Return What Was Lost

Chapter 41

Julian spent the next few days trying to be a better person. The opposite of his father. It was now his personal mission to be everything his father had never been.

He actually listened when Cole asked him to clean up and even took the initiative to do both of their laundry for once. He helped Brady catch up in science and even let Chelsey style a few outfits for him after her begging for weeks.

All he wanted to do was be good. He felt like he was getting there. He was even listening to Brady go on and on about his favorite basketball team even though Julian knew they would barely make the playoffs this year.

"Are you sure you can drive yourself?" Chelsey asked Avery.

Julian looked over and noticed Avery standing up with her things. He realized she was getting ready to go somewhere.

"Yes," Avery said with an annoyed expression. "It's just a cast," she mumbled, waving her cast in the air.

Chelsey looked at Avery with a knowing expression but then shrugged and returned to her magazine.

Julian knew Avery better than that. He studied her as she picked at her nails and tried to steady her breathing. She was putting on an act and her eyes were fighting with him to let her have this. So Julian let it go. He looked down and nodded.

"All right, see you soon," Julian heard himself say as he got himself prepared to follow her.

Avery only nodded and waved before leaving with her keys. As soon as the door closed, Julian stood up and grabbed his bag.

"Where are you going?" Brady asked.

"To go help my girlfriend who is not as okay as she is making it seem," he said as he shook his head and opened the door after her.

Julian knew Avery better than anyone else. She would never come back on her own and admit that she was scared. However, Julian knew just how terrified she must be. He peeked his head in the hallway and watched Avery carefully.

Halfway down the hall and perfectly still as a statue, Avery looked like a deer in the headlights. Julian's heart broke a bit, as much as he knew he would be right, he didn't want to be, not about this. Julian opened the door all the way, letting it squeak a bit so she could hear him.

At once, she turned around and he could see how nervous she actually was. Her whole body was tense and she looked like she was going to cry.

Julian rushed over to her.

"How'd you know?" she mumbled as she put her arms around him.

"Lucky guess," he said soothingly as he hugged her back.

Avery was shaking. It started recently but she had also developed this nervous thing where her breathing became unsteady and she picked at her nail beds to comfort herself.

Julian only noticed it late one night when he was holding her hand. The skin around her nail beds were raw and bleeding. He wasn't even sure Avery realized she was doing it. Now Julian often made an effort to hold her hand so that she wouldn't ruin her fingernails.

"Will you drive me?" she whispered with her cheek pressed against his chest.

"Of course," he said, holding her tightly.

Julian held her hand and they walked in silence to the parking lot. Julian hadn't brought his keys so he drove Avery's car.

She looked pale, almost green. Julian kept glancing over at her worried the whole drive. Her eyes were shut and she just kept squeezing his hand the whole time. Julian felt terrible, maybe he wasn't a good driver and it was making her anxious. He tried to drive slower but then a car was on his tail. Julian just let the car pass, he was not risking Avery's life.