teenage years. (oc's; louis partridge, jules leblanc, sofia wylie, etc.)

I DONT THINK IM AFRAID, ANYMORE.

what if ethan is just enjoying the chasing of me? he is rather notorious for the fact that he doesn't keep a girl around for more than a week. what if im just another girl on the list.

my mom saves me from my thoughts, "oh honey. im not THAT old, but im old enough to have seen a lot. and i've seen the way he looks at you, ava. i don't have a fiber of doubt in my being about how he feels for you."

i let that sink in. maybe she's right. nobody says i have to tell him my deepest darkest secrets but i don't have to shut him out. i do like ethan, as much as i rather not admit it. my mom gets up and starts walking away, when i speak again, "mom?"

"yeah, sweetie?"

"thank you."

**

ethans pov

im kind of wishing i hadn't come on this trip. it wasn't as fun as i imagined. christian is consumed in the fact that he's back in his 'motherland'. brandon has been talking to izzie, nonstop. apparently they are dating now. i thought she despised him?

and then there's ava. ava won't talk to me and hasn't since the night at the market. but ive decided to give her the space she wants and leave her alone when we get back.

our flight leaves tonight in about 7 hours. im about to take a nap before we leave in 4 hours.
turns out, the twins mom is one of those people who needs to be at the airport 3 hours early, 'just in case.'

im semi-resting my eyes when i hear a familiar voice in the dark of the guest room, ive been sharing with brandon. i look around the room and brandon is nowhere to be found. only then i remember christian took him to get a souvenir for izzie. she's never been to london.

"psst, e." the familiar voice whispers.

"im asleep." i mumble. i know it's ava but i don't really have it in me to decipher her right now. it takes me a second to realize these are the first words she's said to me since that forsaken night, "wait, actually.. what's up?" i sit up on the beds headboard.

i hear some shuffling around the room right before ava sits opposite me on the bed. suddenly, i can see a little clearer, despite the lights being out.

she took, what sounded like, a deep breath, "what did the kiss mean to you?"

the question catches me off guard as she looks into my eyes. hers are an incredible shade of green. it reminds me of the emerald necklace my mom wears.

i realized i hadnt said anything when those eyes of hers wander around the room, "okay fine." she huffs. "i don't exactly know either. um.." she trails off.

"what?" i ask hesistantly.

"how do i say this.. okay um—well, it's like, i don't get it. im ava. you're ethan. the only thing we have in common is christian,"

"and skateboarding." i cut her off.

"still, nothing about us makes any sense. you're an extrovert. one of the most popular guys in school. any girl at coral practically throws herself at you when you walk down the hall. im very much an introvert. my best friend is literally brandon and when i walk down the hall, no heads turn."

"wrong." i cut her off again because she's, well, she's wrong. "lots of guys turn their heads, babe. you're simply not looking. ava, you're beautiful, you've gotta know that." i can see her cheeks flush a little.

i take this as a sign im doing well, "we don't have to have everything in common for me to want you. if i wanted me, i'd date your brother. i want you because you're you." i took one of her hands and continued, "you're the only girl who i can argue with and not worry about whether you took anything to heart, you're the only girl who calls me out on my bullshit. and you're the only girl who makes my head shoot up when i hear your name. ava—"

i was about to finish when she plants a kiss on my mouth stopping me from the long overdue speech i harbored in my head since our kiss at my party.

her lips are soft. i missed that. i hope she doesn't run away this time. remembering that i break our kiss, "how do i know, you won't stop talking to me again?" i ask, nervously.

she rubs the thumb of her free hand along my cheek as she looked into my eyes, "i don't think im afraid anymore."

i think she means about us, but im not really sure. my comprehension when it comes to woman ranges from zero to zero. i assume it's a good thing when she pulls me back in for another kiss.

maybe i do like london.

**
a.n. this is so long but i finally had some time and inspiration so...