Vault

Twelve

"Are you sure?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah," I assured him, "I'll be fine. I'm just going to hang out here tonight and watch Survivor, maybe order a pizza."

"Call if you want me to come back early, okay?" Jimmy insisted.

"Shut up," I rolled my eyes with a laugh, "go pick up your beautiful girlfriend and have fun on your date."

"Text me if you need anything," Jimmy smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, have fun," I smiled.

"Love you Ava," Jimmy called as he was walking out the door.

"Love you too!" I called back before the door closed.

I sat back into the couch and flipped through the channels on TV trying to find something to watch. Nothing really interested me, but I was exhausted. I wanted to sleep but I don't remember the last time I took a nap. I'll be fine, I just have to find something to do until Survivor is on tonight.

Survivor. It made me think of Karl. He's definitely going to be watching it tonight while it's on, like he said, he watches every week. Would it be such a bad idea for me to be friends with him? I liked his company before I saw him with Jessie, so maybe we could be friends. I think it's better than not having him in my life at all.

My fingers worked before my mind could tell them not to.

Me: Hey, this might sound weird, but do you want to watch Survivor with me tonight?

Karl: Yeah, that sounds awesome. Do you want to come over to my place? I usually watch every week with Bailey and Ethan

Me: Sure, I'll be over before it starts

Karl: I'll see you then.

I smiled at his messages and locked my phone, leaving me with my thoughts. I couldn't stop it. There was an eruption of butterflies in my stomach when his name appeared on my phone screen and the thought of the very slim possibility that he was happy to see my name on his phone made my heart race.

I pulled a blanket up around myself and cuddled deeper into the couch, feeling content for the first time in a while. I couldn't stop the sleep from washing over me, sending me into an abyss of darkness and thoughts I can't escape.

"Did you like it?" his voice echoed through my mind, over and over again.

I sat upright with a jolt, feeling a cold sweat on my skin. From the appearance of the sky outside, I was asleep for a lot longer than I thought I was. I checked the time, and I had to leave to go to Karl's if I want to get there before the episode starts.

I'll be safe there too, he wouldn't be able to hurt me there.

After I changed and fixed myself up so I didn't look like I had just seen a freaking ghost, I grabbed my car keys and left. I pushed everything out of my mind and drove to their house. I can't think about that part of my life. I have made an immense effort to put all of that trauma behind me, I can't let myself dwell on it. His voice haunts my sleep almost every night, but I only have vivid nightmares occasionally. When I'm awake, it's like it never happened. I really only struggle with it when I'm asleep.

"Hey," Bailey smiled when he opened their front door, "we were just ordering some pizza."

I smiled as I walked inside, sitting with the guys in the living room. It was pretty adorable, all three of them wearing a buff while they watched their favorite show. Almost as adorable as Karl was all by himself.

We all watched the episode, without talking much. Just eating pizza and watching the immunity challenge. I like being around them, just in their company.