Cinderella: A Fractured Fairytale

Fifty-One

Ethan's POV

Chapter 51

***

I couldn't lie.

Not to myself.

And the truth was, it stung that Jovette had left.

I had always prided myself on the ability to deflect and block emotions, to keep them far, far away. But somehow, I couldn't do it this time.

It hurt.

I stood watching her silently for a moment, and she studied me with bright hazel eyes full of understanding. Not contempt, not fear, not anger. Understanding.

No one had ever looked at me that way before.

Except maybe Eric.

I shut down that thought track. Eric was dead to me. All he was now was a tool. I would use him against himself, and he would be my greatest asset yet.

Jovette finally spoke. "Was that true, what you told Eric about the enchantment on Anastasia?"

I nodded wordlessly. The spell hadn't been my idea. But that didn't matter.

"Normally I wouldn't have cast a spell like that." I said quietly, haltingly. Was I nervous to talk to her? "But I needed a way to keep her quiet... temporarily, because if she slept forever she'd be of no use to me. This was my solution, since enchantments are easier than spells."

She smiled faintly. "You're not as evil as you think you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I drew up sharply.

"Nothing." Jovette shook her head, still smiling. Her hair bounced.

I had never before seen a girl with hair quite like hers... it was long and beautiful and wavy and dark, and she reminded me of a princess with her dark hazel eyes that were fringed by dark, long eyelashes.

She tilted her head. "So.... what now?"

IDIOT! Stop getting sidetracked!

I turned away and made my voice gruff. "You can sleep anywhere. I don't care where."

"Thank you." Her voice was soft and gracious, not sarcastic.

As I turned away, she called my name.

"Ethan?"

Why did she say my name like that? It interrupted my train of thought and made me do a double take, made me stop what I was doing and look at her, made me want to help her with whatever she needed.

"Yes?" I turned back.

Her voice was hesitant. "I... I did miss you."

The words pierced me straight to the heart, and I stopped short. Then I began walking quickly away, biting my lip hard. Don't feel, don't feel, don't feel.

But I wanted to.

And I couldn't stop this piercing feeling, the one that made me want to hold her tight and never let go, the one that made me want to stay near her wherever I went.

The one that hurt the most.

As soon as I was out of sight, I fell to my knees and succumbed to the pain, closing my eyes and wishing for it to end.

Wishing there was another way to stop it.