Getting back to "Normal" | Rhekker

Chapter 45- Phone

Connor woke up in bed alone, the apartment was quite, the floorboards squeaked as he crawled out of bed. Connor showered and brushed his teeth, looking sickly in the bathroom light. He opened the medicine cabinet to get his beard trimmer and spotted Ava's toothbrush and skin care. He closed the door hastily and left without trimming his beard.

It had been three days without Ava, Connor didn't know what to do with himself. He mainly sat around the house, staring off into the distance, wondering what she was doing. Connor leaned against the counter while his latte poured. He flicked open his phone and went into the search bar, a phrase came up immediately, from having typed it in several times before.

Minrhella Bekker, Ballet

Connor scrolled down for a while to find a dance he hadn't seen before. Connor found a dance and short interview with her. The video started, showing a clip of Ava flying across the stage in a blue dress. The video cut to Ava standing next to the man she was dancing with.
"Minrhella, how was your opening performance tonight?"
"It was wonderful, the audience were amazing"
"And how are you, Rhys?" The reporter asked.
"Doing great with her by my side" he pulled Ava closer and Connor realised he had his arm around her.
Ava caught Rhy's chin in fingers, tilting his head to kiss his cheek.
"Now, Minrhella, what would you say the biggest thing you've had to over come in your dance career was?"
Ava thought about it for a second before answer, "I fractured my ankle in a car accident when I was younger. I thought I would never dance again but I had great support to keep me going"
"Word on the street is that you may not be dancing for much longer?"
"No, I'm afraid that is true, this will be my last dance season. I'm following a different career path from my education" she smiled sweetly to the camera.
"An hint as to what that career is?"
"Oh, well you know how I like to keep my dance and personal life separate"

Rhys? Ava never mentioned him before.

Something hot it the back of Connors hand and he flinched away from the counter. The coffee machine had overflowed his cup with hot water, causing it to spill onto the counter. Connor cleaned up the mess with a towel, realising he'd hit the wrong button in the machine. With only a little time left before he hand to got to work Connor dumped his water-filled coffee cup into the sink and headed out the door.

*

Ava was being put up in a motel in the other side of town where she now sat on the end of a springy mattress covered with an unfashionable quilt.
"Ava, Ava are you listing?"
"Huh? Oh sorry jay" she shook her head.
"Like I was saying, this is your phone. It's got a bug in the back of it" he showed her as Hank stood over them.
"Is that not a bit obvious, is their not something smaller?"
"They won't find it" Hank put a hand on her shoulder and Ava looked up at him.

Jay packed up his things and stood up.
"We'll be back later to bring you to the meet" he walks out the door.
Ava went to stand up but Hank held her down by her shoulder.
"Have you had any contact with Connor?" He asked.
"You know I haven't" she looks him dead in the eye.
"Good, lets keep it that way" he left the room without saying goodbye.

Ava lay back on her bed, she hadn't left this room in days, her meals and information were all brought to her. She only had two outfits, both provided by PD, two pairs of leggings, two t-shirt, two pairs of socks, one bra and one pair of trainers. When she was brought here by PD they took her clothes from home. She hid Connors hoodie under the small dresser in the room so they wouldn't take it. When Jay came back in after Ava changed to take her clothes he starred at the small pile, noting the absence of the hoodie, but said nothing.

Ava retrieved the hoodie from the pillow case it was currently stashed in, slipping it over her head. She tucked her knees to her chest and buried her nose in the fabric, inhaling Connors cologne as she drifted off.