I can’t get the image of Ava’s sweet face out of my head. When Kay was taken by her ex, Ava was contained in the same room. I can remember it like it was yesterday when Kay asked me to go and get her.
Walking into that room... seeing what he was doing to her.
I should have stayed in touch. I should have made sure she was okay once I’d left.
So much time has passed that I’m not even sure she’ll want to see me again but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. I’ll try because there’s something about her that calls to me and there’s not a night that goes by that I don’t think about her.
Thinking about getting to see her face again makes me even more determined to get tonight’s mission over with, get it finished and go home.
Opening my eyes, I look at Kay, hoping and praying that this isn’t the last we see of each other. I don’t want her to know that tonight may be the night that things take a turn for the worse.
So instead, I smile and lean closer, just as Jason pulls open the tent and signals that it’s almost time. “I gotta go, sis, tell Eli I love him.”
“Already?” she whispers, her face becoming sad.
“Yeah.” I nod and lean even closer to the small camera.
“Love you, lil’ sis.”
“Love you too, Corey,” she says, wiping a tear off her cheek. “When will-”
The feed cuts out and I honestly can’t be more grateful for it to have done it at that second. I hate having to answer the ‘when will you be home?’ question or the ‘when will you next call?’.
I never know the answer and trying to explain that is never any use so avoiding it all together is the
better option.
I turn to face Jason, our eyes meeting and we both know that this is it.
Time to put an end to this mission.
Sat on my bed, I stare at the self-help book. It’s become a new obsession; how I can improve myself as a person, how I can confront things head on, and I’m putting it into action slowly each day.
It’s been three weeks since I met Jackson and every weekend we meet at the bar and I wait until he’s finished his shift. His boss, J, keeps joking that I may as well work there as I’m there so often.
Scott hasn’t been around since the ‘incident’ and Jess hasn’t been her usual self either, I can tell that something is bothering her and last week when we were sat on the couch having a movie night, I thought she was going to open up to me but with a shake of her head, she brushed it off.
I don’t want to push her to open up to me, I know how that feels and I don’t want to make her feel like that. When she’s ready to open up then she knows I’ll be here waiting.
I finish reading the paragraph about exercise giving you endorphins and close the book. Chewing my lip, I scan my room and my eyes land on the sneakers that I haven’t wore more than twice since I got them.
I grab my cell and search for local gyms. I don’t want to go to the one on campus or one of those giant gyms where the membership costs an extortionate amount of money and the place is always full with people.
No, I just want a small one, preferably ran by a woman or at least has women that work there.
I search for a small gym and when I find one not far from the campus, I lift up off my bed and rummage in my closet for the gym gear that I’ve only wore twice, much like my sneakers. Grabbing my jacket, I shove my arms through it and leave the apartment, not giving myself the time to back out.
Wrapping my arms around my waist, I follow the map on my phone and walk the couple of blocks to the gym.
Standing on the opposite sidewalk, I watch the building, trying to gage what it’s like but I really can’t tell from out here.
I’ve hesitated with waiting outside, something the book said I shouldn’t do. Shaking my head, I walk over to the gym, pulling the door open and not taking another breath until I’m waiting at the desk.
I look around with wide eyes and stare at all of the equipment while trying to see if I can see anyone. Spotting a woman doing something to one of the machines I go to walk towards her when her head pops up and her hand flies to her chest.
“Oh jeez! You scared the life out of me.” She chuckles and stands up moving towards me with purpose and sticks her hand out. “I’m Clare, how can I help?”
I look down at her hand and slowly put mine in hers, wincing as she squeezes a tad too tight. “I... erm... I want to join?” I ask and shake my head, clearing my throat, I try again, “I want to join.”