Part 50 (1/2)
Me: I told you she was a friend.
Avery: So you'd be cool if I kissed Markus? He's my friend.
Me: No, I would not be cool with that and I can understand why this upsets you, but you do remember that you broke up with me.
Avery: Yeah, and you moved on. Guess it was all in my head, huh? This so-called real love I thought we had.
Me: Can I call you?
Avery: No. nothing to say.
Me: Don't be like that. There is plenty to say. Let me talk to you.
I wait, but nothing comes back. So I call, but it goes straight to voice mail. Closing my eyes, I drop my head to my knees and I just let go. I sob uncontrollably. I blame it on the alcohol because, d.a.m.n it, I'm a man. But this girl, man, she's f.u.c.ked me up. She can't be serious, though, and obviously she cares because she is jealous and upset. So I call her again, but her phone still goes to voice mail. I try again, and once more, her voice comes on the line, telling me to leave a message.
”Just answer me, Avery. Please. Let's talk about this. I don't want to lose you.”
Hanging up, I call again, and when it rings more than once, I sit up straighter. Maybe she's going to answer this time.
”Bro, it's midnight. What's wrong?”
s.h.i.+t. I called Jude.
But before I can hang up or tell him it's nothing, I'm sobbing like a f.u.c.king baby. ”She broke up with me,” I cry, trying to sound like a man, but I fail. Man, I fail so miserably.
”Dude, are you drunk?”
”Yes, but did you hear me? She broke up with me and she won't answer my calls. Why does this hurt so bad? Why does it suck, and why doesn't she want me? Why couldn't I be like you? Just f.u.c.k every b.i.t.c.h I see. Be a player. Why did I fall? Why did I let this happen?” I cry and I'm met with silence before I fall back into the wet gra.s.s.
”Jace, where are you?”
”It doesn't matter. Nothing matters. She doesn't love me. She saw a picture of me and Delanie together, and now she thinks I've moved on. But Jude, I can't move on. I f.u.c.king love her. Ugh, Jude, why?” I moan, closing my eyes tightly as the stupid tears fall from them.
”Claire, text Jayden, see where he is,” I hear him say, but I'm too busy throwing myself a bada.s.s pity party.
”This was supposed to be a fun, carefree year. Instead, I fell in love with this amazing, gorgeous, damaged girl who I want nothing more than to put back together. I want to hold her in my hands and love her, Jude, I do.”
”Jesus Christ,” I hear him mutter. ”Text him and tell him to find Jace.”
”I love her so much, and yet, that wasn't enough. She thought I chose hockey over her 'cause I was scared of her dad running my life. And really, that's your fault. You scared me,” I accuse and Jude groans.
”You deal with this drunken crazy. Give me Jayden,” I hear him say and then Claire is on the phone.
”Jace?”
”Oh, Claire... I know now what you felt when you lied to my brother and he dumped you. It hurts. It f.u.c.king hurts.”
”Oh, wow,” she laughs softly. ”Jace, calm down.”
”I can't! The love of my life has ripped my heart out of my chest.”
”Jace, honey, where are you?”
”In the gra.s.s,” I say, sitting up and looking around.
”What's around you?”
”The Bullies' house.”
”He's in front of the house,” she says to my brother and then she's back on the line. ”Everything is okay, Jace. Just calm down.”
”You don't understand! Jude came back for you. What if she doesn't come back for me?”
”She will. Calm down,” she coos, but then everything is black.
I'm out cold.
And nothing else matters.
Except the ache in my chest.
Warmth, I feel warmth.
Avery. She's here.
And she looks beautiful. Her hair is falling along her bare chest, her eyes are locked on mine, and her lips are parting. Moving my hand up her arm, I take ahold of her face.
”I knew you'd come back. I'm so sorry.”
I lean in to kiss her, but then a huge hand stops me.
”Whoa, gotta buy me dinner before I make out with you, you freak.”
When I open my eyes, Jayden is staring at me.
He's in my bed.
He's not Avery.
”What the f.u.c.k?” I screech, backing away from him and into the wall. He laughs as he shakes his head. ”What are you doing? Creep.”
”Shut up, a.s.sb.u.t.t. I made sure you didn't choke on your vomit all night. I should get a thank-you since I took care of your a.s.s instead of getting laid.”
I roll my eyes, sitting up. ”You didn't have to.”
He side-eyes me. ”Yeah, 'cause you were a witness to the s.h.i.+tshow last night. Dude, what did you drink?”
I shrug, my head pounding. ”Anything I could find.”
”Jesus, you were toast,” he says, shaking his head. ”You were crying like a baby on the phone with Jude, spilling your guts like a fourteen-year-old girl with her sad collection of One Direction playing in the background. It was tragic.”