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T W E L F T H
C H A P T E R

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What the hell was that? Kiss him? How could I even think that?

Despite all these questions, I don't know why but I remained at my place.

Why wasn't I moving my face?

Damn it! He has a girlfriend.

Nathan's gaze was still at me. His beautiful eyes and perfect face, still close to me.

Was I not moving my face because I wanted him to kiss me?

Really?

This can't be true? I'm not even attracted to Nathan. Why is this happening?

Still, I didn't move my face, not even a bit.

He got up with a smile on his face and I finally moved my face to the other side, making sure he hasn't seen my flushed face and the embarrassment on it.

What was that all about?

He offered me his hand, but I managed to get up without taking it.

"I can get up without someone's help." I said to him with a smile.

I know he was just trying to be nice.

"Do you want someone to drop you to your home?" Nathan asked.

"Nathan--- my finger's just a bit hurt. You're acting like I'm about to die." I exclaimed as I started moving.

Elvin helped me get out of the fighting ring.

"Please, you should take someone with you." He demanded and informed, "I would've gone with you, but--- you know, I have work here."

"You're crazy." I laughed quietly, hitting him softly on his bicep. "I know you're so busy, but then you don't have to go anyway because I don't need anyone to go with me."

I stopped at the exit and he stood next to me crossing his arms.

"Are you sure?" He asked once again and now it was a bit too much.

"I swear, Nathan, I'm going to punch you if you asked me one more time." I tried to sound dangerous, but I couldn't help myself to smile.

I smiled a bit, but stopped soon.

"Are you going to punch me with that injured hand?" He mocked me.

"You know my other hand is in a fine fettle." I raised my other hand and clenched it into a punch.

Nathan raised his hands in defeat.

I rolled my eyes and he chuckled.

"Bye, Nathan." I muttered. "and I promise I'll be here tomorrow."

"Have you ever ditched your training class?"

"No, I haven't." I exclaimed proudly.

He gave me his beautiful full-blown smile.

I finally got out from the club.

I stopped on the abandoned street for a while and heaved a sigh.

What the fuck was I about to do today? Why even for a split second I considered kissing Nathan. Why?

I'm just not going to think about it.

♣

I started walking on the footpath while the darkness surrounded me.

Now I got two reasons to be pissed about, firstly, why on earth I even considered kissing Nathan and secondly, because of Sir my one day of training went to waste. I could've done a lot of improvement in this one day and I have only one month, I can't keep training all my life. I need to complete my training and do what I always wanted to do.

The subway, which was probably the fastest way of me reaching my home, today seemed taking an eternity.

I had to change my clothes once again today and to be honest, changing at club is horrible. I always need to ask my friend to guard the door, so that no one come barging in, without even making sure if someone's inside the bathroom or not.

Happened to me once and it was not a thing I want to happen to me ever again in my life. Still I fear that day and still I stay a little too far away from that guy in the club. He was a gentleman or else he would've made a really big drama about it.

The road was all clear and only thing that could be seen was the windows of many houses, lighted up.

I looked at my phone's screen and it was nearly 8:20 P.M.

Surely, now I have to come up with a nice excuse to tell my parents why I am a bit early today.

I inhaled chilly air and exhaled on reaching the doorstep of my house.

I searched for my keys and it took me a million years.

That's why you don't put shit loads of clothes in a simple bag, my inner voice shouted when after five minutes of searching I still didn't find the key.

"Got it!" I exclaimed out loud a bit too cheerfully.

After that I stood awkwardly for a while in silence.

I got in and greeted, "Hi! I'm home."

All I wanted to do was to just move to my room, but then I couldn't without answering my mom, who was standing in front of me with a confused look.

"You came a bit early today." My mom furrowed her brows.

"Yeah." I sighed and moved to the kitchen and she followed me.

On my way, I started collecting excuses I could make to tell why I am early today.

"O--kay!" she said with a long pause. "Isn't it's a little weird that last night you came a little late and today you came a little early?"

