Another Love | C.C

•Ch.5•

Ava was now sat on the couch and Crawford was still stood up, pacing the room. For the first time in a while, she felt a rollercoaster of emotions. She felt hurt again, but relieved, but also angry yet happy because she was around him again.

"Please just promise me you won't kick off at everything I say?" Crawford begged her.

"I can try" she said blandly, keeping her eye sight ahead of her and not on him. He looked at her for a moment and sighed, knowing that either way whatever he said would hurt her even more than he already has done.

"So obviously things started going down hill for us the first time I hung out with Emily again, and I promise you all that happened was we hung out and filmed a video for both of our channels before I came back home. But then I guess she started messaging me some more and I was answering her because at first I didn't think anything of it, I knew how good I felt with you so was oblivious to her flirting in the messages. One night she started saying how she thought you didn't like her and shit and how you were rude to her at a gathering and I tried defending you saying you're just shy and shit but she wasn't believing any of it. She was adamant that you didn't like. As time went on she just kept making little accusations towards you and I guess I started kind of believing her, like, I knew you weren't being horrible to her or anything but the way she was trying was working, in a way. And uh- one night Corey and I went over to film with her and Nezza and we were playing a drinking game and obviously I got drunk and she took the opportunity to make use of that. She kissed me and I didn't stop her. And I'm sorry. Things between us were already bad and I was too scared to make it worse, I didn't want to lose you so I didn't tell you, but didn't realise by then I had already lost you and I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have done it. But yeah, that's it all in a summary. I'm really really sorry, if I could go back and change it all I would" he explained to her, tears filling his eyes as he explained. He felt his heart pounding in his chest from nerves as he told her what had happened and could feel himself shaking slightly, something he's not felt in a long time.

Ava on the other hand, she felt her blood boiling in her body as he explained everything to her and all she wanted to do was smack the girl. But she wasn't like that anymore. After their break up she had changed. She became more vulnerable and hurt. She wasn't herself anymore and she knew that, but she also didn't want to change that.

"I need to go" she spoke, standing up from the couch and trying to brush past him, only to have him grab her wrist and pull her back. Their faces were inches apart and they were both thinking the same thing. Everything they started feeling more than two years ago started flooding back. But they were also both hurt.

"Please, don't go" he whispered to, trying his best to keep his tears in and not look weak to her.

"You should have been able to control yourself better, Crawford. You should have told me the truth 10 months ago when it happened, not now, after we both turn up at the same party one night" she told him, her voice cracking slightly as she stepped away from him. He diverted his eyes to the ground, but noticed her wrist and the bruising that was all over it.

"I should have been more stern" he spoke quietly, feeling his heart break at the sight in front of him.

Ava stared at him confused, unsure what he meant before she followed his gaze and noticed her wrist from last night.

"I-I'm fine" she told him.

"And your shoulder?" He asked. His eyes were bloodshot as he locked eyes with hers.

"Hurts. But I'll be fine" she whispered, unable to actually speak properly.

"I'm so sorry, Ava. For everything. I'm so sorry" he cried, allowing a few tears to fall this time. Not feeling embarrassed to cry in front of her, because even now, he still felt comfortable.

Ava awkwardly stood in front of him before a moment before deciding to pull him in for a hug.

"I just wanna go home, Crawf" she told him softly, holding him tightly. He nodded and pulled away from her embrace.

"I'll drive you home" he told her, forcing a smile at her.

"Thank you" she whispered.

Crawford grabbed his car keys from the coffee table and opened the living room door to have all the others fall inside.

"We weren't listening!" Corey yelled, very clearly exposing them all.

Crawford sent them all a look as Ava tried to hold in her laughs.

"Going so soon?" Kian asked the girl, still wanting to make amends with her himself.

Ava nodded and glanced at Crawford.

"I feel super tired and just want to go home and rest for the day" she partially lied.

"We're having a bonfire on Friday night if you wanna come? A few friends will be here" JC offered her, the others nodding in agreement.

"Uhh- sure. I'll let you know if I can't make it" she told them, smiling slightly. They all nodded and told her goodbye before she left with Crawford to his car.

The car journey was silent but not awkward. The radio was playing softly in the background and they were both lost in their thoughts.

Crawford knee he had fucked up, and knew there was a lot of work to be done. And Ava knew she was still hurt, but this was all out of her hands now.

They pulled up at her apartment complex and he insisted on walking her up to her room. They headed up there in silence and when outside of room 614, they stood facing each other.

"Thank you, for the ride..." Ava told him.

"No problem. Thanks for coming over..." he told her. She half smiled and hesitated for a moment before hugging him. The hug lasted around 30 seconds before she pulled away but kept her arms around his neck. The two stared at each other for a moment before leaning in slightly.

"I- I can't-" Ava spoke softly, almost inaudibly.

"It's fine..." he said, pulling away from her and diverting his eyes to the ground.

Ava stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, catching him off guard, but sending his butterflies crazy.

"It's gonna take time. And I may be super mad and on the verge of hating you right now, but I'm sure after time of rekindling things can get back on track" she told the boy, giving him a hug one last time before heading inside her apartment and leaving him stood outside.

Does that mean I have a chance? Crawford thought to himself. He smiled slightly, knowing she still felt the same about him as he did for her. He knew exactly what to do to gain her trust and get things back on track, and he knew himself it was gonna take time. But it was something he was willing to do to get Ava back. And to him, that was all that mattered.