Again | g.d

Part Twenty-Six

The moment I knock on Avery's door a new level of nervousness courses through me. The few seconds it takes her to open the door pass like minutes.

Do I smile? Should I be the first one to say hi? Do I get straight to the point? What if she doesn't even want to talk about that? Fucks sake, Savannah, what else would she want to talk about –

"Anna?"

When I snap out of my deep thought, I look up from my shoes and lock eyes with Avery. To my surprise, being face to face with her brings back the same feelings I had the first time I saw Grayson again.

I'm nervous, and scared, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy to see her face again.

I let a tiny smile spread on my lips when I speak first. "Hi."

But it quickly goes away when Avery's sad facial expression doesn't change. She shoots me a wry smile, and I know it's forced. She skips greeting me back, and steps out of the way so I can come in.

I swallow the lump in my throat coming to terms with the fact that this conversation might not end how I want it to.

Without either of us saying a word, I follow her through her house and into the kitchen. Avery sits down at the tiny table in the center of the room and I quickly sit in the wooden chair across from her.

I watch as Avery situates herself. She adjusts the shirt sitting on her shoulders, tucks her hair behind her ears, then clears her throat as she folds her hands together.

I don't rush her, because I can't imagine how hard it must be for her to say a single word to me. As she gathers herself together I examine her face.

Her eyes are red and puffy. She has bags under them, too. She looks tired and heartbroken.

I did that.

I look away from her, unable to face how badly I've hurt her.

"Thanks for coming," she pipes up finally.

Her voice is raspy, and deep. Completely different from how she normally sounds. She's been crying. Not that I could blame her.

I sit up a little straighter. "Yes. Sure. Yeah, of course."

I hope I don't look as nervous as I sound.

The kitchen fills with silence again. I break it, unable to stop myself from asking the one thing I've been wondering for three months.

"Do you hate me?"

"Yes," Avery answers almost immediately. She says it with so much confidence, I know she means it.

I was expecting her to say that, but actually hearing it from her still hurts. And it's not like I could blame her. I would hate me too.

It's like reminding her of how much she hates me also makes her remember everything she wants to say. Because in a split second she's saying so much I can't keep up.

"I hate you for lying to me. I hate you for going behind my back. I hate you for stealing my fiancé. I hate you for being the worst best friend in the entire world," she says fiercely.

I don't bother fighting back. There's not much to say to defend myself. I was in the wrong. And every thing she's saying is true.

"Okay. Okay, I deserve that," I breathe out.

"Yeah, you do. Every last bit of it," she hisses.

I bite my tongue to hold back the things I want to say. I stop and think for a minute. "I messed up Avery," I say. "But I can't change what happened. All I can do is tell you how sorry I am, and try to gain your trust back."