"What's weird about that?" I started invading the refrigerator and after my deep search I cried looking at my mom, "Haven't we got anything to eat?"

"You go change. I'll make you dinner." Mom closed the refrigerator and stood in front of me.

Change! Once again. I think all I do is change.

I dashed into my room.

Thank god! Mom forgot to complete her inquiry.

I took a long refreshing shower and wrapping myself in the towel, I stepped out of the bathroom. I took a painkiller and applied an ointment on my injured finger.

I'm seriously acting like a kid. I shouldn't have taken anything or applied anything.

But, if you hadn't, the pain might've increased and you'll then have to ditch more days of your training.

I can never let that happen at any cost.

As I was about to change in my nightie, my phone started ringing.

When I looked at Britney's picture pop up on my phone's screen, it actually made me smile, despite of all the drama.

I slumped on the bed as I attended her call.

"How's my girl?" I said as I hugged a pillow.

"Ava, I'm so mad at you."

"But why?"

"You didn't even try to meet me."

"Believe me, I did."

"Oh, really!" she sounded really angry, but what could I do and she has all right to be mad at me. "I waited for you at the lunch and then also at the end of day."

"Brit, I want to tell you all the details." I got up from the bed. "Today was one of the worst day of my life."

"I just called to say goodbye."

"Wait Brit, okay I'm sorry when I shouldn't be."

"Why you shouldn't?" she shrieked. "you should be and not only sorry, but extremely sorry."

"Well, I didn't do something wrong." I said and then cursed Sir under my breath, "It was all because of that jerk."

"What? Which jerk?"

"So, what do you want me to do to cheer you up?" I asked as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

"Well, that's a good question." She said and kept silent for a while.

Silence! Oh, God, that means somethings really crazy cooking in her mind.

Please, God, make sure it's something good.

"Perfect!" She squealed with such joy that it made me move my phone a little far from my ear.

I swear for a moment I thought my eardrums are going to burst.

"What's perfect?" I asked rolling my eyes.

"You are coming to my home."

"When?"

"Duh! Now."

"Brit please, no." I pleaded.

"I'm not going to listen to your any kind of pleas."

Seriously, this girl is so heartless.

"Brit, have you even looked at the time?" I tried harder to make this idea a failure.

"Ava, it's freaking 9 0' clock and you're acting like it's 12 or something."

I looked at the clock.

"It's 9:01." I corrected her.

"Just come here." She yelled.

"Okay! Mam."

"Good girl."

"Bye." I chuckled.

"I swear it's going to be a fun night."

"I know." I cancelled the call.

I looked at the phone for a moment and then smiled.

It's actually going to be fun and then I so want to see Brit, talk to her. There's so many things I want to tell her and she's the only person in the whole city who I can talk to.

I wore my jeans and green tank top.

No matter how bad I want to wear my pajamas, still I can't.

Just admit it, no matter how good your friend is, you can't go to their home wearing PJs, unless you are going for a sleepover or you're a dude.

Well, I can wear PJs and still go to my friend's home, it's just that I don't want to.

That means you can't.

I remained silent.

Girls will always be girls.

Okay, it's nothing like that. If guys cannot give a damn shit about their dressing, then I'll do the same.

I seriously fucking hate changing, but when it comes to proving equal to a guy, well I can do everything.

I changed to my PJs and after taking my phone with me I moved downstairs.

I saw dad sitting in the lounge watching sports.

I do want to watch with him too.

"Hi, dad!" I crawled up on the couch.

He kissed me on my forehead.

"You are home early today." I exclaimed as I looked at the game on the screen.

"Well, you are early too."

"Okay, dad, gotta go." I got up from the couch.

"Come sit here with your old man."

"Dad I so want to, but I'm going at Britney's." I told him.

He looked at me with questioning brows, "Britney or dad?"

I glared at him.

He looked back at the screen chuckling, clearly more interested in game and then I couldn't blame him. He loves to watch sports.

I started moving to the exit as I exclaimed, "Dad! I'm going to take your car."

