Another Love | C.C

•Ch.12•

The pair were still sat on the bank, silently watching the lake. It had finally gotten dark out and barely anyone was nearby anymore.

"Do you want a ride home?" He offered her, knowing she would be walking otherwise.

"Uh, yes please. If you don't mind..." she trailed, wrapping her arms around herself in attempt to warm herself up.

Crawford noticed this and stood up straight away, holding his hand out to help her up.

"Come on, it's just gonna get colder otherwise" he told her as she accepted his help to get up.

She muttered a thank you to him before they walked side by side back to his car. Once they were in the car, Crawford turned the radio on and the music played softly in the background of their silence for the whole journey. Ava stared out of the window and watched the world go by whilst Crawford kept his eyes on the road, allowing his mind to wander to many thoughts.

They pulled up to the car park of her apartment complex pretty quickly and Crawford parked in a bay.

"You want me to walk you up?" He asked her, turning to look at her.

She remained silent for a moment and more the less just stared down at her lap.

"I'm scared" she told him gently. He furrowed his eyebrows at her and shifted in his seat slightly.

"Of what?" He asked her, feeling slightly concerned.

She paused for a moment again before speaking, finding it hard to gather her words together.

"Of getting hurt again" she mumbled, fiddling with her fingers which rested on her lap. He immediately felt a bit of pain in the pit of his stomach, knowing exactly what she meant. Guilt washed over him as he realised he was the cause of her feeling so low in this moment in time. 

"Ava-" he started slowly, only to be cut off by her.

"I know, I'm overthinking, it's whatever" she rushed out, staring out the window to avoid eye contact with him.

"No, no I don't think you are. I get it. Maybe we've been taking things too fast and I understand if it's overwhelmed you or something" he told her, not wanting her to push him away or even feel scared to tell him things.

"I just don't want things to go wrong this time" she told him, turning to look at him. She could see the stress in his eyes and the rosiness on his cheeks increase slightly. She didn't like making him feel anxious but she didn't know what else to do in this moment onward.

"And it won't, Ava I promise you, I want this as badly as you do. I'm in it for real this time, no more breakups" he told her, placing his hand on her knee softly to reassure her.

"I want to believe you, Crawford, but I was more than just hurt last time. I felt like I lost everything when we broke up. I'd already jeopardised my relationship with my family back at home and all my friends here in LA chose you. I felt so lost and empty I genuinely didn't know what to do. If it wasn't for Sam and Colby letting me crash at their place for one night I would be back home in England right now doing who knows what, because I don't have many people out there anymore apart from a few friends." She ranted to him, almost pouring her heart out.

"Ava, I promise you, no matter how long it takes I will wait for you to be ready. I'm never gonna put you in a position again where you feel like that. I realised how much I fucked up the moment I watched you walk out of that house the day we ended things, but I knew I had to let you go. I figured over time I'd just get over you and move on, but I never did. I'm not giving up on any of this this time, I don't care how long it takes. Please, just trust me on that?" He pleaded her, feeling the rate of his heart pick up slightly.

She remained silent for a moment.

"I don't want to throw anything away Crawford, but you just need to try harder instead of assuming after one day we can act like boyfriend and girlfriend when we're technically not" she told him sternly, meaning every single word.

"That's fine by me. Can I take you out tomorrow?" He asked her, smirking slightly.

"What, like a date?"

"Yeah, like a date" he nodded, grinning slightly as he awaited for her response.

"Okay" she nodded slightly.

"I'll text you the details in the morning. Now come on, let's walk you up" he said, unbuckling his seat belt and hopping out of the car. Ava copies his actions and they walked up to her apartment in silence.

"I'm sorry, about my behaviour tonight. I'm just not feeling good at the moment, that's all..." she told the brunette in front of her as she turned to face him once reaching her door.

"No it's okay, I understand. I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked her, making her nod in response.

"Okay. Goodnight Ava" he told her, wrapping his arms around her waist to hug her tightly. She willingly hugged him back before telling him goodnight one more time and heading into her apartment.

When she closed the door she leaned against it for a moment, letting a breath out.

"You good?" Tara laughed.

"I hate how much I've fallen for that boy all over again already..."

A/N I know it's short! Just a filler chapter! Better chapters coming tomorrow, I promise xox