIGHT

Emma Pov.

My eyelids slowly fluttered open as I felt warm sunlight shining onto my face. I looked in front of me at the thin white curtains sheltering the window, the thin material allowing rays of sunlight to shine through. My eyebrows furrowed & I squinted at the bright light, starting to sit up but freezing when I felt somebody sigh deeply & tighten their arm around my waist. I looked behind me, seeing Ethan's relaxed face, his lips slightly parted & his eyelids heavily shut with sleep. My eyes softened at the sight. He looked so peaceful when he slept. He actually stayed with me?

I turned my body around in Ethan's arms so that I was facing him as I laid on my side, causing him to subconsciously pull me closer to him. I blushed at how close we were, chest to chest with our legs tangled together somehow. He wasn't wearing a shirt either, exposing his broad chest that was tanned with summer sun. The warm rays of sun were shining softly onto his skin, making his eyelashes cascade light shadows onto his cheeks. I brought my hand up & gently stroked his warm cheekbone, relishing in the ethereal moment.

The soft touch of my fingertips on Ethan's skin caused him to stir in his sleep & move the position of his head so he was facing the ceiling instead. I frowned as his shift in positions revealed a dark bruise on the side of his face that was previously hidden in the pillow. I thought about last night's events-yesterday's events more specifically. If I hadn't agreed to go to that stupid carnival then none of this would have ever happened. I only agreed to go because I thought it would take my mind off of every other terrible thing that happened that day, but it only made it worse as the rapist himself was there.

My fingers found their way over to playing gently with Ethan's soft hair as I laid there, soaking up both thoughts & the warm sun shining through the thin curtains. I didn't know what to think. In the hospital I had told Ethan I was in love with him & I was, not knowing why. But, he obviously hadn't returned the feelings then & I didn't know his thoughts. He gives me mixed signals. One moment it seems like we're just friends & the next moment he's kissing me into tomorrow because he's jealous over my ex boyfriend. He's also protective now I guess, considering what had just happened to Cameron last night. I wanted to know Ethan's actual thoughts about me being pregnant with his baby, what did he feel when I told him that I lost the innocent thing. What his thoughts would've been if the baby was still alive, but I know he wouldn't stay with me if it was. He wouldn't want that responsibility. Who would want to love something that came from something they don't love? Doesn't matter anyways, that's not how life decided to work out. Just the memory brought unwanted tears to my eyes as my fingers stopped their motions in Ethan's hair, thinking about if the baby did survive-seeing him with such a small & innocent thing in his large arms.

"Don't stop." I suddenly heard Ethan mumble with his eyes closed, snapping me out of my thoughts as I moved my eyes to his still shut ones. "Feels good." He added sleepily & I let out a soft laugh through my nose as I started to play with his dark strands of hair again. He suddenly pulled me even closer to him, rolling back onto his side & a faint blush spread across my cheeks, my fingers not stopping their motions. "Why are you so comfortable," He mumbled angrily & cursed himself around me even more, "and warm." I chuckled & took advantage of the position he was in, wrapping my arms around him as well & sighing. His eyes were still closed above me & I could hear his heart beating peacefully in his smooth chest. "I'm sorry about yesterday, we shouldn't have gone to the fair. That was a stupid choice on my part. And I shouldn't have picked a fight with Cameron either as much as he deserved every single bruise he got." He said in a serious tone above me, his voice sounding strained on the name 'Cameron'. "It's not your fault, it's mine, I agreed to go. I only wanted to go so that I could get my mind off of everything else that happened during the day." I muttered & his arms tightened around me. "It is not your fault." He said lowly & I shivered at the tone of his voice.