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  “It’s okay, Summer. It will get better,” I said softly to her as she cried in my arms.

  That’s what I always told myself when Blake left: it will get better. But then, when? When will it start working? After a while, I found out that it was easier to hate him than to miss him. I pushed all the blame on his shoulders as well as Charlotte’s, and I soon felt much lighter. The truth is that things never get better and situations will always only get worse. It only gets easier because we become stronger and better at what we do. We have to change, not the world. The world will keep on spinning no matter what happens to you.

  After hearing Summer’s story, though, the weight was starting to come back. I hated Blake and Charlotte with every fiber of my body, but the sadness, the pain, it was all returning.

  You can’t shut out your feelings forever. My mom’s words echoed in my head. It is always better to forgive than to forget.

  The doors of Ryan’s room burst open, and out came a few nurses, all speaking in frantic voices. Summer looked up momentarily and stood up to talk to them.

  “Is there something wrong?” Her voice was shaky as her hands still clutched onto the baby wipes as if it were her last saving grace.

  “Are you related to Ryan Smith?” the nurse spoke quickly, urgency in her voice.

  “I’m his girlfriend.” Summer rushed out a lie, but her eyes were filled with nothing but determination.

  “He is losing blood quickly. He must have broken some stitches. And we are running out of type A blood due to some problems in finding donors. Do you happen to know anyone with that blood type?” the nurse asked Summer before turning to another nurse. “Call the boy’s goddamned parents! Preferably before he dies!”

  “I am an A. I can donate,” Summer immediately piped in, and relief flooded the nurse’s features.

  “Great. Now please follow me, miss. We have to hurry.” The nurse led Summer away, leaving me alone to think about what just happened in the last five minutes.

  Summer learned to forgive.

  Chapter 14

  The scent of bleach and washing detergent enveloped Summer and me as we waited in Ryan’s hospital room. After Summer had donated way too much blood to save her ex-boyfriend’s life, he was finally in a stable condition and we—actually just Summer—were waiting for him to wake up from the medically-induced coma. The machine beside Ryan beeped every few seconds, indicating that the bastard was still breathing, still alive. Granted, I feel sorry that the poor chap landed in the hospital after the beating Wesley gave him, but I wouldn’t have taken anything back.

  He deserved it.

  He called me a whore.

  Well then, perhaps you should go back to draw more dicks on his not-so-perfect blue wall, my conscience told me.

  Summer sat on a chair beside Ryan’s bed, holding his hand as she slept, waiting for him to wake up. My phone had died about two hours ago, and to say that I was absolutely bored out of my mind would be the biggest understatement of the year. I didn’t exactly enjoy wasting my time waiting for someone I absolutely dislike to wake up from a medically-induced coma or just simply some beauty sleep.

  “I’m going to go get coffee,” I mumbled to myself, stood up, and slowly shuffled out of the room and down the hall to the vending machine.

  For a hospital, the hallways were pretty deserted, and there were barely any nurses or doctors around. I dropped the coins into the vending machine and waited for my drink. When it was ready, I took a delightful sip of the aromatic coffee.

  Immediately, I felt the caffeine seep into my bloodstream, and my body was filled with a small wave of energy. At a desperate moment like this, I would take what I could get. Though the small cup of piping hot drink was not comparable to a good homebrew, it was enough to keep me awake for the next few hours at least.

  On my way back to Ryan’s hospital ward, I accidentally knocked into someone, and my drink fell out of my hands and toppled to the ground, spilling some of the coffee on the person’s shirt. Cursing, I bent down and grabbed the cup, apologizing profusely. However, I took my apology back when I looked up and saw who it was, my face darkened to a scowl.

  “You know what? I take it back. I am not sorry.” I scowled, steering myself away from a stunned Blake. Dumping the cup into the trash bin, I trudged back toward Ryan’s room. Blake, however, was following closely behind me. Frowning, I quickened my pace and burst into the ward, but I stopped in my tracks when I noticed Summer in Ryan’s arms, bawling her eyes out.

