Love You A Long Time

Chapter 12-A Hint of Avi

Avi POV
Kirstie went shopping with Mitch, like, 20 years ago. She said something to do with Mirstie? I'm firmiliar with that ship name, but the fans know he's married to Scott, and also that KIRSTIE AND I ARE SOUL MATES! Every time I think about spending the rest of our lives together, it gives me jitters. I'm not nervous, just excited for her to be with me, with no possible way she could leave me. I know that sounds clingy, but I love her so much. I pace the room, and get bored from all the deep thinking. I sneak a look at her suitcase, and lo and behold, a scrapbook pokes out of the corner of her bag. I open it. The first page is a picture of her mother, cradling a new born Kirstie in her arms. Both of their wrist tags are glued to the baby pink paper. A picture of her father cradling her in his arms is on the right hand corner. His eyes are filled with a bright light. I turn the page, and a toddler Kirstie smiles a toothy grin. The years go by on the pages. My favorites are her giant smiles with missing teeth. Scott and Mitch permeate the later pages. I get to a page with Kirst in all black. She has no make up, with tears streaming down her puffy, red cheeks. She stands with her mother. She stands straight, but her face looks down trodden. Her mother stands next to her. Her shoulders slumped, her dark make up streaming down her cheeks. They both stand next to a black box, a coffin. I search for the father. He died. Oh, my. The rest of the page are pictures of him. I turn the page. I wipe my cheek. A single tear had streamed down my cheek. She was twelve. Ten years ago. I see a smiling Kirstie with Scott. I see a picture of her and Mitch. I flip the page, and a picture of Kirstie and Scott in a booth together about age 15 is matted on a piece of orange stationary. 'Best Friends Forever' is lined against the top. I smile. Kirst walks into the room.
"Were you looking at my scrapbook?" She smirks, then her expression darkens.
"Look, I'm sorry about-" I start.
"It was a car crash," she starts, rather distant. "It was raining, really hard. I was at home with my mom. My dad was driving home with my little sister. We had just figured out she had a miscarriage. It was super hard, and we had to pick Sarah up from soccer. Gosh, she was so good. She's paralyzed from the waist down. My mom takes good care of her. That little blonde girl was Sarah. It really hurts, you know? It's been ten years, Avi. It still feels like a fresh wound!"
"I-I'm so sorry. I wish there was a way I could help."
"Leave me alone," she turns away.
"How can I help?" I say, genuinely concerned.
"Are you deaf? You heard me. Leave. Me. Alone," she snaps. A pang hits my chest.
"Fine, I'll leave you alone. Don't come crying for me to talk about it, don't come to me. You've made your point on how much you don't want to be around me," I storm out of the room. My fists are tightly clenched as I huff out of the hotel. Kirstie and I never fight. Rarely, should I say. Sometimes when she's in a bad mood, or if I am, or if we both are. It never gets that bad. I guess it is my fault that I snooped. But, it was her that said that we have nothing to hide. I guess a paralyzed sister is something to hide. When I met her, she never left the table. I guess that it's just a family secret they don't like to tell. Kirstie calls my phone.
"Hello?" I answer the phone, and Kirstie's bawling.
"Avi, please come back. I'm so sorry I said that stuff! I'm so stupid! I love you! I wish I would've talked to you. I'm so stupid! Please come home, I love you so much!" She cries harder.
"Babe, I'm coming. We'll talk about this when I get back." I sprint back to the hotel, and rush the elevator. I run to the bedroom. Oh, Kirstie. I'm so stupid! She's probably in shambles. I slip the key card in, and open the door hastily. She's sitting on the bed, cross legged. There are tissues forming a mountain around her. Her make up has been cried off. She looks up, and cries even harder, and hops off the bed to hug me. I wrap her tight into a hug, and she kisses my face, lips, cheeks, neck, jawline repeatedly.
"You're crying," she whispers, tears slipping down her face.
"Look, it was my fault. I shouldn't have looked through that scrapbook, I should've just left you alone. I shouldn't have pried. I shouldn't have run off. You're not stupid. You were just stressed. I love you so much. You are so perfect."
"It's my fault," she looks down, and I stroke her cheek. "I shouldn't have yelled. I should've talked it out."
"It's a team effort, babe. Let's just put it behind us. Do you want to talk about what happened ten years ago?" I cup her cheek.
"She doesn't want anyone to know. Scott and Mitch are the only one who knew. My dad wanted to be a happy memory's. So every year we eat his favorite foods, Mac n Cheese with little hot dog pieces cut up in it, and talk about the good times. This is the first time ever I've been away for the day he died. That's today," she sobs into my chest.
"Hey, why don't you take a nap. It's been a hard day," I stroke her hair, and she crawls underneath the covers. I sit with her until
she falls asleep. Then, I get my juices flowing. I pick up the hotel phone, and order room service.
"I would like a large Mac n Cheese with hot dog bits. I do not care if that doesn't exist, make it exist. I would like one large strawberry milkshake, and one small diet coke," I order. They put in the food request. In twenty minutes, it will be ready and delivered.
A/N
SCOTT IS SO FREAKING SCRAWNY AND BABY FACE I CAN'T EVEN!
Like, look at his wrists
~Rachel 👻