Bind Me To You

Chapter Thirty Two

That rainy afternoon four years ago was the beginning of an unpredictable month full of grief and anger that Ethan had buried deep down inside him. What he hadn't realised, was that a fond memory had been trapped underneath it all and shoved into the back of his mind. A memory holding lost feelings that Ethan hadn't experienced since then; feelings, that had all flooded back to him as he stared down into Avery's pale, glistening eyes.

Ethan's fingers curled into the dark fabric of his jacket as he took in Avery's features. The soft blonde locks that curled against her cheeks, the bright blue eyes that looked bewitching under the soft fairy lights that lined the garden. Those same blushed cheeks that he had seen when he had first met her. How had he taken so long to recognise her?

Ethan was suddenly hit by an overwhelming feeling a guilt. It was clear to him that Avery had recognised him, otherwise she wouldn't have mumbled those words;

'It's just like the first time that I met you...'

Had she recognised me that day in the cafeteria? When I introduced myself and asked for her name, how did that make her feel? Had I upset her? Why hadn't she said anything until now?

Ethan's stomach was filled with butterflies, his mind reeling with memories, but his heart with guilt.

Avery took the jacket and stood with the intention of pulling it over her now shivering body, but when she got to her feet, she immediately swayed forward and began to stumble. Ethan startled and stood up, grabbing Avery's waist to stop her from toppling over onto the lawn.

Silence fell over the pair once again.

Ethan's fingers curled into the fabric of Avery's dress and he felt his cheeks beginning to heat. It wasn't that he had never touched a girl before, it was that his heart was swirling with forgotten feelings of endearment towards the gorgeous blonde in front of him.

It had taken Avery a few moments to stabilise herself and realise just what had happened. Her cheeks lit and she glanced down at the hands that cupped her waist at either side, her heart beginning to pound in her chest.

Ethan slowly loosened his grip, making sure that Avery was able to stand on her own before dropping his hands away from her sides. Avery turned slowly, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Oops" She mumbled, a flustered smile curling at her lips.

Ethan had forgotten that Avery was intoxicated. She had managed to hold a conversation with him that was relatively normal. Although, thinking about it now, he had done most of the talking. Regardless, the pink of Avery's cheeks and her sheepish smile was making his heart patter faster in his chest and he couldn't help but smile red-faced as he watched her make small shuffled steps to stay balanced.

Wanting to cover her blushed cheeks, Avery brought Ethan's jacket to her chin and looked down at it with a look of endearment. It smelt exactly how she remembered the blue jumper smelling, a soft pine, and she couldn't help but gaze up at him and wonder if he would smell this way if they ever hugged. Though, even she wasn't drunk enough to consider this as any more than a passing impossible thought.

Ethan had raised his hand and was scratching the back of his head awkwardly as another cold gust of wind blew past them. Avery shivered, and with a little bit of difficultly, she threw the jacket over her shoulders and pushed her hands through the sleeves ebfore wrapping her arms around her body. The jacket was already warm inside from Ethan's body heat so Avery instantly felt warmer.

Ethan watched as she put his jacket on. The guilt of not recognising Avery had briefly disappeared during his moment of heroism, but now that they stood in silence, his heart was sinking in his chest.