Amiss

Chapter 27 - Trey

The sound of a phone ringing rouses me, and I roll over with a grunt. Who the hell calls at this ungodly hour and on the weekend to boot. Shoving a pillow over my head, unfortunately, does nothing to dull the noise. The screeching of Ava's phone emanates from just outside my bedroom door, and I vaguely recall dropping her handbag in the hallway last night.

I glance at the sleeping beauty beside me; Ava's still dead to the world. It seems unlikely she will wake up anytime soon to answer her phone or at least silence the damn thing. The ringing finally subsides, and I begin to relax, closing my eyes as I listen to Ava's soft snores. My eyes shoot open when I hear her ringtone once more. Whoever's calling is persistent. I clamber out of the warm bed and grope for the door. Lurching into the bright hallway, I blink rapidly at the sunlight; it must be later than I thought. Sometimes I forget how much the thick curtains darken my bedroom.

Ava's handbag is strewn on the floor along with her high heels, where I dropped them in my haste to get her inside. I reach for the dainty thing but hesitate, not really wanting to paw through it even if it's just to innocently silence her phone. I reenter the room and sit on the bed next to Ava, deciding how to wake her. She looks so peaceful, and I decide I can't do it. This is all so fresh and new; I'm way out of my depth. I leave her bag on the bedside table and stalk out of the room, seeking coffee.

~

The day has progressed well into the afternoon by the time I hear the toilet flush, my only indication Ava's awake. I was already staring into the empty fridge contemplating lunch, but instead, I flick the kettle on to make a round of coffees.

I take Ava's coffee into my bedroom just as she lies back down on the bed, faceplanting the pillow. "Hey Ava, how are you feeling?" My answer is a muffled grunt which tells me she's recovering from her hangover well. Her crankiness is adorable.

"I brought you coffee and paracetamol."

"Thanks," she mutters into the pillow before rolling over with a heavy sigh. I smile down at her as I place the coffee and bottle of pills on the bedside table next to her handbag. "How did you pull up so well?" She asks as she reaches for the steaming cup.

"Years of practice Angel." My words are nothing but the truth. After all, I've been self-medicating longer than I'd care to admit.

"I wish I'd listened to you. After the shots, it's all a blur," she peers up at me sheepishly. My grin widens as I recall the details of our messy night. "What are you smiling about? Did I embarrass the hell out of myself?"

"You and Letty got us kicked out of the karaoke bar."

"Oh my god," Ava squeals before sinking back into bed and burrowing beneath the covers.

"Don't be embarrassed, Ava. I had a great night; some bits were very memorable." I hear her groan from under the duvet.

"I'm sorry for drinking so much."

"You don't need to apologise, Ava. It was good to see you let your hair down. You and Letty were entertaining, to say the least." I pull the blankets down, unveiling her gorgeous face.

"But aren't you mad? I can't remember getting home and after..."

"By after, do you mean me carrying you inside and us going to sleep? Because you didn't miss anything there." I smooth some of her silky hair out of her eyes as she blinks up at me.

"Thank goodness. I was worried I blacked out on the good parts again." Ava sounds relieved, and I smile huge.

"Yes, much to drunken Ava's annoyance, I didn't want to take advantage of you." Her blue eyes go as round as saucers.