  Awkwardly, I shuffled back to my original seat and plopped myself down, which unfortunately gained Summer’s attention.

  “Ave.” Summer sniffed and wiped her cheeks while Ryan slowly stroked her back. “You’re back.”

  “Yeah.” I coughed softly and rubbed my arm. “I went to get coffee.” Then heaven decided to play a cruel joke on me, and a furious Blake Ryder burst through the ward door. The coffee stain was still quite clear on the front of his shirt, and his anger deepened when he noticed Summer and me. Fortunately, he ignored us and directly made his way toward Ryan.

  “Hey, man. How are you feeling?”

  “Could be better.” Ryan’s voice was hoarse, so Summer immediately poured him a cup of water and carefully brought it up to his mouth. Ryan smiled gratefully, took the cup, and slowly sipped from it.

  “You could have been better if that douche didn’t punch you in the jaw.” Blake glared at me, and I rolled my eyes.

  “He actually used a beer bottle, but punch is fine too.” Ryan laughed as Blake’s eyes darkened. Let’s just say I wasn’t exactly happy as well.

  “Listen here, pal. If you hadn’t opened your mouth, you wouldn’t be here in the first place.” I stood up and made my way to Ryan, shoving a finger against his bandaged forehead.

  “Avery.” Summer shook her head, and I turned reluctantly back to my chair, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “Maybe if you weren’t such a bitch, Ryan wouldn’t have anything to say about,” Blake shot at me as my temper flared.

  “You—”

  “Enough!” Summer yelled at the both of us, causing me to snap my neck in her direction, glaring at her. “This is a hospital. If you guys need to fight or whatever, go to the damn arena. Now get out if you aren’t here because of Ryan!”

  I scoffed and stood up. “Gladly.”

  I stomped out of the hospital, revved the engine of my Harley Davidson, and sped my way back home. I hadn’t even noticed Blake reluctantly leaving the hospital behind me; I was too filled with anger that Summer would choose to stand up for a guy who cheated on her instead of her best friend. My head ached the entire trip home, causing me to see red as I sped through the highway. I was eager to return to the company of my true friends. Yet I knew that they wouldn’t understand me as well as a bottle of vodka would.

  ***

  “Stop drinking, Ava.” He took the shot glass away from my hands and placed it on the table. I groaned, grabbed the glass, and downed it before Wesley could take it out of my reach again.

  “I was there for her. She chose them, those…those assholes over me!” I laughed to myself, pouring another shot of vodka, but when I filled the glass halfway up, Wesley snatched the bottle away and placed it at the other end of the table, away from me and out of my reach.

  After downing the shot, I placed the glass back on the table and tucked my chin behind the giant pillow I was hugging. I tried to hold back my sobs. “I thought she was my best friend. What happened to bros before hoes?”

  “Actually, it doesn’t exactly apply in your situation since she’s a gi—”

  “She’s such a bitch! I never want to see her again!”

  “Ava…You don’t mean that.”

  I sniffled and moved into Wesley’s outstretched arms. Shifting into a comfortable position, I finally let myself drift off to sleep. Before I completely gave in to my tired self, though, one good thing managed to weasel its way into my mind, causing just the smallest smile to slip onto my lips.
>
  Wesley didn’t kill me for leaving him at the police station.

  Chapter 15

  The sunlight flared into my room, and I groaned, burying my head further into the pillow. The light was so bright even with my eyes closed. It scorched my skin, and I felt like I was turning into a human barbecue. My head throbbed as the after effects of the alcohol took over my body. Last night’s horrifying memories came flooding back to me. I opened my tired eyes when my hand fell on something hard, and I screamed with the force of every fiber in my body.

  That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you describe your mornings after a night of heavy drinking.

  Wesley’s face was buried in the crook of my neck. I pushed him out of bed, and he woke up screaming too. I grabbed the covers and looked underneath; I was still fully clothed. But I realized that my clothes weren’t the ones I remember wearing the previous night at the hospital. I fumbled around the blanket and pulled it higher up my chest.

