Chapter 49

CHAPTER 49

|| Ethan's POV ||

Savannah's words lingered in my thoughts and mind. I wished to walk down but something was freezing at this same spot. My eyes remained at them, unblinking, taking an observation of her facial expression. She seemed so happy with that guy, giving him the big smile now and then.

Should I tell her?

The thought made me nervous. My body was immediately stiffened, opposing the idea but Savannah's words stated the fact. Aria was so freaking beautiful. This world didn't matter about pregnancy or anything else as long as the girl was single.

Biting my lips together, I began to ponder inside my thoughts and didn't break my eyes from them. It took an hour to find those roses for Aria. Once, she told me that she was obsessed with dark red roses. Although I found a lot in the market, none of them were so dark in shade. Hence, I decided to drive straight to the nursery and pick the best flowers for her. But here, she was smiling at the other guy.

How could I tell her that I was in love with her?

" Hey!", Aria's voice snapped me back to reality. Jerking back to reality, I looked at them to find them already staring my way.

Damn! I shouldn't have ghosted them!

" Hi..hi..", I gave her a nervous smile, plodding over. The guy next to him returned a greeting smile which I acknowledged with a slight nod.

" What were you doing there?", Aria questioned, curiosity sparking from her hazel eyes.

Watching you two!

I refrained from making a straight comment. Smiling back awkwardly, I replied with a small smile,

" I was coming to call you down. Who is he?"

Despite my attempts to maintain a cool face, I couldn't help but glance at the guy harshly. Aria introduced, pouting her lips into an 'o' shape,

" Oh, he is David..David..Hudson..my cousin and close friend.."

I hummed, relief crossing all over my mind. So, he was her friend and cousin, nothing else. The guy named David acted mature which I liked about him. Giving us his small smile, he replied grinning at us,

" You two chat now. I should join Ares!"

David departed giving us privacy. I noticed the way Aria's smile disappeared as soon as David vanished down the stairs. It meant that she wasn't happy in mind and was just treating her guest well.

" You aren't happy?", I spoke, taking the spot next to her. She looked amazing in this simple gown. Perhaps, I would never get over the fact that she looked amazing at everything literally. In months, her baby bump would be growing.

Aria sighed, her fingers playing with the glass in her hand. She was lost in her thoughts somewhere. Her reply came much later on,

" It's just...I am worried, Ethan...This baby and everything...I don't know how to handle this alone. What will I tell my baby when she is born and asks about his father?"

Tears pricked from her eyes and I knew that she was just tired of pretending to be okay. Perhaps, her baby reminded her of her own experience. She knew very well how to grow up without parents. No mother wishes the same life for her baby as she went through it.

Tell her! This is the right time!

My subconscious mind told me and I looked down, finding my courage from everywhere. I closed my eyes and when I reopened them, all I could see was Aria, the love of my life. I loved her with every piece of her broken parts.

Her lips parted to say something but I blurted in my breath, letting out a heavy sigh,

" I love you, Aria.."

The shock written on her face was clear. Her lips parted and closed in disbelief. Turning around, she gave me a long stare blankly like she heard something unreadable.

The strength of a sportsman had slipped past my body. I was shaking like a fallen leaf, numb and useless. That's what Aria did to me. Whenever she showed me her haughty character by rolling her eyes, I fell deeper in love with her.

Her silence feared me and I looked down like a disobedient student. Perhaps, I had lost our friendship for the sake of these feelings. When I glanced back at her, she was crying. I didn't know why but soon her voice cracked through the silence,

" Ethan..you...how can you..love.. someone like me...I am pregnant with someone else child...You must be dreaming.."

Oh hell! Did she think that it would bother me because she was pregnant? I should have proposed to her even if she was pregnant with not one but ten children.

A smile broke through my face. Stepping forward, I pulled her in my arms, pouring all my sincerity into the words that I prepared only for her,

" No, Aria..No! Don't ever say that...I love you from the day I saw you with Ares. I didn't dare to tell you because Ares told me that you..you were dating some guy...I love you with this child and without too... Nothing will change my feelings for you...Even if you don't accept my love right now, let me stay by your side and take care of you, okay?"

She didn't respond anything instead a loud sob slipped past her mouth. I didn't get her response but all I could detect was that she wanted me. Without wasting this precious moment of us, I claimed her lips into a searing kiss, devouring all her cries. Then, I got my answer. She didn't push me away and opened her mouth for me, letting me discover all those emotions that she was hiding all this time.

I tasted her lips for the first time under the starry sky. She tasted like a sweet rose, so intoxicating that I wished this kiss would continue forever. She melted in my arms. That night, I realized that she was the source of happiness that I was searching for all my life.

