Loud thudding.

This was all I could hear in my head.I didn't even had the strength to open my eyes but I had to.
Bad decision, the sunlight blinded me. I felt like a vampire.
I somehow propped up myself and saw Advil  along with water on the nightstand.Bless the person who left this for me here.

I realised I was in Ethan's room.Oh shit, what happened last night? I pulled off the covers and saw myself in his t-shirt. Oh god what did we do?

I heard a knock and Madeline came in.

"Morning, dear. Here's your breakfast. Hurry up and come downstairs your brother is waiting for you."

Asher is here?

Am I in trouble?Oh god , I don't even remember what happened last night. I'm completely drawing a blank.I definitely drank a shit ton of vodka and it was payback time.

I wore shorts underneath Ethan's t shirt and brushed my teeth and headed downstairs.
Asher and Ethan were discussing something and Ava was just about to come upstairs.

"Good morning," I wished in a very tired voice even I was shocked after hearing myself.

Ava looked at me, "Bad hangover?". I meekly nodded.

"Sky, let's talk somewhere more private." Asher came towards me. I nodded and followed him into the adjoining space.He held me by my shoulders and looked over at me in concern. I thought he was mad at me but--

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. But aren't you mad at me?" 

"I was. But on the way over here, Ava explained me that you never drink this much. She told me that you hate not being in your senses.I don't mind you drinking, I just want to ask you why did you go overboard last night? Is something bothering you? Is it about mom? Did Ethan do something? "

I started crying and hugged him. He reciprocated by holding me tightly and put his hand on my head."What is it?" He repeated quietly.

I backed up,"It's nothing. Maybe it's just work stress or maybe I'm just PMSing." We both knew I was lying.

He held my hands,"Are you sure it isn't anything serious?"

"Yes."

"Maybe you should take a break then. You know, explore your options. Go to London, where that firm offered you a position. No one will mind, the doors here are always open for you.You can come back anytime you want."

"No, I want to be here. Last night won't happen again."

"It's not about last night, it's about you. I want you to know that you have every right to come to me with your problems. Okay?"

"Okay."He then pulled my hair and I just shook my head.

We walked out and Ava was standing there expectantly.

"Now, that you two are done. We should give Sky some time and then go grab some lunch together.Just the four of us."She suggested.

Ethan opened his mouth but Asher stopped him ,"I know it's about the Zane project. Let's go and visit the site together and then we can go to lunch."

"Alright then, I'll ask my assistant to bring over the files. We'll take my car." Ethan commanded and walked, Asher followed him.

Ava and I expectantly looked at each other--we're ready for a chill day.

--*--

We were currently seated on an open terrace of the restaurant we had chosen for lunch. It was a pleasant day and I was enjoying my mojito.

"So Ethan, how did you handle Sky last night? I know she can be a handful when drunk."Ava tended to lose her filter at the worst times, I glared at her.

Ethan gave a light chuckle, "Last night, she was about to fall over from the balcony because she wanted to 'listen' to the wind." I gasped.

"Typical." Asher muttered.

I hated everyone at this table right now.

The server came by and my garden salad was here. I was full from the breakfast and didn't feel like eating much.

After a while we left.
Ethan was being very awkward and stiff around me, I don't know why.He hadn't said a word to me, not that I expected him to.But something still felt off.There was this weird tension between us that wasn't there before.

We reached home and went into our respective rooms.I felt like taking a nap so I put on a movie before actually sleeping.

The protagonist was about to kiss their love interest, when it all came flooding back to me.

Ethan and I had kissed last night! The balcony incident was true as well. Oh god, I asked him such stupid questions. How will I ever face him now? 

Clusterfuck.

I don't know what came over me that I immediately went to him to clear things up.I knocked on his door twice and entered.

"Ethan, I need to talk to you."

"Not now, Skylar. I'm busy."

"Whatever happened between us last night--"

"Was a mistake and won't happen again." He completed my sentence without looking up. 

I was about to say the same thing , but it stung hearing from him. I went back to my room and focused on work, but I couldn't. The kiss was repeating again and again in my mind. It was nothing like I've experienced before.

