HIGH

Chapter 33 Scared

*****brvdfordmalik.tumblr.com****

*****You & I*****

***ZAYN'S POV***

Ava sat across from me on the bed. She had one hand holding a clump of sheets and a towel to cover her chest while the other held a piece of pizza. Her eyes averted mine as she nibbled on the greasy piece of food. I knew she was being quiet because she was unsure me. I preferred her this way. Only speaking when I spoke to her. It was nice to have the quietness around me rather than her nagging of shitty questions. At the same time it drove me insane. I needed someone different to talk to. All the thoughts and pressures swarming my head were a constant headache. Silence made it worse but noise didn't help.

I found in odd that Ava took an interest as to what I do. Her questions were legitimate and for once I enjoyed talking to her. Or maybe it just felt good to finally talk about something instead of bottling it up. Either way she was nice to talk to, for that one time. I found it difficult trying to establish a boundary between myself and her. She needed to know that I was the one in charge, I was the one who was in control. Meaning I'm in control of when she can contribute to the conversation or not. However it was hard when we actually started talking to one another. I became so wrapped up in conversing with someone who gave a shit (at least it appeared so at the time) that I nearly told her everything right there and then. I need to get out more.

I put down the crust of my third slice of pizza and waited patiently for Ava to finish hers. I decided that I'd try hard to make it work while talking to her. If I was stuck with her, I might as well have someone to talk to. But I'm only doing it to keep my sanity. Bottling up all this shit and only dealing with the gang and all its problems wasn't healthy for me.

"That was probably the worst twenty bucks I've ever spent." I said dryly. I didn't mean it to be funny or lighten the mood- I actually was pissed off. The pizza was total shit. The only reason I ate it was to fill the empty void of hunger in my stomach.

Ava found it funny. A small smile warmed her face, obviously thinking I was joking.

"Did you like it?" I questioned her.

"Kind of. I've had worse." She responded curtly.

"I don't think that's possible."

"It is. When I was six years old my dad ordered a pizza and I took a slice with anchovies on it thinking it was mushrooms."

"What the fuck? Who confuses mushrooms with anchovies?" I asked in bewilderment. Anchovies are gross as fuck and mushrooms are no better.

Ava shrugged then took a sip from her glass of water. "I've never eaten either again. No mushrooms, no anchovies...disgusting."

I was happy that she agreed with me on that.

Both of us went quiet again. My phone vibrated somewhere on the ground. Before when I took my jeans off my phone had slipped out of my pocket in the process. It was still probably wet from when I was in the shower. Part of me wished that it was broken from water damage.

Ava was waiting expectantly for me to get up and retrieve the bloody device.

"I'm not gonna answer it. I don't have to leave for four hours." I justified my stubborn behavior. There was no excuse for not answering. I'd make up something later if the person calling confronted me.

"Okay." Ava said. She began picking at a stray piece of string on one of her blankets. My phone vibrated again. I had to answer it.

"Fuck. I'm gonna take this outside, I'll be back in a minute."