Dear Ava

Chapter 15

 Ava had to pinch herself for the third time. There was no way she could believe that she, James, and Noah out of all people were sitting together in James' house. Noah's gaze was always down, staring at the floor. A heavy silence had spread across the room since Noah had entered, their previous conversation now buried deep down. Seeing this man in front of her, so withered down, Ava thought just how she had suspected a person to have the capability to take life. Why would anybody even do that? What did people who murdered others look like? Did they look guilty? Her mind conflicted with all the revelations that had taken place.

Ava was frustrated with the silence in the room. It was uncomfortable from the time it had begun.

"Yes?" Ava urged Noah to speak, finally, unable to bear the tension weighing down on them. "Why are you here Noah? I had enough of your.... Your insults in..."

But her words stopped right there when an apology was heard.

"I'm sorry" Noah's voice was almost a whisper. She wouldn't have heard it if she had not been staring at him.

"What?" Ava was shocked would be an understatement. She had not expected Noah to be here, let alone apologize to them.

"I said, I'm sorry." Noah was struggling to speak. "I am here to apologize. I'm sorry for treating Mason the way I did, for treating you the way I did. I knew what had gotten into me, it was the worst phase of my life and I'm trying to develop ...."

"Noah, but.." James started. He did not know this guy much. James had only encountered Noah once or twice, passing by as he went to work.

"No, this is not about me, this is about Mason. I am here for him. I think I know something." Noah wanted to speak more.

Ava didn't know what to do or what to say. She had too many questions, she had too much of anger buried inside her for Noah. Why did he ever do that to Mason? But she had to think carefully. She had to put the investigation before her constant need to hit him, to question him about his behavior. She changed her line of thoughts. The scarf was something she wanted to ask him about.

"Wait, before you say anything, where did you get his scarf? Why did you take it from him?" Ava confronted Noah. She needed the truth if she was going to further listen to him.

"His scarf, yes, that is what I'm talking about." Noah looked a little bit shook.

"What? What do you know? What are you talking about?"

"Yes, what?"

Came the bombardment of questions from both James and Ava.

"I think I saw Mason." Noah's tone was uncertain.

"What?" Ava and James' voices were in unison once again.

"I think I saw Mason that day... the day he..." Noah stopped, unable to continue.

"That day? You saw Mason that day?" Ava asked in hysterics. "When? Where? Noah, please tell me fast."

"About night I would say. At his workplace? Maybe he could be leaving that day? I saw him entering the workplace, I don't remember much. That's where I got the scarf. It had fallen in front of the restaurant. I thought it was Mason's so I picked it up." Noah said, in a breath putting out all the information he could remember.

"Restaurant? But, but Noah did not go to work that day." James added.

"What?" Ava asked, "Mason did not even come to college that day, he did not even get to his workplace?"

"But I saw him there," Noah spoke in all surety. "I saw Mason nearby the hotel that day."