But it doesn't matter, Ethan and I both think it was a mistake. I need to forget it and move on.And the best way to do it was to write it all down and get it out of my head so I pulled out my diary.

Dear Diary

Last night wasn't one of the best. I was out with Emilia and Ava for a girl's night but things went down south, real fast.I got drunk --mighty drunk. 

Ethan brought me home and put me to bed , something I didn't really expect from him. I,  stupidly, ended up kissing him.The best part was he kissed me back. It was something I had never really experienced before like sparks flying all over, giving me butterflies in my stomach--like a typical movie character. But it ended abruptly, leaving me with a cold feeling in the deep pit. Both him and I think it was a mistake. But I thought it was something I can never regret, something that made me feel complete after months of loneliness.

I think I'm just being stupid but deep down I want more. Despite this marriage being a sham, somewhere in my heart I want it to be real.I know it's not possible but who's going to explain my heart?

S.

It was around 7 'o' clock and Madeline was getting dinner ready when I heard the ding of the elevator opening right outside the gallery.The concierge had informed us that Liam was coming.

"Liam! How are you? It's been a long while."I hugged him.

"Hey there, Sky! Looking good as ever. I'm doing good and I hope you are too."He said while hugging me back.

"Yes, I am. So anyways-" I was cut off by Ethan.

"Liam, what are you doing here?"

"Good to see you too, big bro."

Ethan just rolled his eyes and took a seat on the couch.

"Okay, real talk." Liam started, "Remember us planning a trip to that cabin in Aspen?" I nodded but I knew he'd be disappointed because it wasn't possible for me to leave work right now.

"I am swamped with work right now Liam, so it's better if you don't finish that sentence."Ethan added on in a bored tone.

"I know both of you are deep in work right now so I took Dad's help." I looked at him questioningly. "He agreed to push down all the meetings and projects by a week since he thought you two needed a break."

"I'm sorry Liam, I really wish I could but I can't right now." I had to let him down easy.

"Uh-uh Sky, Ava and Asher are coming and I took the liberty to invite Emilia with her partner as well. Ace will be there too.So I'm not taking no for an answer."

Oh wow, he was good.

Ethan's silence meant he had agreed but too proud to actually say the words. I nodded my head excitedly , "Aspen, it is!" Liam cheered.

"Since you're here, I insist you join us for dinner." It would be rude not to ask him.

"Sure, I'd love to."

We had dinner peace, accompanied by Liam teasing Ethan.

"Alright then , next time I see you guys would be in Aspen. Don't forget to bring your skiing equipment." 

We bid him goodbye.

"Skylar, what happened this afternoon , I didn't mean to be--" Ethan had unexpectedly started talking to me.But I can't let him discuss that again, it was difficult enough for me to get over it. I can't do it again.

"It's fine, Ethan. We both know it was a drunken mistake. No hard feelings." I sighed and walked back to my room, leaving behind a crestfallen Ethan.

--*--

I woke up because I felt hungry. The clock flashed 2 in the morning. What's wrong with me, I just had dinner a few hours ago. I made my way down to the kitchen and searched the fridge for something .

"Jackpot!" I whispered as I grabbed a container of chocolate pudding.I made my self comfortable on the counter and dug in with a spoon.It tasted so heavenly that I closed my eyes. I thought I heard footsteps, but I ignored it and carried on.

The next time I opened my eyes I saw Ethan, shirtless and disheveled hair, in all his glory standing in front of me. His hands had caged me. What was he doing?

"What are you doing?"He asked in his raspy voice, indicating he had just woken up.

"I- uhh.. I'm ... I am having some pudding?" I asked him, not knowing what to do. Why was I so flustered whenever he came this near to me?

"At 2 in the morning?"

"Yeah , well I was hungry." I still couldn't stop eating."What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"I thought there was an intruder or something." He was looking into my eyes with the same heat and intensity as last night.

"Well, it's just me so you can go back to bed now."

"Actually, I can't."

"Why not?"

Without answering me he just leaned in closer to me. All this proximity is giving me vivid flashbacks to last night's kiss. He smirked at me and then held up a spoon.

