IF ONLY
562 Words
If Only
Ava woke up the next morning with sunlight on her face and Ethan’s scent still on her skin.She was wrapped in his old sweatshirt,the one she used to steal back when things were good.The apartment was quiet.She got up,walked barefoot to the kitchen,and found him there making coffee like this was their routine.
He looked up,smiled softly.“Morning.”
She nodded.“I forgot how bad your coffee tastes.”
He laughed—really laughed.It caught her off guard.
“You missed it.”
She didn’t answer,but her smirk was enough.
He handed her a cup,then leaned on the counter.“You staying today?”
“I have nowhere better to be.”
He raised an eyebrow.“That sounds dangerously close to domestic.”
“Don’t push it.”
They sat at the table in silence,sipping coffee like five years hadn’t passed.Like pain didn’t still hover just beneath the surface.
Then she said it.
“If only you had trusted me back then...”
His smile faded.
“I know.I regret it every day.”
“I would’ve stood by you.I would’ve helped.”
“I know.”
She looked at him.“So why didn’t you?”
“Because I didn’t want you stained by it.I wanted you untouched by all of it.And I was selfish too.I thought I could handle it alone.”
“And you couldn’t.”
“No.”
Ava sighed,stood up,walked to the window.London stretched in front of her,cold and bright.
“I’ve changed,Ethan.I’m not that girl anymore.”
“I’m not that man either.”
She turned.“So what are we now?”
He walked to her,close but not touching.
“Something new.Something broken but not beyond fixing.”
She stared at him.Wanted to believe him.Part of her already did.
Then her phone rang.
She checked the screen.
Unknown number.
She answered cautiously.“Hello?”
A deep voice replied,“Miss Morgan?You need to stay away from Ethan Blake.This is your only warning.”
Her blood ran cold.
“What?”
Click.
The line went dead.
She stood frozen,phone still to her ear.
Ethan saw her face and crossed the room fast.“What is it?”
She told him exactly what the voice said.
His face turned pale.
“Shit.”
“Tell me what’s going on,Ethan.”
He paced,ran a hand through his hair.“I thought it was over.I thought they were done.”
“Who?”
“The men my father owed.They went quiet after his death.I thought they backed off.”
“Clearly not.”
He looked at her,eyes wild with fear.“You need to go back to New York.Ava,now.”
She stepped back.“No.No way.You don’t get to push me out again.”
“This is different.They’ve crossed a line.”
“I don’t care.I’m not leaving you again.”
“Ava—”
“No.”
Her voice cracked but held.“If you still love me,don’t ask me to walk away again.”
He stared at her like she was the only thing that made sense.
“I’m scared for you.”
“Then let’s fight this together.This time,you’re not alone.”
He pulled her into his arms.Tight.Desperate.
“I don’t deserve you,”he whispered.
“Maybe not,”she whispered back.“But you have me anyway.”
- Writer
