Easily broken

20|| He did what?!

Ava Pov (😏😏)

Over the last few months i've been hanging out with the boys while Matti is busy with Payton. Blake more than the other 3 but what can I say? I never would have believed you if you told me i'd be hanging out with the popular football jocks.

I haven't seen Pay in a quick minute and decide to head to her house. I would have texted her but a surprise visit seemed more fun. I took the short 10 minute drive from my house to hers and parked my car.

I wonder how beat up Pay is about her mom being in the hospital. I don't know much about it though. My mom was just telling me that she ended up there. I wonder if Payton even went to visit her.

I get out of my car and knock on the door. It takes a few minutes but her dad eventually opens the door. "What do you want? Oh.. Ava."

"Hey! Is Payton here?"

"Ha. No" He goes to close the door but I hold it open

"Where is she?"

"How should I know?" Wow that earns him father points.

"Okay. Thanks anyway" I turn to walk away and pull out my phone. Payton doesn't go anywhere. Where the hell could she be? I text Black, Reese, Jesse, and Logan in our group chat and ask if they've heard anything from Matti or something.

They don't know anything so I ask them to meet me. We meet at the park down the street and make a plan. "Okay.. I know i'm taking this out of proportion but i'm freaking out. She doesn't just go and wander off. She's always home." Blake stands up and comes behind me wrapping me in a hug.

"It's okay. Did you try texting her?" No. That would have been smart but I panicked and texted them instead.

"No. I didn't" He gives me a peck on the cheek and chuckles a little "In my defense I panicked." He kisses my cheek one more time before backing away. I pick up my phone and dial her number.

"Hello?"

"Pay?"

"Yeah? What's up Ava?"

"You weren't at home. I stopped by to surprise you because it's been a hot minute. Your dad didn't know where you were." She scoffed at the last part.

"Of course he didn't. He hasn't paid attention to my life since I was a kid. How would he know?"

"Where are you?" I asked ignoring her comment about her dumb dad

"Matthew's house. I'm staying here for a bit."

"What?!"

"Yeah. After I visited the hospital I just couldn't go back home. I'll explain more in person. This isn't a phone call conversation. Come to Matti's house. I'll explain here."

"Okay. The boys are coming too."

"K. See you soon."

"Bye."

I hang up and then immediately say "We're going to Matthew's house."

It takes about 15 minutes to get to his house. The second we park i'm all but jumping out the car. The way she spoke on the phone is concerning me. Why would she be staying at Matthew's house? What happened?

I get onto his porch and knock on the door. Payton answers it and I immediately hug her. "Are you okay?" I whisper. She laughs a little and pulls back.

"Yes. I'm okay. Come in" I walk in and the guys follow in behind me "Hey guys." She said with a small polite smile. She's different. I hate that I missed when she changed. Wait. Wait. Where's her hoodie?

"Nice face" I say with a joking smile and she looks at me confused for a second before realizing.

"Oh. Right. It's upstairs." She points up the stairs

"Right." I turn around to face the boys "Uhm. Could y'all go find Matti and stay with him. I need to talk to Payton." They nod and flee up the stairs. "So.."

"My dad is abusive." I'm just standing there. So shocked that I can't move or say anything. "He's the reason my moms in the hospital. I didn't want to go back there. Grammy didn't offer her place but Matti did."

"What did he do?" I was honestly scared to ask

"Let's see.. I was in my room and suddenly I hear glass breaking. I leave my room and head downstairs to see what happened. Instead of seeing a broken cup that my mom dropped, I see a vase knocked on the floor because my dad tackled her. I saw him on top of her and he was going in for a hit, so I tackled him which did not go well. He ended up hitting me too and I ended up running. I left her. And the next day she was in the hospital."

"He did what?!" That's awful. How could any man do that.

"He's been abusive for years. I just didn't think it would ever end with her in the hospital."

"Years?" I'm a little sad to realize that she hasn't told me

"Yes. I couldn't just tell you, Ava."

"Yes, you could have."

"Please. Don't fight me over this. I can't lose you right now."

"Fine."  I really wanted to fight her about this but I know how hard it is for her to open up. "That motherbitcher." I scoffed and went up to hug Payton.

"Motherbitcher?" She laughed

"Yes. Motherbitcher." We both laughed as we hugged for a few minutes. "So.. what's new?"

"Nothing really. Just the hoodie I guess, but it's really only off here."

"Hey, It's a start" I smile "Me and Blake are dating."

"What! That's great!" She smiles and jumps at me to hug me again "Me and Matti kissed." She whispered in my ear. I pull away and look at her

"What?!"

"At the park. He tackled me. Total cliche moment... It was perfect."

"Oh my god! That's amazing. Are y'all gonna date?"

"I don't know?" She said it like a question "I mean would it even work out?"

"You'd have to try, babe"

"Maybe I should play it off and then say I had a date planned. Then act like i'm going on a date with someone else and then he gets the hint without me having to reject him."

"Dude.. that's such a bad plan."

"Ughhh" she runs her hand down her face frustrated. "I don't know what to do!"

"Relax. That's the first step. Let him bring it up and then go with the flow. You won't die from trying."

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

"I'm always right." I smile and pull her in for a hug "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. So much" She squeezed a little harder and we stayed like that for a minute.