Palas

50. "Hey."

With no other place to go to, I return back to the flat to find my moped. In the end I didn't buy the thing for nothing as I pray that I'll remember my way to Ava's house. Well, Zeno's, but I hope I won't have to ask him the favor.

It's strange that I accept my faith without much of a hassle. Sure, I freaked out yesterday when I saw James with Rosie and I wish I had fallen through the ground when Rosie humiliated me on the balcony. Thinking of Harry is like a stab in my heart. I believed we were friends and this naïve part of me still thinks we are but I can't shake the imagine of him staring deadly ahead of him. Ignoring my pleads to speak up and tell me the truth because deep down I know that almost everything that comes out of Rosie's mouth is a lie. But he couldn't explain which is nothing new and for the moment I am done with it.

He assumed that I would run back to James but I am not that girl anymore. If I have learned one thing in Palas then it must be how to be alone and that I never truly am. Although I constantly feel like I am on the verge of tears as I drive up the mountains, I try to remember myself that it's their loss and not mine. That I can deal with being alone and am a grownup who doesn't throw coffee at people when they say something hurtful. Although I wish I would have thrown one last coffee at Nick or beat him at darts to rub it in his face, I know it's best not to.

What even surprises me more is that I don't want to run home and take the next plane out of here. It crossed my mind, but what is waiting back at home? A father who still loves beer more than making amends with me? His phone calls every day are only mandatory because he feels somewhat guilty. He could just as easily text me an apology or ask how I am doing, but he won't. Maybe this is part of his whole 'you need to be on your own for a while'.

I'm again thrown off by the spacious home of Zeno and wonder where things went wrong for my dad. If only he had opened up a bar although I am certain he would drink all the beer himself instead of sell it. 

I make sure to knock two times on the wooden door since knocking three times only reminds me of a certain someone. To my surprise Theresa opens the door, her face pale for someone who lives in Palas.

"Alex?" She greets me with a frown. I'm surprised she even remembers my name. At the beginning of summer I had thought to be here much more often, dragged by Rosie. But I was never invited to Zeno's 'epic' parties. If they are even real.

"Theresa." I smile to her as I look to the woman who is the image of all her three children. Real beautiful with Zayn's dark full hair, Ava's bold red lips and Elias' sparkling eyes. Although I notice they aren't as alive as when I met her. "Is Ava here?"

"Not yet, would you like to wait for her?" She wonders and opens the door a bit further. The big house is empty, silent and therefor tempting.

"If it's not too much of a hassle?"

"Of course not," she says pulling my arm inside, "I'll get you some tea." Great, I think, another cup of tea. "Or do you prefer coffee?"

"Yes, please." My smile is genuine as I follow her in to the beautiful decorated house, but without the joy of people in it doesn't feel like a home.

"Let me make you some," she persists and gestures for me to sit down on the stool I sat once before. "So you and Ava have become good friends then?"

"Yeah," I answer but reality is that I consider Ava more as a friend than a good one.

It's not as if we know each other's secrets, but for the last weeks I had a lot of fun with her and I like to think she had with me as well. Unlike Kate, who started to ignore me right after Harry did, Ava seems loyal to me and not to Harry and defiantly not Rosie.