The Art of Letting You Go

i love you too

Olly's POV:

"He was so flirting with you!" 

"The waiter was not flirting with me, Olly. For the last time," Avery laughs as I admire the moonlight dancing across her soft skin and silky hair. She has yet to repeat the three words, and it doesn't even bother me. In this moment, all I need is to be within her presence. 

We're heading out of the restaurant and into my car. Avery has no idea where we're about to go. I don't even know. I just want to take her away from here, away from the hassle of school and work, away from the pressure of parents away from me kissing Taylor.

She won't admit that our waiter was flirting with her, but I could tell. The way he was looking at her was the way I use to look at her before she was mine. The desire, the want. The need. However, I'd never tell her that. I'm scared ti let her see that side of me.

I open the car door for her and let her assemble herself before I close it and make my way to my side of the car. I buckle myself in and turn the radio up, smiling when Avery's face lights up to the sound of The 1975.

Half way through the drive, which is filled with comfortable silence besides the music, Avery takes one of my hands in hers. I glance down at it, and then at her. She doesn't seem to notice she's holding my hand  over the center console. She's so comfortable around me that she subconsciously needs to feel my touch against hers.

"Olly, where are we going?" She stops her humming and turns towards me. I smile.

"It's a surprise." I say, knowing it will get on her nerves. She shifts in her seat and lets out a whine. I squeeze her hand and chuckle at her reaction. God, I love this girl so much. 

Around seven minutes later we finally arrive at the destination. I hear a gasp leave Avery's lips, much like the one she let out at the restaurant. I turn the car off and unbuckle, hopping out to open Avery's door before she so stubbornly does it herself. 

"Thank you," She merely whispers as I do so. I shut the door and take her hand within mine, leading her down to the beach. I watch her intently as she scans the environment, taking in every gram of sand and counting every cloud that decorates the dark purple sky. I'm in love with her attention to detail.

"What's in your hands?" She asks, her voice as soft as the skin I'm touching. "A blanket," I reply. She smiles up at me, causing my own heart to melt.

I take the blanket and set it down on the sand. The water is calm, despite the anxious beating in my heart. The moon is bright, illuminating more of Avery's skin. I never want tonight to end.

"This is beautiful Olly." Avery states. I sit beside her, squeezing her hand even tighter. She leans into me, humming to no beat as we lay down. I caress her body, my arm wrapped around her waist as one of my legs tangles within hers. Her head is resting on my chest, as her hands trace the patterns of my shirt.

"I love you too."

My breathing stops.

"Olly?" She asks, sitting up to look down at me. "I love you." She says again. Her eyes scan my face, trying to read some type of expression from me. I can't cry in front of her again. Though I so want to. A tear must have made it's way out because she starts to wipe under my eyes with her thumb, careful to the delicate skin there.

She leans down and places her soft lips onto my rough ones. They're probably salty and wet now, but I doubt she cares. The kiss deepens as I place a hand over her hair, caressing the side of her head as my other hand snakes its way to her waist. She climbs over me as her tongue massages hers.

After a couple of minutes she pulls away, leaving us both out of breath. She leans down and lays on top of me, giving me the courage to pull my hands through her hair. My fingers interlock with her soft curls, which I presume she did just for this date, as her breathing slows.

I smile up at the sky, continuing to stoke the hairs on top of Avery's head. Not only do I love this girl, I'm in love with her. I left her here for a week. I left her while her parents where in the middle of getting divorced, which isn't even over yet. I left her at the party that one night, after I had beat the living daylights out of some guy. I left her crying at the coffeehouse before she had to leave me.

I haven't told her why I left, or where I was. I haven't told her why I kissed Taylor when I knew Avery hated her, when I knew I loved Avery and hoped she loved me. 

I don't know if I can, it wasn't supposed to end up like this.

"Olly?" Her harmonizing voice pushes the horrid thoughts to the back of my mind. 

"Yes Av?" I say, hearing her gulp when I reply. She seems nervous. 

"What is it Avery?" I say again, tilting my head up so I can see her better.

"This is so embarrassing," She starts and I hum in response, hoping the motion will calm her.

"I want to... do something." What? "For you." She says, now fully sitting up on her elbows to face me. "What do you mean baby?" I ask and she blushes. I guess I'll have to call her that from now on.

She laughs slightly before using her pointer finger to motion towards my belt. I gulp like she had moments later, now realizing what she wanted to do for me. We eye each other for a few seconds before I find the courage to speak.

"Only if I get to return the favor."