"Okay." His reply came.

"Where the hell do you think you're going like this, young lady?" Mom stood at a distance with her hands on her hips.

Busted!

"Britney's." I informed and turned towards the door, hoping I'll be able to escape.

"Go change!" Mom shouted despite standing so close to me.

"No, mom, please. I want to prove myself. Okay, love you, bye." I kissed her and went out.

She was clearly miffed, but then she didn't stop me.

I didn't waste another minute and roared dad's car to Brit's home.

♣

Best thing about Britney's house is that she lives alone.

I wonder how good that might feel - living all alone - no one to disturb you. It's always going to remain a fantasy for me, because my overprotective parents are seriously never going to let me live alone.

I knocked at Brit's door.

I was seriously fuming right now.

Brit opened the door and I darted in.

"PJs? Really, girl!" Brit exclaimed surprised.

"I literally changed million times today." I shrieked as I wandered in her house.

"Hello." She said following me.

"Hi."

"It's all your fault, who asks you to go to that club, that's why you've to change this much."

"Seriously, Brit, why you are so unsupportive about my training at the club?" I asked her while I stopped in the lounge. I looked at her, "Why won't you let me do it? You're the only person I've told about this."

"Listen, Ava, as far as self-defense is concerned, I'm okay with it, but you're devoting your whole life to it."

"Okay, what are we going to watch tonight?" I asked as I jumped on the couch comfortably and held the TV-remote in my hand.

She took the remote back from me before I could turn the TV ON.

"We're going to talk." She said, sitting beside me on the couch.

"At least bring something to eat girl, I'm starving."

Brit rolled her eyes, "Okay, I will fat ass. First tell me how was your day?"

"Don't even ask."

"I know your mood was off since you came in today and then you received an e-mail--- everything happened so fast. Please, tell me." She requested.

"It was horrible." I summarized.

"How much horrible?"

"Today was just not a good day for me. I got a new job as Sir's personal assistant and the most dreadful thing is that today was my first day and this one day brought such huge shit load of difficulties." I explained, keeping the me wanting to kiss Nathan part to myself.

"You know Ava; work can be like this." She said.

"I just hope it doesn't affect my training."

"Seriously, all you are worried about is your damn training." She frowned. "You can't live two different lives."

"I can." I raised my voice.

She kept silent.

"I have to." I said, my voice inaudible.

She was about to say something when she noticed my finger, "What happened to your finger? It's probably because of that crazy training you do."

"Don't blame my club for every bad thing." I said hiding my finger. "Our new CEO did it."

"How dare he?" Brit was really pissed. "Did he apologize?"

"He didn't even know that he did it."

"You should've told him, at least he would've felt sorry for his action."

"I'm so glad he didn't know. I really don't want his sympathy." I said looking at the table in front of us.

We kept mum for a while.

"Something's not right with you today."

I knew she was going to see that.

"So, you noticed." I still didn't look at her.

"What happened, Ava?" She asked. "It's like there's something you want to tell me, but you're also trying hard to keep it to yourself."

I waited for a while, battling with my thoughts.

Finally, I decided to tell her.

"I was so eager to kiss Nathan today." I told her with disgust lurking behind my voice.

"It's great Ava." She squealed with joy. "Finally, you'll bring someone in your life."

"Nathan has a girlfriend." I said.

"Do you love him?" she asked.

"I don't even like him that way." I enlightened her with the truth. "I just want to tell you that I was so eager to kiss someone, to be with someone that I was willing to take a swing at a taken guy."

"Ava, you've been single for about two years now." Brit moved closed to me and said holding my hands, "you need someone in your life."

"I don't need someone. I'd rather die alone than be with someone."

"Don't say that."

"I don't want to love ever again."

Before she could say anything, I added, "Love makes you miserable. It makes you blind, dumb and deaf. It makes you do things you regret after they are done."

"That's what love is." She said and then kept silent for a while. She said getting up, "Let me bring something to eat."

