Retaliation ✔

Chapter 32 - Green Eyes

*two days later*

It was Friday, and I'd invited just Sam and Hazel to hang out together just like we said we would. We were all seated on my living room couch, looking at each other slightly awkwardly. Asher was screaming, like usual, just above us, but other than that it was silent.

I spoke up, wanting to break the eerie quiet, "So, what's up with you guys?"

Hazel and Sam exchanged a look before Samantha ignored my question and brought up another topic. "We only have one week left until graduation, and only four days of school. You've got to have pretty awful grades since you skipped all this week, so you need to come, okay?" She seemed more stern than usual, so I responded just as seriously.

"Didn't Corey tell you what happened? Need I explain to you how hurt I am?" I argued, really not wanting to go back to school for those last few days.

"Christ," Hazel muttered with a sigh. "We're here for you, and if you need anything, even just to talk or some bullshit, we'll help you. But, do yourself a favor, Aveline, and go to school."

I groaned loudly and held my head in my hands. Without realising it, tears started dripping down my cheeks like they had done so many times that week. "We weren't enough for him," I sobbed, looking up at Hazel. "I wasn't enough for him. Ash wasn't enough for him. Hazel, you said you knew how this feels because of Sam. How did you put yourself out of your misery?"

Hazel moved from the chair she was in to sit next to me on the couch, wrapping a thin arm around my shoulders. Samantha stood up and traipsed to the kitchen, where she pulled out two beers from the fridge. After returning to the couch to sit on the other side of me, she handed over the booze and began drinking her own.

"With Sammy I always knew I was enough," She finally murmured, before resting her head on my shoulder. "Really you just need to know that you are."

Hazel peered over at Sam with her big brown eyes, who nodded. Sam took a sip of her beer and set it down on the floor by her feet. She then turned to face me and simply said, "As for Ashton, he was enough for you, and you aren't a total dickwad like your dad, so you can stop moping about that." A grin started forming on my face, and soon enough my mood had brightened.

"Can we do something fun now?" I questioned, taking a swig of my barely touched drink.

Hazel gave me a confused look, raising her eyebrows and nudging to the beer. "Hell no," She replied, just as Samantha said "hell yes." Just like old times.

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*one day later*

"Aveline! I need you to help me!" I heard my mother call from down the stairs. I sighed, something I'd been doing a lot of lately, and made my way to the kitchen. Asher's screaming got louder as I got closer. Fun.

"What does he want?" I shouted over the baby's crying. My mother shrugged and instructed me to put him to bed while she went out for a smoke. I gave my best stink eye, which somehow only encouraged her more.

With yet another sigh, I hoisted Asher up and began traveling up the stairs. That's when I realised that I'd need to go into the dreaded bedroom, which I hadn't entered since the day Ashton died. Upon slowly going into the room, I observed my surroundings.

Everything was different, which was no surprise, but still upset me an insane amount. I looked at the new curtains, the crib, the new rug on the floor covering Ashton's puke stain. Our parents even painted his navy blue walls, which he's had since age five, and had that color simply because he thought baby me would like it.

I looked down at the little baby in my arms, who had somehow calmed down on my trip up the stairs. For the first time, I really observed what he looked like, and noticed the beautiful green eyes he had. Just like Ashton's.

I felt tears coming up once again, but pushed them away. Taking a seat in the big rocking chair, I held Asher close to my chest and nestled my face in the small bundle of warmth. I was crying then uncontrollably, hot tears leaving stains on my cheeks and the baby's blanket. "I miss him so much," I sobbed under my breath, pecking the top of Asher's head quickly before cuddling him to my chest once more.

I rocked back and forth like that for too long, before realising that the child had fallen asleep in my arms. I wiped the tears from my cheeks and looked at his closed eyelids for a moment. Standing up slowly, I out him into his crib and snatched the baby monitor from his little white dresser.

As soon as I got down stairs, my phone started ringing loudly. I swiped quickly to make it shut up, I didn't need the kid waking up anytime soon. I put the phone to my ear to hear Corey 's voice. "Hey do you think I could go to your house tomorrow? Both of my parents are going to be here all day and I really don't want to be here for it."

I smiled and let out a grateful chuckle, savoring the sound of his voice. "Sure," I muttered in reply before he thanked me and hung up.

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*one day later*

Corey entered my house and a kiss was immediately planted on my lips. The peck was so quick and unexpected that I didn't have time to respond before he made his way to my couch and seated himself.

"What was that?" I questioned, in confusion, taking a seat real close to him just like I always did.

Corey grinned and turned to me, running a swift hand through my hair and responding confidently, "Go on a date with me."

"Uh, what? Cunty are you high?"

"I know you're not in the best situation right now," He started, looking at me in a strange way. No one had ever looked at me like that before him. "But I really want to. I think I could help you, too. Please?"

I hesitated before answering, "Yeah, of course, but when? We're graduating in less than a week." He smiled super widely and me and pulled me in for a warm hug. I pulled away slightly, still mildly confused, but still waited for answer.

"How about this Saturday? The day after graduation. It can be like a little celebration," He answered quickly and full of energy. I tentatively agreed before making sure he knew what was up.

"No cheesy shit, though. Don't give me flowers or chocolates or whatever. And I want to pay for my food!" I said, raising my eyebrows at him smugly. Corey gave me a sly eye before cheekily replying.

"We'll see about that."

I raised my eyebrows even higher at that, scooting a bit closer to him. "Oh, really?" I smirked at him, still inching impossibly forward. I put a lazy hand on his shoulder before shoving him hard, making Corey fall off the couch.

I started cackling as he pouted, muttering about how violent I was towards my date. Soon enough, I was being pulled to the rough wood floor, landing next to him. We both burst out laughing again, for no apparent reason, laying side by side. Corey calmed down first, turning his head to face me, who was still chuckling.

His eyes began roaming my face with the same look as earlier, and he whispered in my ear, "Give me a quick kiss because you're so mean."

He pouted his bottom lip and widened his baby blue eyes. "Not with that puppy face. I ain't a furry."

Corey choked on his own spit, laughing hard. I remained chill for once, just staring at his snickering face. I grabbed his head and planted my lips on his firmly, feeling everything inside me burt open once more. That amazing feeling never seemed to go away as we kept kissing.

Corey wasn't laughing anymore, but instead kissing back passionately and grabbing my hips with his warm hands. We just kept kissing, on the floor of my living room, until a female voice interrupted us, "Get up, love birds. Someone's gotta feed this baby and I'm not breastfeeding."

I broke away from Corey and scrambled off the floor to my mother smirking at us. She'd never smirked before in my presence, so it was quite the sight. Corey began cackling again on the floor, and soon enough everyone in the room was laughing, including Asher.

And the happy chemical returned.