  Wesley was in no better shape. All he had was his boxers. I could assume where I got my oversized black t-shirt.

  “What the hell was that, woman?” Wesley rubbed his head and brushed his disheveled hair away from his eyes.

  “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Why are we in the same bed? Why are you in my bed?” I yelled and pointed an accusing finger at him.

  “You—” His face flared with anger.

  “What’s wrong?” The door burst open, and in popped two blonde heads, staring at us with worry and confusion etched all over their faces.

  My face paled when I realized where I was. I was in Wesley’s house, not the other way round. And I just shoved him off his bed.

  Winnie’s sky blue eyes scanned over our two figures, and her nose scrunched up in disgust as William cringed.

  “I don’t wanna know if you guys were about to do the hanky panky.” Winnie raised both of her hands and shook her head. I scowled.

  “Although if you were, keep it down will you? Some people are trying to sleep.” William winked and disappeared out of the room, and Winnie followed him. I was left alone with a very angry Wesley.

  “I’m just gonna go…” I pointed to the door, shuffled out of bed, and inched my way toward the door and around Wesley as if he was a predator about to pounce on his prey.

  “Oh no, you don’t.” He launched himself onto me, and I squeaked as we tumbled down the carpeted floor. I wiggled my body and struggled to get out of his grip, but Wesley’s arms surrounded me and kept me in place, refusing to let me move another inch.

  “Hold still,” he mumbled into the crook of my neck, his hot breath fanning against my skin and turning my cheeks scarlet. His breathing eventually became calm as if he had fallen asleep, and I once again tried to move away from him. “Goddamn it, Ava. Hold still.” He held me tighter, and I froze, my heart thumping against my chest. Gosh, the things this boy made me feel.

  “You’re fat,” I blurted out, and his eyes opened briefly then shut again.

  “It’s all muscles, darling,” he smirked.

  I scoffed and brought my knee up just slightly, hitting him where it hurts most. His face contorted into a painful grimace. He rolled over to his side, reached down, and curled into a ball as I laughed and quickly pushed myself up and away from him.

  “What did you do that for?”

  I grinned and bent over his crumpled figure. “I warned you, Jerald. You never listen,” I said in a sing-song voice and clicked my tongue. I was ready to leave when he grabbed my ankle and pulled me down. I landed on my butt right beside him, and he laughed as he wrapped his arm around my waist again.

  “I warned you, too,” Wesley mumbled. I was once again his human teddy bear.

  Silence took over the room, and he shifted to look at me. “What’s wrong now? You were laughing just seconds ago.”

  I sighed and turned to him. “It’s just…Summer and I, we never fought before, and this would actually be our first fight, but I don’t want to apologize ’cause I don’t feel like I did anything wrong. What if we never talk again? What if I made the wrong choice, and I should be the one apologizing?”

  “Then you’ll have me.” Slowly, Wesley used his elbow to prop himself up. His eyebrows furrowed before smiling at me pleasantly. I swear that smile could light up the entire city of New York. “I’ll be here for you.”

  “I already lost so many friends. I…I don’t think I can go through the process of losing another.”

  “You’ll always have me with you, Avery. I’ll never leave you. Those so-called friends who left you don’t deserve your tears. They don’t even deserve your smile. Listen, true friends will be willing to move mountains and tame the seas to ensure your happiness. That’s because they know that you care for them and that you would do exactly the same in a heartbeat.” His eyes were filled with so much sincerity, but I can’t help laughing.

  “Wes, you’re so sweet. I bet that you had a lot of girls chasing after you during your travels.” At my own words, I felt a pinch in my heart but chose to ignore it. My smile faltered for a second.

  “Well”—Wesley shrugged—“you can’t deny that they are all after this specimen.” Wesley gestured down to the rest of his body. It had been a mistake on my part to follow his gesture, stopping right at his toned abdomen. He must have noticed my gaze lingering for a second too long for he smirked and pulled me in for a hug. “But I only have eyes for one.”

  “What?”

  His arms loosened around me. “Nothing you need to worry yourself with, princess. Not yet.”