I nodded as I kept staring at the table as the thoughts of my dreadful past, my regrets came rushing back to me.

"Your parents are going to fucking hate me." Ethan said as I moved with him to my home's doorstep. His arm wrapped around my shoulder.
"Don't say that. They're going to love you." I assured him.
We stopped at the doorstep and I looked at his beautiful face.
I placed a small kiss on his lips and his smiled widened.
He wrapped his both arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him, making me squeal.
He moved his face closer to me to kiss me. I put my hands on his lips.
"Can't you wait a bit?" I said moving my hands in his hair.
He groaned and loosened his grip around me.
I knocked and mom opened the door.
Mom looked at Ethan from head to toe.
I came in.
"Come on in." I asked Ethan to come in, while mom gave to 'who-the-hell-is-he' look.
"Mom ,he's Ethan. I told you about him last night." I reminded my mom.
"Hello, ma'am." Ethan greeted my mom and she didn't even reply.
How rude of her.
Ethan looked at me and I assured him, "It's totally okay."
We moved to the kitchen where dad was already sitting, eating.
"Who is he?" Dad asked.
"Seriously guys, I told you last night that I'll be bringing Ethan." I raised my voice.
"Keep your voice down." Mom cautioned me.
"Mom and dad meet my boyfriend, Ethan." I said moving towards Ethan and held him.
Dad got up and moved closer to Ethan and addressed to me, "Honey, at least you should've chosen a boyfriend who deserves you."
"Shut up! I love your daughter and she loves me too." Ethan looked in my dad eyes.
"Get out of my house." Dad exclaimed.
Ethan started moving towards the exit.
"Ethan, wait!" I shouted following him, but stopped and moved back to the kitchen.
"Did you see his attitude?" Mom said to me.
"You guys are full of shit." I yelled at them and rushed outside.
I saw Ethan leaving and I stopped him.
"I'm so sorry, Ethan."
"I'm not entering this house ever again." He said, clearly very angry right now. He added, "Your parents are crazy!"
"I love you, Ethan. I don't give a damn about what my parents say." I held his face and made him look at me.
"You know that leaves us with the second option." He said.
I nodded.
"So, are you ready?"
"Yes, I am."
"I'll message you tonight."
"Okay, I'll be waiting." I nodded and he got in his car and went away.
I went in and without listening to my parents, I closed my room's door and started packing.
**
I sat on my bed and waited with my phone beside me.
My phone beeped.
I read his message, 'Come down.'
I rushed towards my window and opening it, I looked down.
Ethan was standing down.
I threw my bag down.
"Ethan, I don't think I can jump." I said looking down the window once again.

"Ava!" Brit cried making me come out of my reverie.

She placed a cup of hot chocolate on the table and some snacks.

"What were you thinking?" She asked as she sipped her hot chocolate.

"Nothing."

"Well, I thought about a lot of things while I was making this hot chocolate."

"Thought about what?" I asked her, still not totally out of my thoughts.

"I think it's good that you want someone in your life." She started speaking. "I mean not necessarily Nathan, because he's already taken and you don't even like him in that sense, but that doesn't mean that you can't love someone else."

"Brit, not again, I just told you that I can't love."

"See, Ava, love requires sacrifices. Why can't you just leave your past in the past and move on?"

"I have moved on and you don't know how much sacrifices and compromises I made, but in the end I realized that it was of no use." I said as I stared at the steam emerging out of the cup.

