WITH YOU- I Never Had A Choice ✔️

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

DYLAN

"I'm here, " I whisper, gently setting a kiss on the top of her head. And that's all it takes. Immediately, sobs start wrecking her body. Her tears wet the front part of my shirt but I couldn't care less. Her nails dig painfully into my waist while she desperately holds onto me as her body keeps trembling. I tighten my arms around her, almost pulling her off her feet.

With each shudder working through her body, my throat closes up more. Never in my life did I think that I am capable of being so damn hurt by watching someone else cry. Not that I am heartless, I do feel empathetic for people who are suffering but this is killing me. Hell, I've only known her for like what like twelve days? When did I get so much attached to her?

Closing my eyes, I press my left cheek on her head and let her cry all she wants. If I have to keep holding her for the rest of the day, I would happily do that. If this is just what happens when she gets reminded of the tiniest detail about her past, I can't even imagine of the agony she has latched up in her heart.

Minutes pass by but I don't loosen my grip around her. I'm pretty sure that if I let go of her, she is going to crumble down on the floor. Moreover, it feels so... peaceful holding her to my chest. Slowly, I feel her easing out but her clutch on my shirt remains intact. I gently lead her to the bed and sit her. She settles her face at the crook of my neck, as if for hiding her tears. I can hear her sniffing as a hiccup leaves her mouth. I begin to caress her back. "Shh, it's okay."

After a while, she starts pulling away and looks at me with swollen red eyes. Her cheeks are red and stained with tears. The tip of the nose looks like a swollen red bulb. Even in this miserable condition, she looks adorable. "I-I'm sorry." She sniffs and removes her hands from my shirt.

I cup her face with both of my hands and ask, "Hey, why?" I'm confused. Why would she feel the need to apologise?

"You needed someone wh-who could comfort y-you." Sniffs. "A-and I started... crying." She looks down at her lap. I bring my thumb and rub off the tears from her cheeks and tilt up her head.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, okay? I can't tell you how much it means to me that you opened up."

"Thanks, " she tries and gives me a small smile. I hold both her hands in mine, slowly stroking her knuckles with my thumb. Silence engulfs the room but it feels like the air is freer than before. Might be for the fact that we both let out our emotion but feels like today, a huge wall between us just got broken.

Someone knocks at the door. I shift and call, "come in." Mrs Griffin peeps in through the door, eyes both of us and says, "dinner is ready."

"Okay, we're coming." She closes the door and leaves. I turn my head to look at Avery, who is staring down at her lap. I bring my hand, hook a finger under her chin and tip-up her head. "You go. I'm gonna get changed and I'll be right there, " I say, softly. She nods and gets up. I let go of her hands and watch her leave the room. It's so weird how much I still want to hold her.

I leave to get freshened up but not really. Just as I am left with my thoughts, my mind goes back to what Dr Brown said. I know that I am losing mom, every single moment but that doesn't make it any better. Even today, I think someone is going to come up to me and say, your mom is alright. She is not going anywhere.

I couldn't bear to stand there for more than ten minutes, looking at my mom in that condition. After meeting Dr Brown, I directly went to my parent's house to see mom but I just stopped dead in my tracks when I reached their bedroom door. Her cheeks were sunken, her eyes had dark circles around them, she looked so thin. So lifeless. I couldn't stand there anymore, I had to leave.

I leave the bathroom and put on my sweats and a tee before walking down. From the stairs, my eyes fall on Avery, she is sitting on one end of the table, with a spoon in her hand. Her plate still holds her food intact. She is looking straight ahead at nothing in particular, twisting the spoon on her hand.

"Avery?" I call as I reach her. She jolts out of her haze and looks up at me, blinking rapidly. She didn't even see me coming until now. I pull out the chair beside her and sit down, "are you okay?"

"Hmm...yeah, " she nods and runs her free hand through her hair. Giving me a tight smile she asks, "are you okay?"

Sighing, I look down and shrug, "I don't know, " I answer truthfully. I wouldn't really call this being okay. She puts her hand on mine and starts stocking slowly.

"I can understand." Mrs Griffin comes in with my plate and places it in front of me. Avery removes her hand from mine and takes a bite from her food. I manage to eat some however not all. It's just that, I am so mentally and physically exhausted that I am not feeling hungry at all. When I get up with my plate still half-filled, Avery looks at it and frowns but doesn't say anything. I do appreciate that. I just don't feel like eating today and I would hate to disobey her right now.