  We sat there on the carpeted floor, simply content with gazing at each other until Wesley woke from the trance we were both in. “Are you hungry? You drank a lot last night. It wouldn’t be good to leave your stomach empty for far too long.”

  “Ice cream. I want lots and lots of ice cream,” I declared, pulling my hair up into a ponytail, and went into the washroom.

  Wesley waited for me outside, and when I was done washing up, he was still on the ground. “You know, having ice cream in the morning will give you a stomach-ache. You need something proper to eat.” He tugged me down, and I was on the ground yet again.

  I scrunched my nose. “Do I look like I care? Last to reach Wal-Mart treats the other!” I pushed Wesley to the ground and slipped into my pants on from the previous night, not even bothering to change out of the oversized shirt.

  Outside, I revved my engine, and Wesley popped out of the front door with his pants halfway on and his shirt over his head. Grinning, I put on my helmet and tore down the streets.

  This is just too easy.

  Chapter 16

  I lost.

  I fucking lost.

  When I was gleefully tearing the streets, I forgot to check just how much fuel was left in my Harley Davidson. I was just past the corner at the end of the street where Wesley’s house was when my usually trusty bike sputtered for a few moments.

  “Come on, come on,” I muttered under my breath, desperately revving the engine only to face silence.

  From where I was, Wesley was still nowhere to be seen. The entire street was a deadly silent as the morning sun roamed across the sky, set within the azure of the heavens. For miles, fluffy white clouds dotted the area as I squinted into the sunlight. Though the rays of the sun were beating down unforgivingly on the gravel road, the silence was still pounding louder than any noise could.

  “Well, it could be worse.” I shrugged. “At least Wesley’s not catching up yet.”

  Just like that, the heavens decided to prove me wrong. I heard the engine of Wesley’s motorcycle before I saw his silhouette. He was riding like a madman, appearing out of nowhere and speeding past me. With a helmet on for safety precautions, I almost couldn’t recognize him, and I wasn’t too sure if it really was him until he stopped a few meters away.

  “Having trouble there, princess?” He taunted, and I imagined he was smiling.

  “I wouldn’t mind a ride.” I shrugged with an unsure laugh, crossing my fingers behind my back
and praying that he would forgive my cheating ways and help me out. The supermarket wasn’t that far away, but pushing my bike all the way down the street in the blazing heat of the sun wasn’t exactly favorable.

  “Darling, you’re the one who left me back in the house struggling to put my jeans on properly.” Wesley shook his head playfully before facing ahead. “You’re on your own, baby doll.” Without another word, the engine of his motorcycle roared to life, and he tore down the streets, leaving me coughing in the dust.

  It was a painful half an hour. After dragging my bike down two blocks and parking it in a Wal-Mart parking lot, I found Wesley leaning against the trolleys with a gleeful grin on his face.

  “That wasn’t fair!” I stomped my way over to him as he burst into a fit of laughter.

  “You left me desperately trying to race up to you before your Harley died! How was that unfair?” Wesley smirked, folding his arms across his chest.

  “’Cause my Diablo hasn’t eaten his lunch yet!” I scowled, grabbing a trolley and steering beside Wesley.

  “You named your bike devil in Spanish?” Wesley laughed as my scowl deepened. “That’s got to be the biggest joke of the century.”

  “Shut up. You’re the biggest joke of the century.” I snapped and hopped into the trolley, folding my legs. “I’m tired. Push the trolley. Thanks.” I folded my arms across my chest as Wesley continued his hyena laughter. He pushed the trolley into the giant mart. As we went through aisle after aisle, I randomly grabbed snacks and looked for good ice cream. And by good ice cream, I mean Ben & Jerry’s, of course.

  “Damn you push like a grandma,” I commented, grabbing more bags of Lays.

  “Maybe because you weigh like mine.” Wesley huffed, and I scowled. Though I loved Granny Jerald, that was just offensive.

  I racked my brain for a good comeback but ended up with none. “I do not! You just don’t appreciate a good body anymore.” I pouted like a child when Wesley burst into another fit of laughter.