"Just jump, Ava." Ethan yelled.
"I can't." I yelled back.
"I'll catch you." Ethan assured me.
"You're not a superman." I rolled my eyes.
I closed my eyes and jumped through the window.
I shrieked when I landed on Ethan instead of grass.
Ethan groaned with pain.
"I'm sorry." I said looking at him.
We both laughed.
He started cuddling on the grass.
"Ethan!"
"I seriously want to fuck you right now, right here on this grass." He said placing kisses on my neck.
"Ugh! Ethan, can't you wait." I squealed and got up. "Let's go before someone sees us."
He got up and took my bag and we rushed towards his car.
"Wait, where are we going?" I asked as he started the car.
"To my place."
It was the first time I was going to go at his place.
I kept silent, but finally spitted out, "I want to get married."
"Sure."
"Tonight--- now." I said looking in his eyes.
"We can marry anytime, baby."
"No, Ethan, I want it to be today." I demanded.
I waited for his reply.
"Okay, then, we are marrying right now."
I hugged him tight.
"Wait, who's going to marry us?" I asked looking at him.
"I have a friend." He said with a smirk.
"Are you serious?"
He chuckled and I looked straight as he drove.
**
I was so excited.
Ethan's friend was some kind of online priest. He actually had all rights to marry us and I wasn't even worried about Ethan's friends.
I was going to get married. I still couldn't believe it.
"Repeat after me." Ethan's friend said.
Ethan repeated, "I, Ethan Beck Gavin, take you, Ava Marie Williams, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."
I repeated too, "I, Ava Marie Williams, take you, Ethan Beck Gavin, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."
"I now pronounce you husband and wife."
Ethan kissed me and I don't remember how long we kept kissing.
**
Ethan opened his apartment's door.
"Before you, Mrs. Gavin." He said cockily.
I got in the apartment, which was messed up and dirtier than I realized.
"I know it's not like your fancy old bedroom." He said moving away somethings.
I moved up to him and embraced him, "I don't care about anything, I'm willing to sacrifice everything for you."

"Ava, you're seriously creeping me out." Brit shouted and asked, "What are you thinking? You haven't even touched your hot chocolate."

"I'm sorry." I apologized as I reached towards my cup.

"Leave it." Brit got up.

"What? Why?" I rasied my brows.

"Let's go."

"At this time? Where?"

"Club or anywhere. I just want to take your mind off of all the crazy stuff." She started pulling me up.

"But I don't want to go and I need to go back now." I got up. "I'm also wearing PJs."

"No, lady, you're coming with me and it's not like we'll be talking with other people. Your PJs are just fine. You look sexy."

"Really? Okay then." I said losing the argument.

We got out and Brit started moving towards her car.

"I brought my dad's car, let's just go on it." I said.

"Cool."

We got in the car. Brit took the wheel. She started driving and in no time, braked in front of a club with dim yellow lights.

We got out on a dirty street.

"Where the hell are we Brit?" I gaped looking at the club.

"This is some real shit." She said and started moving inside.

The heavy bodyguard at the entrance checked our IDs and we got in.

We sat on the barstools that were placed around the bar. Few people were looking at us.

Brit called the bartender who, by the way, wasn't so cute. She gave him our orders. The bartender gave me a weird 'PJs in public. Such a fool.' kind of look.

We decided to do some shots.

"The music's killing my brain." I yelled to make sure Brit listens to me.

"Yeah!" she yelled back.

We looked at the crazy dancing people in front of us. Brit got up and started dancing. She tried hard to pull me, but I kept sitting and laughed at her crazy moves.

The girl's on fire.

I laughed.

I took more shots and Brit came up to me, "Girl! Haven't you taken enough."

"It's like the alcohol's having--- no effect on me." I said shakily.

"I can see that."

"Fill it." I shouted at the bartender.

"Okay, Ava, you have had enough." She stopped the bartender.

"One more, please."

"I really didn't want you to get drunk. Okay, one more, but only one."

I looked at the people while the bartender pours some more alcohol.

"Oh, my god!" I said pointing at a guy who was coming towards the bar. "Is that Mr. Aaron Rude and sometimes Polite--- Oh, sorry, I meant Sir."

"Don't point at someone like this." Brit pulled my hand down and said noticing the guy, "he clearly looks a lot like him, but no, he's not Mr. Aaron."

"Shhh!" I said putting my finger on my lips. "Don't call him by his name, he might kill you or hurt you."

"Okay, Ava, you're totally drunk and now we need to go back." She started pulling me up.

"Hey, ladies!" the guy who looked similar to Sir came up to us and said with a cocky smile.

