Ashley's POV:Am I going to behave as he says, even if he is not around… and follow each and every word that he has said to me?It's not like someone is here, who will snitch on me!These two thoughts arrive in my mind, simultaneously and I toss both of them out of the window while drying my hair… just when a third question starts to peep into my mind.‘If I won't use my phone, how will I know where he is, and when he will be back? Or even about the people he was talking about, who are going to teach me–’The thought goes on an infinite hiatus before it can be completed, as soon as I hear the loud chime of the doorbell.My heart somehow misses a beat because of panic. I am well aware that even if it is Ethan on the door, he can never know what I have been thinking to myself… But still, the color of my face is giving a tough competition to that of a thief, who has been caught red handed in the easiest theft of his career after being a pro in the world of thievery! I rush towards the
Ashley's POV:Never had I thought before today that I would ever be capable of seeing time fly like a bird and disappearing into thin air in no time… especially after the accident that has changed my world.Somehow, I have been struggling to just get through the days, whenever I am alone. The time between every sunrise to sunset stretches to infinity, and the night is an ordeal in itself; because this loneliness is running after me like a fierce tiger, ready to eat me alive.But today is different.Today, I don't even know how we all are already sitting in the dining area, waiting for dinner to arrive and it is 8:30 at night.Ethan is still not here, and the unusual thing is… I am missing him.I can't miss him, I know as much. He is not the person I should be missing; if he is helping me on one hand, then he is taking a huge payment for it… a payment that he wouldn't be able to get– even if he had spent his entire wealth— if my parent's business wasn't in question.“Ashley! Here is yo
Ashley's POV:I would be lying if I say that I didn't mistake that voice for my imagination. It has been seven days… seven days since I last saw him, seven nights since I have been sleeping alone in this unknown house. The only relief is that my almost- military level training has been wearing me out and making me fall asleep at night… or more like pass out as soon as I feel the relief of another day being over. Otherwise, there was never a chance that I would be able to survive this loneliness, in these terrifyingly lifeless surroundings where I don't even hear the sound of a single breath after everyone leaves for the day. But still I know that I must be hallucinating, because no matter how much I want someone to be here with me… how much I want to talk to someone and feel their company, still… There is no way I would imagine them saying this to me, especially not Ethan! Mainly because he doesn't even know me well enough to compare me with anyone else.Clueless about why he woul
Ethan's POV:It has been seven days since I last visited her… seven days since I left her alone in my huge farmhouse, and this action of mine has indeed caused the guilt of not being a proper gentleman and a good host.In fact, it is downright embarrassing how I keep putting it off for later, thinking that if I can avoid seeing her for long enough, I will somehow manage to get rid of the feelings and impulses associated with that face and that place. I also agree with the fact that I'm being a bad host who has left his guest to fend for herself, at least while I'm thinking with my heart.However, my sane mind is keeping me in check so far, by revealing the harsh reality that I was not caring for her because I really am a good man… but because I was helpless and compelled by my own sinister heart. No matter who she really is and where she is from, she has the face that I can't see in pain.And apart from all that, I have been monitoring her progress with the classes and also keeping
Ashley' POV:Thud! I hear the noise that echoes in the way my heart starts to hammer frantically against my rib cage, realizing that he has shut the door from outside… leaving his room, and me alone in it.I have made every single effort I could, tried every single method I could, to make him listen to what I was saying. But he still left without listening to me… even without letting me give the explanation he himself was demanding from me, which I know he wanted to hear.After all, I am not wrong… Just a few days ago, he was the same person who was asking me why I hadn't said anything to him, if I was allergic to green bell peppers… when he simply didn't listen to me any time I tried to warn him; forget that, I doubt he even listened to a a single word I was trying to say. And today! Today, he has done the same thing: he left me inside and shut the door from outside, without letting me finish what I was trying to say… or caring to know that I am claustrophobic.Despite the traces
Ashley's POV :Feeling a vice-like grip around my chest, I try my best to divert my mind or at least to put it to some ease, knowing that I have very little time left in my hands. But I fail miserably… I fail miserably in everything I do, try to do, or even hope to do.My claustrophobia starts to kick in, and tears start to roll down my already-wet cheeks; but this time, the tears are caused by fear, not humiliation.I start frantically knocking on the door and screaming for help in my desperate efforts to save myself, hoping there will be some way out… there should be a way out! I can't… I can't die here… not this way…But after a while of screaming, my throat starts to hurt… and I begin to reach a horrifying realization with a somewhat calm acceptance: there is nobody to hear my screams, or set me free.I don't even know if he is still here in the house, or if he has already left me to die here alone… I don't know if someone lives in the neighborhood or not, or whether they can hear
Ashley's POV:I shift, only to feel something velvety soft beneath my back.I don't know if this is the heavenly feeling people talk about… that they are supposed to get after death, if they keep their conduct good during their time on earth.I try to open my eyes, and immediately feel a sharp white light stabbing my eyes.‘That's it! I am definitely dead, and finally, my time has come to roam in the heavenly lanes.’Rubbing my eyes, I try to open them once again; after all, I ain't going to miss the chance of roaming in the lanes of heaven at any cost!But the moment I open my eyes, I find myself sleeping on the soft bed that somehow feels familiar to me… and ironically enough, the room too-Ethan's bed… Ethan's bedroom.I'm lying on Ethan's soft king-size velvet mattress inside Ethan's bedroom …But how is this even possible? I am sure that I died last night… or at least I believe it was last night? I don't know exactly how much time has passed since I died.“Did I not go to heaven,
Ethan's POV:Guilt is something that has found a permanent residence in my heart, and it is not because I have done something wrong… but because this girl has the power to mess up all my plans, without even lifting a single finger.I never thought, or imagined that I would give so much power to anyone apart from Emily, but then again… I was never aware that someone is going to step into my life with exactly her face and mannerisms, while carrying completely different sets of fears and allergies.I accept that I had meant to shut the door in my anger, and somehow ended up locking it too… but again, if Emily was in her place, she would have utilized this time in taking a short, energetic, power nap!But this girl… this girl is built different.Every time… every single time, no matter how badly I want to push her away from myself, I am the one who ends up saving her.After all, I can't just let her die with my Emily's face.And this is why my anger breaks through the roof once again, whe