In This Love

Dinner

Time moved fast. The whole week went in a flash. It was Thursday, a week since Rhys came back from Canada. That little incident was known to no one in the news. For which I was grateful. In just two days my university will be starting. Which means the final new months of studying then I'll be going to the next chapter of my life.

As for Rhys and I, we were just back to the normal routine. Him going to office, me spending time in the house reading, getting some errands done. Both of us just ignoring each other as much as we could even though I found him stealing glances at me every now and then which wasn't exactly classified as "ignoring me". But his cold shoulder towards me told me that I am just imagining all of it. It's all in my head. Why would a guy like Rhys would look at me like that. The night of arrest and these days were really screwing with my head. Like, what does he want?

I even went for the doctors appointment for this month. And the tests came out the exact same as of last checkup.

I was stuck in a constant state.

But still there is hope.

Right now I was sitting with the Holt family in their mansion having dinner. My family was here too and I asked Sarah to come because I didn't want to be here alone with these sharks which kept looking for chances to irk me.

Sarah sat next to me and Rhys was sitting parallel to me.

I had my head down as I ate the steak. All the elders were having their conversations with each other while us. Rhys, Sarah, Ashley, me and Alex. Rhys's best friend whom I recognised as the guy who came to the wedding and the guy who accompanied Rhys at the café.

When that incident happened.

"So, Avery you've been going for your checkups?" It was Mr.Holt who had asked me that question. I lifted my head and found everybody looking at me, waiting for my answer.

They all were interested.

"Yeah. Every once in a month. I had my last checkup just yesterday" I said as I looked back at my food, my fingers curled around the fork as I felt a bit nervous of the future onslaught of questions.

"Are you going to recover or not?"

"Is Rhys taking you there?"

Mrs Holt and Mr Holt asked those questions respectively and I was aloof at words for a minute.

I pointed towards Mrs Holt "The process is very complex. A human body is very complex. Since it's the muscles of my leg, the activity of our muscles is unpredictable. The constant exercises can help you heal all of it" I answered her.

I then turned towards Mr.Holt "N-no. Rhys is not taking me for the checkups" within the millisecond he gave Rhys an accusing look and said "Rhysand I-" but I stopped him.

Rhys was looking at me right now. Correction, glaring at me "It's not like he declined but I didn't want him to take me" the clattering of crockery stopped for a while as they looked at me. For some reason Rhys was surprised too.

"I never asked him but he is kind enough to send the driver with me" Mr.Holt simply nodded.

Everybody's attention diverted to Ashley when she said "You still haven't answered Mrs Holt's question" she smirked at me "are you gonna recover or not?"

I looked at my parents this time. Sending my message to control their beast before I unleash my own.

But both of them were unaffected by my pleading look.

"Yes! Ashley I am recovering! Happy?" I exclaimed while putting my elbow on the table and looked at her.

Sarah chuckle nervously and said "Alright folks let's calm the tension a bit?" She pinched my elbow causing me to glare at her.

"Avery you're acting like a child here. Your sister is just asking you a simple question. Don't be rude to her" it was Dad this time. Making me boil with anger, my grip of the fork was so tight that it hurt.

Sarah pinched me again but I ripped my arm from her hold "And if I don't then what are you gonna do about it?" I challenged.

To say that Mason Stark was shocked would be an understatement . He was so shocked that he couldn't even process what was going on.

Alex coughed a little, what it seemed like he was choking back laughter while Rhys on the other hand was amused.

Dad sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He debated with himself whether to react on this or not.

But being the intelligent man he his, he chose the latter.

He decided to just simply laugh it off, quite literally.

"Anyways, I'll be the designer for this year's New York fashion week. So there will be an after party that I'll be hosting. Everybody on this table is invited" Mrs Holt said with a bright smile on her face.

"Congratulations! But I won't be coming to the event" her smile faded a little and Ashley let out a sigh of relief.

Everybody noticed it "Why not?" She asked.

"My university starts in three days, so I have to prepare for that" I said in a low tone.

She shrugged it off like my presence wouldn't make much of a difference.

But Rhys was looking at me right now with question in his eyes. I knew he was wondering if the reason I just gave to them was legit or not. Maybe he wondered if my past indulgence at an event and what the outcome was still kept me awake at night.

An hour later

Just the five of us were sitting in the common room of their mansion. The whole place was decorated in the retro style. I wondered who decorated this place. The style didn't define neither of the Holt family. It just told me it was Cassy Holt who designed it all.

I was sitting on the sofa playing with a rubix cube in my hand. Sarah was next to me with a bored look on her face. While Rhys and Alex were just on their phones talking to their assistants - discussing their business deals.

"Can we go back now?" I asked no one in particular with frustration.

Rhys was the first to react and then Alex turned towards us "Why? You guys are bored?" He asked when he put away the phone in his pocket.

Rhys did the same and sat on the chur in front of us.

"Bored? Pft! You guys are keeping such a good company. With your phones in your hands and giving us all the attention you can" Sarah exclaimed sarcastically.

"What do you guys want to do?" Alex asked and I rolled my eyes.

I didn't want to do anything. I want wanted to go back and ho to sleep.

"I'm tired and I need sleep" I looked at Rhys and said "You have work tomorrow too so..." I hinted that I want to leave this place.

"Yup! Ryan is waiting for me too back home so I have go too" Sarah yawned while saying that.

"Who's Ryan?" Alex raised an eyebrow at Sarah.

"My fiancé" she replied with a huge grin and showed her finger to Alex.

I noticed how happy she became at the name of her fiancé. She had someone to call him hers. I sighed and looked away.

"Let's go then" Rhys looked at me at said.

A/N: Really short boring chapter! Oh well...