________

|| Savannah's POV ||

This vodka was playing dirty games with me. After sipping a few times, I was already feeling hot and I found Ares extremely hot. Maybe, I would have kissed him too if we weren't stuck in the middle of this crowd. Ares's guests began to appear inside the house. All of them were well-known faces from the sports world. I felt intimated by the presence of these celebrities around the party. Glad that Ares was accompanying me and welcoming his VIP guests.

My eyes pulled over the stairs and I didn't see Aria or Ethan coming down yet. I smiled at my thoughts eternally. Guess, Ethan had taken my words seriously and was making a confession.

" Aress! ", I heard a squeal from the front door. My heart wrenched when I looked over there. It was Brittany in her expensive party dress. She was looking well prepared, her hair was straightened, falling on her shoulders. My heart instantly dropped and I gave Ares a questioning glance.

Why didn't he tell me that he invited Brittany?

Ares's expression turned grim but Brittany wasted no time in hopping onto him.

Excuse me, I was sitting fucking there?

She grinned, showing all rows of her teeth,

" I am so sad, Ares! You didn't invite me. I had to know from my uncle that you are throwing a party for Aria. Then, I just followed him to give you a surprise."

Oh fuck! Did you find it right to just appear at a party without an invitation? I wished to clap for this girl for becoming the most shameless bitch that I have ever seen in my life.

Ares looked equally puzzled and unwrapped her arms from him. I breathed through my nose heavily, rage building in extreme force. I wasn't sure how long I could keep my eyes shut but at the same time, I didn't wish to embarrass Ares in front of his teammates.

Clearing my throat, I excused myself from there,

" Ares, I am going to check on everyone."

Before Ares could say anything, I plodded on my heels to come to a corner. Ares wanted to follow me but Brittany was already dragging him to some of his friends. I noticed that Ares didn't get too harsh on Brittany. Probably because she was his coach's niece and had powers from her family. Mentally, I jerked at the idea to imagine that if someday Ares had to choose between his Brittany and me, who would he choose? Because Brittany means the security of his career, and backup support I wasn't anywhere close to her. My family was never involved in sports or any other games.

Leaning onto a corner, I ordered stuff to give me more drinks. Perhaps, this alcohol would wipe away my thoughts from Ares and Brittany.

It's just a party, Savannah! You will have him all over your life!

My subconscious mind cooed me but the future of us still seemed blurry. We had too much waiting for our lives beforehand.

" Wow! Ares! Brittany, isn't her family into sports? you're so lucky man!", one of his teammates commented and I couldn't help but sharpen my ears.

Yes! Great privilege!

I reminded myself to torture more and stick my ears to their conversation. His other mate joined, possibly because they wanted to fall on Brittany's good side,

" You two are a great match. Why don't you start dating yet?"

Their words took my breath away, stomach clenched into a knot.

Please, Ares! Say, someone!

Brittany, the ever-shameless girl giggled, not minding my existence in Ares's life,

" Maybe Ares is just too busy to notice me!"

Ares finally reacted, his tone getting pitchy after he moved away a bit from Brittany's clinging arms,

" We are just friends, Mark. Besides, I have a girlfriend, right there."

I couldn't help straightening my back. I chose to play it cool, blowing air from my mouth and playing with the glass in my hands. The conversation went silent for a while until someone added a sarcastic remark,

" But dude.. look at you two..you two are just perfect... Brittany knows your career better...Your girlfriend might be pretty but you know what is important for your career!"

I couldn't stop the vulnerability in my body. The reality was harsh and I was aware that Brittany was perfect as his life partner.

What if he decides to leave me just like Finn told me that day in the store?

Ares was just a rising star. In the future, he will attain so much more and perhaps will become the big star of this state. Will he give me priority like this then too?

The answer was debatable in my mind. I couldn't bear to hear them, comparing me and Brittany anymore. Taking another glass of wine, I stumbled upstairs to find a space.

Why was I feeling sad when I knew the truth of having this insecurity? No matter what you do, you can cut off the past from your life. They are part of your life, part of yourself. Forgetting the past might be easy but forgiving yourself is harder.

Stopping on the second floor, I sighed before turning to find the space. My track froze when I saw Aria and Ethan kissing intensely. Aria seemed to get dizzy but that boy wasn't giving her any space to breathe. Smiling, I turned around with a blush. At least, she had found her happiness in the dark hours of her life. I believed that Ethan was going to be an awesome father and husband from the way he treated Aria so far right in front of my eyes.

But what about me and Ares? Will Ares become a good father too? Even the imagination brought a smile to my face. Oh! I couldn't wait to see him, wrapping around a tiny human who would order him to do anything that he hates.