reborn. - ONGOING

2.

Ava was walking in the woods, trying not to break down. She knew it was the best decision to make. Instead of pretending and faking her feelings in the relationship, she ended things with Stiles.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't even hear Derek approaching. "Hey Ava? What are you doing here?" The older man's voice was filled with confusion. "Oh my God, Derek-" She jumped in surprise. "How did I not hear you???" He smiled at her. "Well, you seemed really distracted." She chuckled. It was only at that moment that Derek noticed the scent of sadness emanating from her. His focus shifted to her face, where he saw tears. "I guess I caught you at a bad moment. Are you okay?"

She almost, but not quite, broke down. She still had control over herself. Swiftly, she wiped away the tears and tried to avoid making eye contact. Her heart raced as she thought about how concerned Derek seemed to be.

"I just broke up with Stiles. So... I don't know how I feel." She let out a dry laugh. "Oh," Derek didn't quite know what to say. These two had been dating for about 4 or 5 months. Honestly, he wasn't even exactly sure about that. "I'm really sorry, Ava. I'm not the best at handling emotions, but if you want to talk..." He wanted to be there for her. He had always despised seeing her sad.

"Normally, I would say no, but Stiles is probably talking to Scott right now, and I've always wanted to talk to you more, you know." She began to laugh. "Wow. If you're going to boost my ego that much every time we hang out, then sure, we can spend more time together."

Ava and Derek found themselves walking together in the woods, the tranquility of nature surrounding them. Ava's heart raced with every step, her mind filled with conflicting emotions. She couldn't deny that she had developed a crush on Derek, but she had been in denial, afraid to acknowledge her feelings for fear of ruining their friendship. And then she started dating Stiles...

As they strolled amidst the trees, Ava couldn't help but notice the way Derek's smile lit up his face, the warmth in his eyes when he looked at her—it sent her heart into a frenzy. She hoped that her true emotions wouldn't be too obvious with her heartbeat.

Lost in her thoughts, Ava's footsteps slowed, and her gaze fell to the ground. She felt a lump forming in her throat, overwhelmed by the recent breakup with Stiles and the confusing emotions she harbored for Derek.

"You look like you're about to have a breakdown. Do you want to come to my loft? I can make you some tea. Scott mentioned that you wanted to talk to me about something anyway. Maybe we can have that conversation, and it might distract you," Derek suggested, his voice filled with genuine concern. Ava was surprised by how much he cared about her, more than usual. And then there was the other matter with Scott. Yes, it would be good to talk to Derek about it.

"Hello? Earth to Avantika? Yes, or no?" Derek's voice broke through her thoughts, bringing her back to the present moment. Blinking, Ava offered a warm smile. "Uhm... yeah, sorry. I was just lost in my thoughts again. You know you're not my Alpha, right? Scott is," she playfully reminded him. "But yeah, sure, let's go."

As they set off, Derek tried not to let jealousy consume him because he had always thought about wanting Ava as his Beta. And that there was also this desire to be more than just a friend which had always lingered in the depths of his heart. But you can't have everything in life, he mused. At least, he could help her with her feelings and be a good friend.

As they started walking towards Derek's loft, their footsteps syncing harmoniously, a mix of emotions swirled inside Ava. She couldn't deny the fluttering excitement she felt being in Derek's presence. Her heart whispered to her that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance of something developing that might be more than a platonic friendship. But Ava quickly pushed those thoughts away.

Arriving at the loft, Derek opened the door and gestured for Ava to enter. The space was filled with thousands of books and magazines. Likely about the supernatural, she thought. He quickly busied himself with preparing the tea, offering Ava a comfortable seat on the couch. The soft scent of chamomile wafted through the air, providing a soothing ambiance.

Ava observed Derek's movements, admiring the way he effortlessly navigated the space, his presence enveloping the room with a sense of calm.

"So, what happened with you and Scott? He didn't wanna tell me anything, but it seemed like it was really important." Derek's curious voice resonated from the kitchen as he prepared the tea.

She chuckled. "Well, prepare yourself, it's a lot."

The older man leaned against the kitchen counter, his gaze fixed on Ava. "I'm all ears, sweetheart. Lay it on me," he encouraged her, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.