The Four Misfits

Ch 8 Mason in the dustbin, roll roll roll

Ava blinked hard a few times to clear off the remains of the flashback that clouded her mind and saw Ethan standing behind her.

"Yes?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know what your mother said this time," Ethan lied. "But don't think about it, right?"

"I'm trying", Ava choked out. "I can't take this anymore", she muttered clutching her head in her hands and pressing it to her knees.

"You can never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have", Ethan said taking a seat beside her.

"Whoever said that, it's absolute rubbish!" Ava mumbled.

"I said that", Ethan faked annoyance.

"Oh...well..." Ava mumbled before trailing off. She frowned a bit. She had heard someone say the exact same thing to her. A while ago. But she couldn't remember who. She frowned again thinking of her flashback. Her head ached thinking about it and tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. But she still kept thinking about it. It hadn't come in her head so perfectly ever since she had arrived at C.H.A. A part of her thought that she made it up, but another part was sure that it was accurate. Her mother mentioned a brother. She didn't have one, as far as she knew.

"Come on", Ethan said taking her arm and helping her up.

"Ethan?" she muttered quietly after trailing beside him for a while. He hummed in acknowledgement. "Why do you help me?" she asked innocently looking towards him. Ethan was caught off-guard for a second before he regained his composure and raised his eyebrows looking at her, making her mumble something like, "Just a genuine question."

"I'm your legal guardian, remember?" he asked half-chuckling.

"Oh, you are? I forgot", Ava muttered with a half-hearted sarcasm. Ethan rolled his eyes making Avs smile sheepishly.

"But can I ask you another question?" Ava asked.

"You just did." Ethan said.

"Oh come on. That one is way too old. Just let me ask my question." Ava rolled her eyes. A smile made it's way to Ethan's face. Ava dramatically gasped.

"Am I hallucinating or did Ethan Anderson just smiled?" Ava mocked Ethan placing a hand on her heart dramatically. Ethan just rolled his eyes.

"What's your question?" Ethan asked chuckling.

Ava thought of asking him about her possible brother but she dropped that idea.

"Nothing," Ava whispered. "Just so you know, I am not an Idiot." She stated not looking at him.

"What does that mean?" Ethan asked looking at Ava.

"I know that you know what my mother said to me. You heard the whole thing on recording, didn't you?" Ava asked Ethan while she picked up a stone from the ground. It had some weird design on it. She pocketed it.

"No I didn't." Ethan lied.

"And you tell me I shouldn't lie," Ava snorted. "You really are an immature guardian." She added without thinking. Her eyes widened when she realised what she said.

"Oh is it so....?" Ethan asked with a smirk on his face.

"I mean-uh...I meant you are an amazing guardian!" Ava exclaimed.

"Mhmmm." Ethan nodded his head. Then Ava did the most unexpected thing and the only thing that came into her mind. She hugged Ethan.

Ethan was shocked at first but quickly regained his balance and wrapped his arms around her. Ava was shocked by her own actions but continued to cling on Ethan who just hugged her tightly.