Hooked on love

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

She really did drive slowly. I managed to tell her everything though, so I got the hard bit out of the way. I sit waiting patiently for her response.

"So, setting Nick aside for now. Why are you still with Jackson? Please don't tell me you're with him for the baby because it won't work." She wasn't as shocked as I thought she would be. "I knew he held something for you honey, everyone knew." She said. I'm the only one who was blind. When I asked her why she didn't say anything she replied with "it wasn't my place." Which I understand, but things could have been different.

"I'm not mum, I do love him, he just needs help with his inner demons." I say. I didn't want to tell her because she'd treat him differently. "I don't know how I feel about all of this. Are you being sick?" I know she's referring to my panic attacks. She stares at me, burning her eyes into me. I can't lie. "I was sick once, that's all. I'm fine!" Her eyes widen. "Ava Wood, I am your mother and so help me if you don't start confiding in me I will kick you to timbucktwo!" She looks like she's about to cry, she's never been this angry at me before. "I'm sorry mum, I'll tell you next time, I promise."

"You best, I can still disown you, you know!" We both laugh.

She drops me off at the library and tells me she's going to costa coffee for a latte while she waits for me. She doesn't like places where she has to be quiet. I usually don't, but it if involves a book or two I'm down.

It was easy to find the pregnancy section. I don't know what to pick so I took a random selection and found a table by the window. I found out that at my 20 week scan, I get to see whether I'm having a girl or boy. I really want a girl. I'd love to have the same relationship and friendship like the one I have with my mum.

An hour passes and I notice that someone has sat in front of me. They're staring at me happily. "Hello." He says with a smile. "Hi." I reply. I wonder how long he's been there. "When I heard you was pretty, I didn't think you'd be this pretty." He grins. He looks so carefree, leaning his chin on his hand. I don't feel like he's just complimented me either, what's with that?

"You heard?" I ask. Does he know Jackson? "Yeah. I heard from Kyle, you know him right?" I feel uneasy. Something's telling me to run, but I can't. Something's off with this guy. "I don't exactly know him, he's dating my best friend." Well, they broke up. It shouldn't matter if I lie to this guy. Who is he?

"She's called Cassie right? She's pretty too, I've met her not too long ago. She's a feisty girl, I'm sure they broke up though." He shouldn't know that, how does he know? His smile isn't nice to look at, it gives me the creeps. I notice a scar on his left cheek when he drops his smile when he talks, that looks like it hurt. Then it hit me, something that Cassie said. "He had a scar on his cheek, probably from a knife." My hearts stops and my blood turns cold. This guy casually sitting in front of me is Damien.

What could he possibly want? He knows about Cassie and Kyle, how? Keep cool Ava. "By the look of your face you know who I am, I see Jackson has told you about me." The smiles gone, he's serious. "You could say that." I can't give too much away, I don't know that much to give away in the first place. "How did you know where I was?" I ask. Do I want to know? I'm scared. I unconsciously put my hands over my belly, he can't see it but I feel like I need to protect my baby. "I've been following you for a couple of weeks now Ava, but I couldn't have done it without the help of Kyle."

"Kyle? He wouldn't have told you willingly." Damien smiles, he looks wicked. I realise that he's forced Kyle to tell him about me. My heart beat quickens. "What have you done to Kyle?" I say angrily. "You're not dump I'll give you that, he's with my friends. Do you want to see?" He pulls out his phone and slides it in front of me. It's a picture of someone tied up covered in blood, I recognise the bracelet on his wrists. It's from Cassie on their first date. It's Kyle. I feel like I'm going to throw up. I slide the phone back to him with more force than he did, how could he do such a thing? Why is he back? "He caved in eventually, he got what was coming to him anyway, especially after Luca." What do I do? Do I go to the police? I need to tell Jackson, he said I'd be safe! I take a deep breath and calm myself. "So what do you want? You clearly went to a lot of effort to get to me, I see you don't use phones to communicate." I spit at him. "I wouldn't have needed to do what I did to Kyle if your boyfriend picked up the phone to me." He's been trying to contact Jackson? He didn't tell me. "I wouldn't know, he doesn't tell me everything as you can tell. So I'll ask again, what do you want?" I'm getting impatient, I want to leave and my mum will be here shortly. He doesn't reply, so I grab my books and stand up. "Alright, sit down. I'm here to talk about Jackson." I place the books down and take my seat again.

"Talk." I said.