Asylum | E.D

Epilogue

I heard Ethan knock softly on the door, causing me to look over in that direction, as I was unpacking my clothes.

Grayson had let Ethan and I move into his house, since we had been in the asylum for so long and didn't have any house of our own, plus we didn't feel comfortable moving back in with our parents. But I knew Grayson was dying to ask us to move, he hadn't stopped mentioning it since the trial. He just really missed his brother. I felt safe here, with Ethan and Grayson. I hadn't felt safe in a long, long time. The thought of staying here with the two of of them made me smile. They both made me so happy.

"Hey." I smiled softly.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He grinned, entering the bedroom.

"Just unpacking the rest of my stuff." I tell him, folding yet another item of clothing of mine.

"Grayson is starting a bonfire. He invited a few of our old friends over so you could meet them." He told me, sitting down on the bed. "Change into some warm clothes, it's cold."

"Okay." I nodded, standing up from sitting of the ground. "Sounds fun." I put a hoodie on decided it would be a good idea to change out of my gym shorts too. I grabbed a pair of leggings from one of the boxes.

My eyes did a double take looking at my wounded skin. My entire body paused what I was doing as I looked down to my upper thigh, seeing the wound from where I had been shot. The stitches were healed, but now the skin was trying to reform over each other meaning it was still healing. It isn't pretty, and it definitely isn't small. Once it's fully done healing, I'm going to have a scar from it.

Permanently.

My fingers gently traced over the skin where the wound laid, not being able to feel that patch of my skin now due to the nerves being damaged in that area. Its huge.

I exhaled a breath through my nose as I tried to cover it with my fingers, knowing that I won't ever be able to see myself without it again.

"Hey," Ethan stood up from the bed, gently grabbing onto my wrist from behind me, causing me to look up at him through the mirror. "Don't." His voice was stern as his eyes were pinned on mine. It's like he knew exactly what I was thinking.he let go of my wrist, resting his chin onto my shoulder.

His hands slowly trailed along my skin from my lower back around to my stomach, causing goosebumps to form across my body from his touch. I watched him through the mirror, seeing his eyes watching his hands travel around my body gently, his fingers brushed against the part of my skin where the wound was.

He softly put his lips against the skin next to my ear. "You're beautiful. With or without it." He spoke in a low whispered tone.

My eyes stayed staring at him through the mirror as I admired him. A faded soft smile formed over my lips from his words. "I love you." My voice laced with adoration.

His lips softly pecked my cheek, "and I love you." He assured me before letting me out of his embrace. "Now put the leggings on, come downstairs, and let's have this bonfire."

I laughed to myself  before pulling the leggings on.

-

The bonfire was great, I got to know Ethan and Grayson's close childhood friends, Kyle and Ricky. They shared stories about how the twins used to bicker so much, and how good they were at football— or any sport they played at school really.

Kyle even mentioned how Ethan's biggest dream was playing football professional. I hoped that one day Ethan would be able to live out that dream.

"Grayson is the biggest third wheel now, he's living with a couple!" Rickey laughed at the fact that Grayson was single.

Grayson only rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, there's someone out there for me." He said.

"I'll make sure of it." Ethan patted his knee, his other arm slung around me.

That night when the rest of the guys  had cleaned up and went back inside to sleep, Ethan and I stayed out, laying on the freshly cut grass, just staring silently at the stars in the sky.

It's not an awkward silence at all; it's a content type of silence. One of the best feelings I have grown to love. We both sit on the damp grass, not caring if our butts got a bit wet. We continue to hold one another's hands while we stare up at the darkened sky; it being lit up by brightly shining stars surrounding us.

We still do not say much at all, simply because there's no need to. We are comfortable enough with each other to enjoy such a beautiful moment like this.

"I just want you to know that I love you so very much." Ethan tells me.

I wide smile uncontrollably takes over my face."I love you too, I am so glad I have you in my life."

He looks at me with pure love in her eyes, those two arises shining just as bright as the stars in the sky. "I'm just so glad you changed me for the better."

I do not wait for her to respond, I go ahead and kiss his lips. Right away he does the very same, and kisses me with all of the love he could muster up to give to me.

This is what I have been waiting for since the day my parents forced me into that Asylum. I've been waiting for this exact moment. All I've needed is this.

I just hope that nothing ever comes in the way of that.

__________________________

hey guys!

wow it's been such a long ride, and its finally come to an end. i'm so incredibly thankful for having the opportunity to have been able to write this story and post it for you guys.

i've grown such an attachment to you all and to this story.

thank you for all of your love and support. more books soon to come!
if you haven't already, go read my other books, i have just published two new ones! it would mean a lot :)

love you all,

-A