Ava's Triple Dare

Chapter Two: Nothing Like the Present

Ava stared across the table at her date. He wasn't anything special, and that's what made him special to her. She needed something solid. Something decent. She winced at the thought. Too bad, she couldn't remember his name.

"Look at the time, I have to get going." He said pushing back his chair.

Another one down.

"It was great getting to know you." She lied.

"Yeah, you too. You got this? Great!" He said then walked off before she answered.

She sighed pulling her wallet out. So much for Mia setting her up on this date. She threw a forty on the table and slid out from under the table. She grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

Just as she was going out the exit, her eyes caught startlingly familiar ice blue eyes and her heart started racing. She pushed open the door and escaped the beautiful stare. She took a deep breath and walked to her car.

What was Maddy doing here? Was Grey and Quinn with him?

God, she hoped not. She was just getting her life together, finally moving past them. Now, he had to show up out of nowhere?

The younger, more naive her would have turned around and spoken to him. This older her, refused to even turn back and acknowledge him. She could only hope that the other two weren't in town. They'd promised they wouldn't bother her.

Murmuring to herself, she climbed inside of her car and began the long drive back to her small apartment. She glanced down at her cell phone and saw a call from her mother. Groaning, she typed a quick text telling her she'd sent the money.

She finally arrived at her apartment, and climbed out of her car. She frowned at the steps and took off her too high heels, Mia had made her wear, and made her way to her third story apartment.

The apartment wasn't much and it wasn't the best, but it was hers. Everything in it was second hand, right down to the pillow on her bed. The apartment had a spacious living room, she'd placed the loveseat sat catty cornered in the corner and the small television on the stand with DVD's surrounding it. A small lamp sat next to the loveseat as did another chair. A wooden coffee table sat between them with a box of tissues and chocolates, she'd bought herself last week for Valentine's Day. The kitchen was tiny, so she'd just had Mia's boyfriend at the time, put up a pullout table on the ball. Her bedroom was connected, but separated by a stage. Her bed was a queen and probably unlike a lot of people, she had one long pillow across the top of it and a bright red comforter. One person slept in her bed and that was it, so why have a thousand pillows. A small side table had a groovy lava lamp and a book. On the other side of the living room sat her small desk and a huge wall of books.

Just as she sat on her bed, Mia walked in. Mia Jackson lived across the hall and had been her best friend since she moved in three years ago.

"How was the date?" Mia asked moving to the kitchen and grabbing out Oreo's.

"He ended up leaving within 20 minutes." She shrugged as Mia sat cross legged next to her.

"That's longer than the last one I set you up with." She smiled.

"Yeah, he was the last one." Ava grouched.

"But I was getting close." Mia pouted.

"No." Ava laughed.

"I just got the call that the new boss was in town." Mia murmured.

"Have you met him yet?" Ava asked grabbing a cookie.

"No, but I heard he was drop dead." Mia smiled licking her lips.

"What happened to Jackson?" Ava wondered raising her eyebrow.

"Nothing, besides the fact that it's gotten old. The sex just isn't what it was when we first got together." Mia frowned.

"Spice it up."

"I've tried, and nothing works. Maybe I'm just turning into one of those girls that don't enjoy sex."

"Whatever. You enjoy sex more than any other woman I know. You just haven't found the right guy."

"Maybe that's the thing. I'm trying guy but I should try 'guys'."

"What?!" Ava exclaimed hopping up from her bed.

"Maybe I should try guys." Mia shrugged staring down at the cream on her oreo.

"What brought that idea on?"

"I've been thinking about it a lot lately, I had the chance years ago, but I didn't take it. Now I'm wondering if that was a mistake."

"Trust me, it would have been a mistake to do it. Nothing complicates things more than that." Ava muttered.

"Ava! Have you been holding out on me!?"

"No, I told you about Quin, Grey, and Maddy."

"But you didn't tell me that part of it." Mia cried clapping her hands.

"There wasn't a 'that part of it'. The four of us were together, now we aren't. End of story." Ava said.

"You know that I know that there is a lot more to that story than what you're telling me?"

"Yes."

"Good, then when I question you about it in the future, you can't say I didn't warn you."