The Art of Letting You Go

numb

Olly's POV:

"Why did you do that? Do you have feelings for me?" Taylor asks as I let go of her neck and sit back in the booth. I pulled away from her as soon as I heard the bell ring at the door, signaling Av walking away. Taylor keeps looking at me and it makes me want to slap her, but I won't. I'm too much of a gentleman. 

"I'm leaving," I announce, eyeing the coat I bought Avery which she left on the back of a chair. She must be freezing outside. I look out the window, wondering if she's started to walk home yet. I see Mason mumbling something in her ear as he puts his jacket around her. I should have never trusted that snake. I saw it the moment I met him, in this very cafe, eyeing her down as if he felt the same way I did. He was just waiting until I broke her heart, so that he could be the one to mend it for her. Of course. I couldn't blame him, if I were in his position I would've been waiting for my turn, too.

Seeing her grip the material tight sends a shiver down my spine. I grip the ugliest trench coat I had ever seen close to my heart. It still smells of her perfume. Her sweet, girly, flower perfume. Her mom bought it for her three Christmas' ago.

Av and Mason slowly begin their walk home, as Taylor approaches me with tears in my eyes.

"Why did you do that in front of her?" She asks. I'm surprised by her question, even I can't answer it. I wanted to, I thought I had an answer, but I don't. She rests her hand on my shoulder but my whole body had gone numb.

Avery's POV:

Mason was still holding me as we walked to my house. I'm surprised by his strength, holding me up, because I knew as soon as he'd let go I'd collapse. I wasn't crying which should have surprised me even more, but none of my emotions seemed to be working. 

We walked in silence, seeing each other's icy breath occasionally, reminding me of how cold my once warm heart feels. The questions start to reel in as a tear finally decorates my pale cheek. What was going through his mind? What was going through mine when I decided to trust a boy I barely knew? I already had so much going on, with my parents soon-to-be divorce and trying my best to get into the college of my dreams. He knew I came hurt, as did he. He knows betrayal, so how could he possibly betray me? 

"Av, I know what you're feeling right now, and how much you must not want to think about it, but I'm here to listen when you're ready." Mason speaks to me gently as we walk up the stairs to my front door. I hadn't even realized we were so close.

"You know what I'm feeling?" I repeat his words, wondering if he had truly felt the way I did right now. I feel like I've been left for dead. It's stupid, I know, but I already missed him. I missed his calls after school and I'd only gone without them for one day. He has a hold on me.

I wonder if Mason was telling the truth. I wonder if he felt nothing like I do. I feel...gone. Like this body isn't mine. I don't really know who I am, but with Olly, I had some type of idea at who I could be. 

"My ex-girlfriend cheated on me with her best friend." His words shocked me, I didn't even know he had an ex. I opened the front door, glad to see my parents cars weren't in the driveway, and motioned for Mason to follow me inside.

We both take our shoes off by the front door as he follows me into the kitchen. He takes a seat at the counter as I make us two cups of coffee. 

"So, her best friend, huh?" I manage to speak over my self-pity. He nods, taking the cup of coffee in his hands before taking a big gulp. No wonder he works at a coffee shop, it's obviously his comfort place.

"We weren't dating for too long before we became so close to each other we were never apart," He pauses, taking another gulp of the steaming hot beverage. I start to compare what he's already said to the relationship I'm currently in. "Our friends thought we were stupid. They could barely be around us, so eventually it was just us." He continues. I wonder if our friends ever felt like this? "Anyway, she started going to some art club and it took away from our time outside of school. Next thing I knew, her best friend was always with us. I didn't mind, but of course at the time I didn't know my girlfriend had the hots for her." He takes a deep breath. His voice is shaky and his pupils have grown small as he studies the design on my counter. "I wanted to surprise her with breakfast, and her mom let me into the house. I walked into her room, found them... there. Next thing I knew, she left me with no girlfriend and no friends since they all grew sick of us."

I sat down next to Mason, embracing him as he turned towards me. We both rubbed circles onto each other's backs. "I'm so sorry, I thought I had it bad." I apologize and he pulls away from me, burning his eyes deep into mine.

"You do, Av." He says, my face cupped in his hands.