Arlington (Book One)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

A warmth next to me on my face slowly wakes me from my heavy slumber. Prying my eyes open, they are practically caked closed, and I can feel that the pillow is damp that I am laying on. The sunlight blinds me as I try to get my tired and inflamed eyes to adjust. Glancing next to me, I see Lena passed out cold with her makeup smeared under his eyes. Peering around the room, I recognize the décor as my own and realize I am in my apartment, it's not safe for me to be here. Why would I be here?

Slowly trying to recount the details of yesterday, I remember going into shock. The feeling is something I am soon not to forget. The sensation of Genève shaking with her arms around me, and sensing her pain comes back to me. But why did that happen? Trying to think back further, everything becomes blurry, but I remember a phone call.

An intense pain rips through my chest as I remember the details of the conversation. He's dead, my father is dead. I will never get to see him again; I will never get to hug him or tell him I love him. He won't be there to walk me down the aisle, he won't be there for me ever again.

Hundreds of memories flash in front of my eyes, the first time I rode the subway with him. The first time I took gold at a meet and how much he boasted about it all week. All the nights we spent on the couch doing work together. The time I came out to him and how he told me he loved me and didn't care what gender I was attracted to. The hug he gave me when I graduated from high school and then again when I received my master's degree.

"Aviva?" A soft voice asks me, cutting me out of my thoughts.

Turning my head, I feel the cool air against my now damp cheeks. Tears are pouring down my face and a sharp pain radiates from my chest, but everything is deathly calm. I should be hysterical; I should be balling my eyes out and screaming at the top of my lungs. I just lost my father forty years before he should have died. But everything is just still.

"Aviva?" The voice asks again, and I look into the grey-blue eyes that I love and feel nothing.

"Yes?" I manage to say.

"When did you wake up?" She asks me in a gentle voice. Something about her tone seems off, maybe it's just the stress of the situation. Maybe it's the fear of when I will explode or shut down again.

"A few minutes ago," I say but my voice sounds wrong.

"Why don't I make us some breakfast," Lena says with a worried tone.

"I'm not hungry," I say.

"I know but you haven't eaten since yesterday at lunch Avi. How about a bowl of cereal?" Lena asks me and I know I don't have any, but I don't doubt she would go and buy it.

"I'm not hungry," I say firmly.

"Okay how about a glass of a sports drink," Lena pleads. I don't ever drink those anymore; I only drink the shakes Greyson made when my energy levels are low. She knows that she never offers that anymore. Even if I just make half of one, they are the most effective thing for me to consume.

"No," I say coldly. Confusion sweeps across me as I stare at her harder.

"Aviva please," Lena says getting frustrated and I crawl out of bed.

"I need to go," I say slightly disoriented.

"No, you need to rest, your still in shock Aviva. Please stop pushing me away and let me help you," Lena says, and I wait for the shadows to start dancing. They always respond to her when she's upset.