Doesn't Include Marrying Him

Ethan smiled, "How should I come in? As a guest or as the groom?" his brown eyes twinkling mischievously.

Ava was taken aback by his question as she hadn't even expected him to accept her invitation. She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it. 

Reaching for the handle of the door, she spoke in a calm and relaxed voice, "I think you know better." That's it, she left him with the choice to make. 

She couldn't help but wonder if this question meant he had accepted her proposal. She turned, her front hair moving forward and falling back on her face, "When should I anticipate your call?" Though she had allowed him some time to think about her proposal, she had limited time. 

One side of Ethan's lips pulled to the side in thought, "it may take a while." He responded.

Though she was dissatisfied with his response, she said, "All alright," she opened the door and stepped out. She watched as the car drove off. Her chest heaved up and down. 

She placed one hand on her chest. Once the car was out of sight, Ava turned and walked towards the opposite direction of her house. 

She hailed a cab and headed for Lila's apartment. 

Lila was in her room when Ava stepped in. 

"How did it go?" Lila had her back towards her, eyes focused on the laptop in front of her. With the widows in her room closed and two curtains drawn over them, the room was lightened with a dim white bulb and light from her laptop 

Ava dropped on the bed. She lay on it facing the ceiling, her legs dangling. 

"It went well." 

"So he agreed?" Lila asked, turning, "Get your shoes off your legs." Ava reluctantly removed her shoes before adjusting further into the bed. 

"He said he'd get back to me," Ava reminisced about her entire encounter with him and a smile came to settle on her face. 

"So what next?" Lila scouted over, running the tires on her chair against the floor. She watched Ava yawn, "you hungry?" Ava nodded. 

"Didn't you have lunch with him earlier?" She could vividly remember Ava rejecting the lunch she had made. She had said she wanted to be able to eat with Ethan, and Lila had laughed it off and said she was only being nervous.

"We didn't have lunch." 

"Where then did you discuss with him?" Lila was puzzled. 

"The restaurant." Ava then went ahead to give her all the details of their encounter without leaving anything out.

"So what next? How about Henry?" Ava sat resting her back on the wooden frame. "You are yet to tell him about your decision to end the wedding. And your parents, they will be so disappointed. I can't wait to watch them." Lila threw her head back already envisaging how shocked they would be. 

"I plan to go on with the wedding." They had been so focused on Ethan that they didn't have time to discuss her plans fully.

"What? And Ethan?" Lila's laptop beeps before Ava can reply. Lila moved her chair towards it and punched on a few keys before coming back to stay beside Ava.

"I said go on with the wedding, never said it included marrying him," Lila tried to figure out the difference. 

Ava continued, "I will get Ethan. I will keep him to myself. I'll make sure Harper has no chance with him. He is the first of all things I want to take away from her," anger flashed through her eyes as she spoke through gritted teeth.

"So what next, what will you do since you aren't stopping the wedding?" 

"I'm starving, let's talk after I've eaten." Said Ava. She then stood and walked past Lila heading for the kitchen. Lila moved back to her laptop, placed her headphones which were on her neck, and resumed her work.

Ava returned to the room a few minutes later, changed out of the sundress, and went back to the kitchen.

After eating, Ava told Lila everything she had planned, "I can only imagine how memorable it will be for them," Lila couldn't stop the wave of joy that shot through her.

…

Ava went home afterward. She wore the same black jeans and blue top she had worn when she left earlier that day.

Ava walked towards the entrance. The sitting room was empty. She stood at the door, and for the first time since forever, she allowed her gaze to go around the room.

Memories of her childhood crept into her mind. From the corner of her eyes, she could see her mother running after little Ava with a book in her hand. 

Her vision was soon blurred with tears. She felt nostalgic. She stepped into the room and stood in front of a frame with golden edges. This was once the spot for her mother's frame but it was removed immediately upon her stepmother's arrival.

Ava could no longer ignore the clicking of shoes against the floor. A whiff of perfume hit her and it was enough for her to realize Harper was behind her. 

"Where have you been all day Ava," Harper came to stand beside her. Ava wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and turned. 

"I went out," Harper wore a sleeveless silk gown, which exposed her cleavages. The gown stopped on her thighs, her perfect long legs were on full display. She accessorized this with a pair of diamond earrings and a necklace. 

"How do I look?" She spread her hands apart and slanted her head up the side, hoping to receive praise for how beautiful she looked from Ava.

Ava stared at her face covered with heavy makeup. "Good," one word. She was being honest when she said so. 

"Don't you think Ethan will be blown away by my beauty?" Harper asked, her eyes glimmering mischievously as she looked at Ava. 

She could already picture Ethan losing himself at her, already picturing him walking down the aisle with her. She has already pictured him making love to her tonight after the date. They would be a perfect match. The perfect couple.

"What about Henry?"