EVA'S P.O.V

I am going to die a virgin!

No no no.

I am sure the doctor will say that I have got a months or 5 days or even a day to live. I have seen that in movies and read that in books.

So the moment I am discharged, I am going to go and get laid - even if I have to do it with the Mr. Apathetic himself.

Shut up Eva. You know you would love to have sex with your husband. Okay shut up, you are going off the point. 

The doctor's serious and worried voice brought me out of my overthinking clouds. 

"So based on your symptoms and my previous predictions, it is clear that Eva is suffering from Acute stress disorder or ASD. It develops in the weeks following a traumatic event which in this case is Eva being kidnapped. Symptoms typically last for one month or less. If symptoms persist beyond one month, affected individuals are considered to have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which is a serious psychological disorder." He said.

ASD?

PTSD?

What is happening?

I am a psycho?

No no. He said psychological not psychiatric. 

"I know this is a lot to handle but Eva you should calm down." The doctor said and that is when I noticed my shaking hands. 

Ace, who was missing in action till now, came into action as he rubbed soothing circles on my hand, taking me by surprise. 

I don't know about ASD but if Mr. Apathetic doesn't stop being Ace, then I am going to have a heart attack. And I am sure to die virgin then. 

"What's the treatment?" Ace asked gruffly to the doctor. 

"Before the treatment you need to understand something. Even though we have diagnosed the disorder, this doesn't mean that there is nothing to worry about. Subsequently derealization, depersonalization and dissociate amnesia may develop in later stages but most probably that won't happen in your case if you take proper care. You ASD is still in the initial stage. So keeping in mind your symptoms and severity of disorder I would like you to start the treatment with CBT, that is cognitive behavioral therapy, which may increase recovery speed and prevent ASD from turning into PTSD." The doctor explained. 

I calmed myself down when I heard that it is not that serious now and can be treated. 

"Doctor, what is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?" I asked.

"CBT is a type of psychotherapy and is a blend of cognitive and behavioral therapy. Cognitive therapy focuses on your moods and thoughts while behavioral therapy targets actions and behaviors."  He answered as I nodded my head in understanding. 

"How long is this therapy supposed to be taken and when should she start?" Ace asked the doctor, trying to be polite. Was he really caring about me and my health? Yeah, he was. I know that. But it was better not to ask, he would prick the caring bubble and start being Mr. Apathetic. It's better to feel it as long as it lasts. 

"CBT generally require 20 sessions but every case is quite unique. So it depends on her recovery rate too. I will be forwarding the details about the therapy shortly so that she can start as soon as possible." The doctor said and I nodded at him, not knowing what else to say. 

"Take care Mrs. Parker." He added and left me with Ace still holding my hands. 

We sat in silence as Ace wasn't the one to blabber and I was too occupied to talk. First being kidnapped, then fainting, then admitting in the hospital and now this disorder. 

I didn't even cross the paths of a black cat, so why is this happening? 

I am so fucked up, I don't even know what to do. Everything is messed up. So many things are going on - fainting, hospitals, secrets, Zach, my feelings and on top of everything is Ace.

Why is he acting so damn confusing since he found me after being kidnapped? Did losing me put some sense of how harsh he was with me even though I didn't deserve it? But that can't happen right? Ace  doesn't have sense, he only has anger. 

"Eva..I-" Ace's concerned voice rang into my ears, breaking my thoughts and complicating my feelings further more. Why isn't he being rude?

I cut him off saying "Fuck my name Ace. You need to stop being nice. You should shut the nice act up and shove it down the rug. I can't handle it. You being nice to me isn't usual. You caring for me is something which makes me want to embrace you but at the same time punch you straight in your forebrain because forebrain is responsible for thinking and you aren't fricking thinking. You have lost it. You lost it and now I am losing it. I can handle you shouting at me, annoying me and making me pull my hair in frustration but I can't fricking handle you showing any feelings, of any sort, for me. Heck, it scares the shit out of me. You can't just-" 

But before I could continue something happened. Actually a lot happened. 

Yeah, you are right. For the first fucking time you all are right. At least partially. 

Warmness and giddiness turned into hotness and flustering as Ace came dangerously close to me. I gulped and shut myself up at the proximity. His eyes were locked with mine, and no matter how cheesy and unrealistic is sounds - I felt the hairs on my body stand as goosebumps followed my traitor heart's increased beating. 

Did someone say they get butterflies in their stomach in such situations?

I think the butterflies in mine are making love and procreating more and more and more butterflies and will not stop till they build a whole damn chain of generations. 

You get the point right?

"Wha..Wha..W..wh-" I stuttered not being able to form words. 

