The Secrets I wished I Knew

One more old friend

        Calling Kristen was harder. She picked up on the first ring. "Ava?" She asked breathlessly. "Hey Kris." She sobs and I was surprised by her sadness. "Oh Ava I'm so happy your back. Where are you?" I smile knowing no matter what Rose said Kristen wouldn't follow. She was her own person. Did her own thing.

"I'm at my old home. You can come by and see me if you want."

"I'm already in my car. I've missed you so much and there's so much to tell you. How are you by the way? How was Camille?" She chatters away and I do my best to answer her questions nearly crying in relief. It was so nice for a bit of normalcy. "Your not ugly crying are you?"

I laugh and sob a bit all in one. "No, I'm crying but not ugly crying."

"Good." Kristen sighs in relief. "I'm out front." I hurry out of my room and down the stairs. And already standing in the front foyer is Kristen. Her brown hair was no jet black and in a Chinese inspired look. Her warm eyes were the same as always and her joggers and sports bra were a look she constantly sported during her yoga classes.

"You look fantastic!" I exclaim. She laughs breathlessly and raises her eyebrows at something behind me. I turned and noticed Luke with a gun in his hands. "Luke it's fine. It's an old childhood friend." He lowers the gun and Kristen hugs me again while mumbling, "New security system?"

"Yeah." I pull her into the kitchen and pour her a glass of champagne. "Gosh, remember when we used to have those wasted sleepovers while your parents were away?" I laugh thinking of the times before I met Hunter. "Yeah and we never got caught either. My parents always thought it was the chef trying to ween them off their calories."

We burst into laughter and I take a sip of my own drink feeling calmer than I had in years. "Rose was so angry when you left." I wince at Kristen's words. "Yeah she showed me that when I spoke to her."

"I'm not taking about angry I'm talking about her taking your head angry. She got real crazy and then started hanging out with Bradley. She got real distant and then the only time I saw her was at gatherings or in the headlines." I take a breath and look down. Kristen continued. "She's not pleased that your back. She worked so hard to get Bradley and he was head over heels for you."

"He was?" The question falls stupidly off my lips. "Oh lord yes. He was set on saving you but he realized long before any of us that it was hopeless. You were desperately in love with Hunter and nothing was going to change your mind." We sat silence for a while. Kristen was in no way mad at me.

"Look hun I don't know what's going on but I know that the hunk standing in the next room with a gun is no security for your mom and dad at least. I don't know what Hunter is into or what you did when you left but be careful okay?" She gives me a hug and it took me a second to realize that she had finished her glass and almost an hour went by.

"I'll walk you out." I stand quickly not ready to say goodbye.