Not So Broken (West Coast College Book 3)

Chapter 34

Cameron

Ava usually jolted in her sleep, wiggled around and burrowed herself closer into my chest or side deeper, but when she rocked into me and a soft whimper escaped her lips, I knew she was dreaming about something horrible.

Blinking through the grogginess, I shift on my side, noting it's three AM and we both have practice at eight. Ava whimpers again.

"Oh, Baby." I smooth out the crease between her brows with my thumb before sinking my hand in her hair as I pull her head closer to my chest, wrapping myself around her.

A cry fills my ear, her hand fisting the material of my shirt and I immediately wonder what she's dreaming about.

There are so many bad aspects of her childhood that I don't know about it and it gives me the fucking chills just thinking about the unknown of what she's gone through.

I press the palm of my hand into her back, creating small circles as I kiss her. Her nose, her cheeks, her lips. "Sunshine," I whisper. "Wake up. Wake up and I'll buy you as many books as you want."

Ava sniffles, her body stiff as a board when she jolts awake. Her chest heaves as she cries into me and I move my arms to tighten around her waist. Fuck, I love having her this close to me.

"Relax for me, Baby," I whisper, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she does what I say, her body melting into mine.

I gaze down at her under the soft glow of the light Mike must have left on in the hallway. "Cameron?" She croaks, "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

My lips tip down into a frown. "I don't care about that. I'm more worried about you. Do you wanna talk about it? The nightmare?"

Her sigh tickles my skin. "It was just about my Mom and her bullshit." When she groans in pain, I pull away to get a better look at her. "Ava? What's wrong?"

"My back is fucking killing me. It never hurts this bad unless-" She tenses, pushing away from me and yanking the covers off of us. I raise a concerned eyebrow.

"No, no, no," Mumbling under her breath, she swallows as she looks at me before bursting into tears. "Please don't be mad."

"I could never be mad at you." I brush a loose curl out her eyes. "Now can you please tell me what's wrong?"

"I understand if you wanna break up with me and if you want to kick me out." She rambles, not meeting my eyes. "And if you hate me, that's okay too."

Tilting my head, I slowly grab at the covers she's used to wrap herself with, shooing her hands away when they grab at blankets. Oh.

I give her a soft smile. "One. I could never hate you. Never. And two, I'm not gonna run away at the sight of blood. You got your period. It's normal. It's okay."

"But it's all over your bed and sheets since I'm not wearing underwear! And it's on your sweats!" She cries, her face crumbling over something so simple.

It makes me wonder what her Mom has told her about this that has her shrinking into herself with shame.

I look down. We must have turned sometime during the night because blood soaks the grey material but I honestly don't give two shits about that right now. "I can get new sweats, Ava. That doesn't matter right now."

She just cries harder at that and without thinking, I drag her onto my lap with her knees tucked in tightly and stare down into her eyes. There are no words to describe how beautiful they are. None.

"You should go back to sleep, Cameron. You have to train in the morning." She says, a little pout forming.

I raise an eyebrow. "So do you," I point out, "So let me help you. Let me do this for you. No one else. How 'bout a bath? Maybe some tea?"

Her teeth run over her lower lip nervously. Using my thumb, I pull her lip free and kiss her softly. "A bath does sound nice...but only if you want to. And if you're sure you don't need to go back to bed right now."

I stand, scooping her up in my arms before waking our way down the hall quietly and into the bathroom. Setting her down on the toilet seat, I start to run the water, making sure it's the perfect temperature before going into the kitchen and making her tea just the way she likes it (with honey and cream) before grabbing a pair of my sweats and a tee for her to change into afterwards, not bothering to change my own damn pants.

I knock before I enter and am happy to see she's already buried under the bubbles I added in the tub, hoping the epson salts help her back. I pass her the tea. "I hope I made it right. I can remake it if you don't like it."

Ava smiles, looking rightfully exhausted for three in the morning. "I'm sure it's perfect, thank you."

I try extremely hard not to think about the fact that she's completely naked under the bubbles and I'm suddenly grateful I dumped half the bottle into the water. But she tests my control when she asks, "Do you think you could stay? Ju-just sit with me?"

"Sure," I sit just outside of the tub with my back leaning against the wall. "Do you need anything else?"

"No. Just you."

God, my heart can't handle her. It does this little flip like it's soaring. "I can do that," Reaching for her hand that's hanging outside the tub, I clasp it tightly, "I'll be right here."

Ava sucks in a sharp breath. I can't tell if it's from her back pain or not. "You really mean that?"

"Every damn time, Sunshine. Every time."

Her eyes glisten with tears and she gives me a wobbly smile that I return. "Promise?"

"I fucking promise."

We sit in silence for maybe ten minutes before she hums, tilting her head back with a sigh. "I have an appointment with my audiologist on Friday. Do you think you'd like to come with me? I'm only wondering because you've asked me a few times about my condition."

"Audiologist...? Do they help with your hearing?" I've never heard of the fucking thing.

She nods, eyes still closed. "Hm. They oversee my hearing and do tests to determine how much hearing I have left and ways to prevent any more loss. They also see if I'll need better hearing aids."

I kiss her knuckles, tsking when I see all the bandages around her fingers. "I will definitely be there." I couldn't wait to learn more about her condition. So much so that I'll be bringing a notepad and pen with me so I can take notes.

Her expression explodes into pure joy and I know I would give everything to see her like this all the time. "Thank you, Cameron. But ah-I think I'm ready to get out if that's okay and go back to bed."

I jump to my feet, handing her the plush white towel before stepping out. "I'll go change the sheets and meet you back in my room, okay?"

Ava only takes a few moments before I hear her feet in the hallway and then low chatter before Mike's door at the end of the hall slams shut. "Did we wake the fucker up?"

Ava laughs as she crawls in beside me. "Yes. He's mad we disturbed his beauty sleep and then when he saw my mug, he was mad that you didn't make him any tea."

"Oh boo fucking hoo. I'm not his damn servant."

"That's right. Your mine." Ava says with a grin. I chuckle.

"Damn straight I am. And I wouldn't want it any other way."

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hey readers.

just wanted say after this chapter, the story will become very heartbreaking and sad for many. there is a list of triggers below.

tw's:
loss of a friend
alcohol
bad behaviour
and much more that isn't coming to mind at the moment

anyhoo, i also want to say after i drop this bomb on you guys, that cameron will grovel A LOT for his future behaviour towards EVERYONE, not just ava.

you can check my insta if you want spoilers for what may to come.

love, becca bitches💗