"What are you trying to say Eva?" Ace whispered, his breath raspy, with his lips inhaling and exhaling near my lips. He was almost touching my lips with his. I stopped breathing as suddenly his lips pressed a kiss on the corner of my lips, making me close my eyes automatically. That explains why Aria shut her eyes close when Ezra kissed her. Or when Blair did it when Chuck almost kissed her. Or why Elena did that when Damon kissed her. Or when-

"Stop overthinking Eva, and start breathing."   Ace hushed in my ears. My eyes shot open at this and I slightly tilted by head to stare at Ace who was near my right ear. A smirk made its way to his lips, making me blush harder.

"What are you doing?" I managed to say the whole thing without stuttering. Mind you, I looked weirder and more idiotic than Professor Quirinus Quirrell.

"What am I doing?" Ace whispered, still against my ear. Hell, I am claustrophobic.

"Yeah tha..that's what I am asking. And first, just..just..stay away." I said closing my eyes, telling my brain and heart to not feel the way I was feeling. 

Ace exhaled in my hair and I electric shiver ran down my core shaking me to the core. If my skin was hot before - it was certainly on fire right now. Ace pulled back slowly, and I immediately missed his warmth and proximity. But after 23 seconds, I started breathing again. I opened my eyes to see Ace staring at me, but maintaining a distance between us. He was still sitting on the same bed as me though. 

"Why?" He asked, still not breaking eye contact. 

I broke the eye contact, and looked down at my lap, playing with my fingers as I didn't have my ring to fiddle with. 

"What why?" I asked looking back and forth between my fingers and Ace. 

"Why do you want me to stay away when you were the one who wanted to know about me by playing that stupid questions game?" He elaborated and I didn't dare to look at him because I didn't understand where was this coming from. Is he acting?

I fiddled with my fingers, pricked my skin with my fingernail, and fidgeted. I didn't know what to say, so it was no use looking at his grey eyes which would be filled with questions. Why? Because I had no fricking idea how to answer his questions.

"Tell me Eva." He pushed further, a tint of impatience in his voice.

"I..I..Ah..I-" I stuttered as I tried to find words which were long lost in the lump in my throat. 

"Yes Eva. You what?" He said with impatience now at bay, as playfulness filled the atmosphere. Even though my head was hung down staring at my lap, I was damn sure that he was smirking.

Smirk-hole.

"I am claustrophobic. To hot men." I blurted out, but yes I realized it. It was intentional. It was better to say this than to say that 'I am having some hell complicated feeling about you which my forebrain isn't able to comprehend.'

"Men? How many hot men have you been with Eva?" He asked huskily, making me mentally slap my head. 

"There have been many." I mumbled. Lie.

No one can ever beat your hotness, Mr. Apathetic.

"I am sure you have learnt counting in kindergarten. How many, Eva? Tell me." He pushed further making an innocent face but it was evident that he was just being his annoying and teasing self. 

Should I say five or six?

Five?

No.

Six?

Odd number would be more believable.

"Cat got your tongue?" He smirked.

"5.5" I blurted out, this time unintentionally. 

I finally raised my head to see his reaction, and that is when I saw him shaking his head. He threw his head back, looked at the ceiling and then broke into fits of laughter. 

"5.5? Oh my god. Why did I - even think for a- a second that you could-  actually talk some sense." He said laughing in between the words.

"So tell me Eva - How did you divide the sixth man into two halves huh? And did he allow you to see half of himself and didn't allow to see the other half of his hotness?"  he added another logical question which made my illogical answer seem even more idiotic. If it's possible.

"You need to stop teasing me." I said under my breath, blushing so hard that I am sure I would have been looking like a red hot iron. 

Not at all attractive.

"And you think I would listen to you, Huh?" He asked raising his eyebrow.

"No you wouldn't. Your forebrain is retarded. No wonder you have hard time taking rational decisions." I said. 

"Oh yeah. But it's better to have forebrain retarded than the whole brain right?" He asked looking adorable as fuck.

"Yeah tha- wait what ?" I stopped in mid sentence realizing he was talking about me.

He looked at my priceless face and then again, he started chuckling. For the second time today. 

I am the reason for this laughter.

I sense of pride and accomplishment washed through me as in a flash, all those times when I made him smile or laugh in the past months, came in front of my eyes. It has been a beautiful year. 

Year?

Does that mean the end of this deal?

End of this contract marriage?

End of these smiles and laughs?

End of these fights?

End of being Mrs. Parker?

End of being with Ace?

