I Do It For Avory

Chapter Eighteen: Love

ETHAN’S POV

My eyes were fluttering, unable to stay open for long, until someone gasped. That’s when my eyes were open for good. “He’s awake,” a lady popped into my view but I was disappointed when I found she wasn’t a certain brunette. I couldn’t care less about this girl who turned her attention to my arm, messing with something. I realized something wasn’t right when the smallest bit of pain shot through my arm. Look, I’m not a baby that can’t handle pain. I can, I can endure a lot. Hence, I wasn’t afraid to jump in front of that bullet.

Looking down, I felt my eyes widen just a bit. There, in my arm, was a needle. A needle that was inserting blood into my arm. There were only two things I hated in this world: Mason and needles. And because this lady was messing with the needle, I tried to jerk my arm away but she just laughed, holding my arm. “No, don’t do that. Just wait a minute.” She turned her attention to a bag that was probably filled with blood. “Done.” She smiled down at me even though I was wishing she was dead at the moment. “Now you can see your… wife I presume?”

I wish, I thought. “Yeah,” my voice definitely wasn’t at it’s best. Far from presentable, but Sophia would understand. Knowing this, I couldn’t help but smile as the lady pushed a chair to my right, the chair Sophia would eagerly sit in. I couldn’t help but imagine all the things she’d do to me. I don’t know, probably kiss me or hug me to death. Hell, if I wasn’t in this god forsaken hospital bed, she’d have probably jumped me right there and then. But she didn’t… she just took her seat, crossed her leg, and didn’t grace me with a single glance. Her eyes, I could tell, were bloodshot from crying or lack of sleep. Since she was Sophia, it was more than likely to be a bit of both. Both of which I felt guilty for.

Waiting for her to say something, I made sure my eyes averted the needle. I looked everywhere but at the needle and the tube that pushed blood into my arm. “So your afraid of needles but not a bullet,” she gave a grunt of annoyed laughter.

“I’m not afraid,” I frowned. “They just bother me. Do you know what I am afraid of?”

She rolled her eyes, still not looking at me. “No, but I’m sure you’re going to enlighten me.” She was right.

“You dying or getting hurt and I can’t fix it. There’s a lot of things I’m afraid of but they only involve you and Avory.” I shrugged but instantly regretting it. The needle was caught on the bed rail and was pulled down while my arm went up. Clutching my arm, I looked to her, smiling. “Mind sharing yours?” I think I had a gist of what her fears were, hence the ugly attitude. Then again, any attitude looks sexy when she’s doing it. So I’m happy either way.

But then she started crying. She dashed my happiness by letting silent tears run down her cheek. She covered her mouth with her hand and made no eye contact with me. “Why are you crying? It was just a quest- ”

“No,” she shook her head. “I’m crying because you could have died and you act like it wasn’t a big deal!”

Confusion washed over as I replied, “Well it wasn’t.”

“That’s why I want to strangle you right now because you only think about yourself in this situation.” I couldn’t believe she was yelling at me when I was the one who took the bullet. Where was the ‘Oh, Ethan, I love you so much’? And how was I thinking about myself?! I got shot for her! “Yeah, Ethan, I’m very happy that you took a bullet for me. I’m probably going to give you wild sex later just to show you how much I love you for that.” I know the conversation was heated but I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe I should get shot more often, I thought. “But what would have happened if you died. That’s what I want you to take account of! Do you think- ” Her voice was choked for a second before she continued. Do you know how guilty I felt? Screw the wild sex, I just wanted her to stop crying. “Do you think I’m going to say ‘Ethan took a bullet for me and I’m so happy’ when you’re dead?! No, I’m going to blame myself because I was the one who was going to get hit by the bullet. Me! Not you nor Avory; me!”