The Fight of Ambivalence ~ Harry Styles

11 - Again

Family has one definition, but many interpretations. Some people will only define it as the people you are related to by blood, but most people as they get older tend to expand upon that and let the typical rules become more lax.

Sheila likes to define it through love.

The concept of choosing your family sounds strange at first, but the definition of related means belonging. When you look at it that way, choosing the people who love you for who you are, accept you, and care for you really does make sense.

Everyone deserves to be around the people they love, no matter how they find them in life and the best thing you can do for yourself is to accept the love and support they give you. Sheila's still learning to do that.

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Though the library is typically a place to be quiet and study, Ava never seems to pay attention to that rule. Thankfully for Sheila, one of the perks of working at the library is knowing all the best, low traffic spots to sit to avoid pissing off other students.

There's only about a 10 minute stretch of silence between Sheila and Ava, the longest since they've gotten there, before Ava breaks it again.

"Hey, I forgot to tell you I'm going home this weekend. Do you want to come with me?" She asks.

Sheila looks up from her book and asks, "You sure your family won't mind?"

"They're asking specifically for you. I'm sure you could even go without me and they would be fine with it," she jokes.

"I highly doubt that. You're their pride and joy Ms. Lawyer," Sheila teases back.

"But you're my mom's favorite. She's so excited to pass on her years of teacher wisdom to you," Ava points out.

"I'm happy for the help," she replies.

"Yeah. I'm just happy I got the sister I never had," Ava says.

"Me too," she says, smiling widely at her. "I don't know how you survived with four brothers. Will all of them be there this weekend?" She asks.

"John and Andrew will be there and Charlie might make an appearance," Ava says, rolling her eyes. "You know how he is, we couldn't track him down if we wanted to. We don't by the way for the sake of our eardrums."

"Yeah, he is loud," Sheila agrees.

Ava groans and says, "I hear him haunting me in my dreams."

Sheila bursts out laughing and replies, "Okay Aves."

"I'm telling you I really do," she presses.

She nods and says, "I believe you."

"It's going to happen to you too one day," she adds, miming vague shapes and making spooky noises.

Sheila shakes her head and picks up her book again. She knows she'll be interrupted again soon for something ridiculous, but that's the price she pays to have the world's most amazing best friend.

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Over the years Sheila has accumulated a little pile of things she keeps at Ava's childhood home. Ava mentioned after their third trip that it didn't make sense to keep packing a toothbrush when her parents had plenty of space to spare.

On Friday night they pack up Raven's car since she graciously lets them borrow it and fill it up with far too many snacks for a short hour and a half drive. Traffic wasn't too bad Saturday morning since they left early, but Ava drank so much coffee she was practically bouncing off the walls and they had to stop at a rest stop twice. Once for her to use the bathroom and the other for her to run around and get some of the caffeine out of her system because she physically shouldn't sit still anymore and it was getting distracting.