"Mom made that for me. She had sent it over, so I think I'm gonna take what's rightfully mine."

Oh.

"Well, don't you know sharing is caring?" I was being very daring. Sharing, caring, daring--there's a little rhyme. My thoughts vanished the moment  I could feel his hot breath fanning my face and only I knew how I stopped myself from looking down at his toned chest.

"Not really my forte.Plus I'm tired of you stealing my wine and snacks."He raised an eyebrow as he grabbed the cup, his big hand enveloped mine completely.

"Uhh...Umm..I." Say something Skylar. You're strong and confident, why is his presence affecting me so much?

"Fine, you can have one more spoon." He said with a small smile.

I cheered internally. I shoved a spoonful into my mouth, not the prettiest sight. Ethan looked at me with his head cocked to a side, I should be embarrassed but I wasn't.

"Here, have your pudding." I extended it to him and he took it softly off my hands.

I started marching towards my bedroom.

"Goodnight, Skylar." Did he just wish me a good night? He never did this before.

"Night." I said as I yawned and turned back towards my room , I thought I heard a chuckle but ignored it.I tossed and turned all night long, longing for his presence beside me. I'm definitely going crazy.

--*--

It's Monday, 5 more days to Aspen. I sighed and got up from the bed when I realised something.

There was a dark red stain on the sheets. Damn it, it totally slipped my mind. Among all this chaos, I hadn't even stocked up on my toiletries. My period was here, the late night craving and all that alcohol made sense now.

"Madeline! Madeline!" I called her.

"She's not in yet. And try to keep it down, some of us are working." Ethan quipped from downstairs.

I'm so screwed. I called Ava but it went straight to voice mail. Emilia didn't pick up either.

What do I do? What do I do? I was pacing around the room when Ethan knocked.

"Skylar, hurry up. The meeting has been moved up, we have to get to my office."

I didn't answer and ran towards the bathroom.Stupid move.

He knocked again, "Skylar?".

I didn't answer.

"I am coming in." He walked in wearing a grey suit.Perfect as always.

"Skylar, we're already late. If you can hear me, hurry up." He started walking out.

"Ethan!" I whispered. I had no other choice, I have to ask him to do this for me.

He turned around and started looking.

"In here." I poked my head out of the bathroom.

"You're not even ready yet? What is wrong with you?"

"Just shut up for a second and listen to me."

His jaw was tightening, yeah well I was mad too.

"I need you to help me."

"Do you need help showering?" He suggestively raised his brows up.

"No, you dumbfuck. I need you to go to the store."

"I am not going anywhere."

"I got my period." I said looking him straight in the eye.

He opened his mouth and shut it again. Was The Ethan Carter actually flustered? I can never forget this. Him not having anything to say.

"Could you get me a box of tampons, please?"

"Uh yeah, sure."He was raking his hand through his hair and didn't look directly at me.He then walked out.

I could understand this must be awkward for him, but this is natural plus he was the only one who could help me right now.

I heard my phone buzzing after a while. It was Ethan, I was expecting this call.

"Hello?"

"Yeah ,uh, there are literally a million varieties of tampons here. Which one do you need?"

I felt like laughing , but I controlled it.

"Just get the Lime one in XL. It's blue and yellow."

"Okay." He breathed out and hung up. I could only imagine, him walking into the store looking so magnificent and asking for tampons.I was smiling, this was funny.

After a while I heard a knock on the bathroom door. I cracked open the door only to see a hand extended, holding the box. I grabbed it and muttered a thanks.

--*--

"Let's go." I told Ethan while crossing the last step.

"You're gonna go to the office today? You can take a day off and rest you know?" How adorable.

"Ethan, this happens every month and it's normal. I'm pretty sure I can go through my daily work day.Plus this is not my first--"

"Yeah fine I don't need to know it all. Let's just go." He was annoyed and embarrassed, I could never forget this look on his face.I just smiled and followed him. 

And before we entered the car, he wordlessly handed me a chocolate.

I didn't question him while taking a bite.

Ethan was trying to care.