"Hi and we're going." Brit said to the guy and started pulling me.

"Jordan." He said moving his hand, introducing himself.

I shook hands with him, "Ava. Ava Marie Williams."

He smirked at me.

Believe it or not he was quite handsome.

"Let me buy you a drink." He said.

"Yay!" I squealed with joy like a kid receiving candies.

"Hey mister, does it look like she can drink anymore." Brit yelled at the guy, Jordan, and started pulling me to the exit.

"I'm not talking to you." He frowned at Brit. He said holding my hand, "Let's go."

"Hey, douche, stay away from her." Brit yelled, pulling me away from him and coming in front of me.

"It seems like you have problem and she doesn't." He yelled at Brit and then give her a slight push.

"Hey, don't you dare touch my friend." I punched the guy and he fell back.

The music stopped. All eyes at the bar were on us now.

"Crazy, bitch!" the guy yelled at me, getting up.

Before I could say anything, Brit held me and took me outside.

"Why did you need to punch that guy?" Brit asked moving outside in the chill air.

"How dare he push you? He's lucky I didn't kill him." I said as I moved unsteadily to the car.

I bumped into someone.

I looked and it was a guy, the same guy.

"You again? I think you didn't receive enough punches." I clenched my fist into a punch as I moved it closer to his face.

Brit stopped me, "Ava, stop, this time it is actually our boss."

What?

"Hello, Miss Williams, I didn't expect you to be here at this moment and--- this much drunk." Sir said tugging his hands in his jean's pockets.

It was really him. What the hell was he doing here?

He was looking striking and to be honest quite hunky in his simple t-shirt and jeans, quite different from his usual boring look.

"How's your finger?" he asked and it really broke my temper, knowing that he still doesn't realize his mistake. I was okay with him not knowing, but why now I wanted to tell him so bad, I wanted him to feel bad.

"Shut up!" I said and both he and Brit looked at me disapprovingly.

"She's a bit drunk that's why she's acting like this." Brit explained and I didn't give a damn shit.

"It's okay." He said with a minor smile.

"I'm not okay." I blurted out, how hard I tried, I couldn't keep the words to myself. "You know how much this finger hurts."

I rasied my hand in front of me.

"Okay, Ava, time to leave." Brit started moving me from there.

"Just wait a second, Brit." I stopped Brit and moved back to him.

"You injured my finger and you don't even know that." I said looking at him.

His expression turning puzzled.

"But, you said it was because---"

I interrupted him, "I fucking lied. Why can't you guys get this? No matter how hard I try to look tough or be tough, deep down I'm a girl and I have feelings too. I get hurt like all other girls."

I pointed my finger at him and he looked at the finger, but didn't say anything.

"Ava, we seriously need to leave." Brit held my hand and brought my pointed finger down.

I jerked her hand away.

I pointed my finger back at him, "First you made me your PA, without even a notice or anything and then you insulted me so much, then you pushed me in the elevator for some crazy reason I think you don't even know and then you injured my finger."

"I'm sorr---" he said his voice barely audible, I could sense the shame he was feeling.

"I swear to God, if you say sorry to me I'm going to literally kill you." I barked, warning him and unknowingly tears invaded my eyes.

"Ava--- you're scaring the hell out of me." Brit said, her voice trembling.

I held his shirt from the top as my arms rested on his chest. I could sense heat radiating off of him. I inched up a bit to meet his face and pulled his face down by jerking his shirt down, "because of you for the first time ever, I missed my trai----"

Before I could complete, I felt a sudden pain in my head. I loosened my grip from his shirt.

I held my head and I felt woozier.

I tried to maintain my balance, but I fell back.

"Ava!" the last thing I heard was Brit's cry and Mr. Aaron's hands wrapped around my waist.

After that everything around me turned black.

✴ ✴

N e x t :
13th Chapter.

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1 -

2 -

D e s i g n e r | equivocally ⤴

(I absolutely love these covers so, so much).

💘

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