Questions swirled in my mind, as the fear of time enveloped me. They say, time never stops for anyone - and today I can actually relate with it. Never in my dreams did I think that I would actually want time to slow down. I thought I would be dreading for this year to get over so that I can be free from this marriage and Ace.

But now, the time I have spent with Ace has trapped me into a new feeling, which is still complicated and tangled. 

I stared at the handsome man in front of me who was laughing, and it was one of the rarest but most beautiful things I had seen in my whole damn misery-filled life. He was drop dead gorgeous. And just like that,

I suddenly felt a weird thing happening in me, as I stared at him creepily and started nearing to him. I felt a need to just hold him or kiss him till I make sure that -

You know what- fuck the explanation. 

I was very to close to him now and when he noticed that - his laugh faltered and a tension fell around us. But even after that, I didn't stop as I took the risk. He seemed to be thinking alike as he also leaned into me and before I knew it - my eyes drew close not being able to stare into those intense grey eyes for long without feeling something which I didn't want to feel. Just when I thought that his lips would touch mine, a screeching sound made me jerk myself as my eyes flew open.

Someone had opened the door of the room we were in. I was about to turn towards the door to see who it was but before I could do that, pulling away from Ace made me jerk myself as I started falling backwards. 

Any second I will be on the floor, I thought as my back started falling back making me open my mouth to shout for help even though nothing came out.

 But before the gravity could make the ground kiss my ass, Ace's hand suddenly came around my waist as he stopped me from falling back on the floor.

Why don't these hospital room doors have bells or buzzers?

"Oh my! Look at these two. Romancing on the hospital bed." Jessica's familiar voice reached my ears as subsequent laughs followed. 

I snapped out of my trance, as I steadied myself by sitting on the bed. Ace started to loosen his grip around my waist but before that, my cerebellum and vestibular system gave away as I once again lost my balance and fell backwards. 

This time Ace was unprepared but still made an attempt to catch me before I fell, but even though he was able to catch me he lost his own balance and-

Thud.

We both fell from the bed onto the floor. I was smashed down on the floor as Ace fell with me, as his hands were behind my head to prevent any head injury. 

How thoughtful.

Good thinking, any more damage to my brain would have made me crazier than I am now- which is quite impossible. 

I looked around to see the inappropriate position we were in, looking like we were having sex on the floor. 

Yeah, it was that bad.

I cleared my throat loudly as I tried to shake Ace off me, but it was as difficult physically as it was mentally. He  isn't someone you can meet, talk and then forget. He gets on your nerves. And bones!

I wiggled, and groaned trying to get out of the awkward position as Ace also tried to stand up.

"Oh Ev. Here I thought you might be groaning in pain, but here you are - groaning yet for another rea-" Jess started making me blush me hard but thankfully was cut off by another voice. I finally looked up to see it was Jennifer who had cut off her. And alongside, Ryder was standing there snickering seeing us. Also, Jake was standing while laughing, clutching the flowers which he must have got for me as a 'Get well soon' gift.

Oh lord! Why did we have to embarrass ourselves in front of everyone I know?

Jennifer, who had taken over Jennifer, continued "Oh leave these two lovebirds alone, Jessica. Look how comfortably uncomfortable they look." making me blush harder while Ace was finally off me, as he started standing up. I also pushed my hands against the ground to stand up. Finally, when both me and Ace were on our foot again, Ryder also decided to take this opportunity to further embarrass me.

"We know that el-sis. But come-on! Don't be a spoiler. Anyways, it's really rare to find Ace 'romancing'." Ryder said, using his fingers in a quoting motion for the word romancing.

"I agree with that Ryder. But I am sure, Jennifer is internally celebrating seeing both of these love-sicks together." He said chuckling, and from the corner of my eye I saw Jennifer giving a wink to  Jake.

Traitors.

While everyone was busy teasing us, Ace tugged my hand - taking me surprise for the 100th time today - and guided me to sit on the hospital bed. 

I am going to die from a cardiac arrest if he doesn't stop being so damn caring!

Jessica's mouth pulled up in a smug smirk as she gave me a playful look and asked -

"So what were you two doing?" 

Nothing, just playing 'breathe and overthink'. Results? Bruh, Ace won. 

"Nothing, Eva was just explaining me how the forebrain works." Ace's playful voice echoed in the now-silent-with-awkwardness-room.

A/N 

Heyyo readers!

Before you all start running after me with sandals and shoes in you hand for torturing you with the almost kiss- wait! - statue!

Lol.

I deserve your sandals and shoes but uhhh ahh - patience babes!

It is inevitable now, the kiss. It's coming hehehee.

p.s. Apologies for the late update, was dealing with some personal issues. 

Till then,

Keep reading!