Aviva

Twenty - Two | Bookstore

- Cameron Hayes -

After the trip to New York, Aviva and I kept seeing more of each other. All of a sudden it became much more natural to be around her. We promised to come back up to see Zahra again, and it was really cute to see Aviva so protective over her family.

If you tell her I'll deny it...

"I hate maths." Aviva groans from beside me. She's currently trying to finish off her homework, but she's struggling.

"You don't actually hate maths, you got top of the class last test. Let me see." She hands over her homework and lays her head on the table dramatically.

"Jones." Her head perks up, "have you forgotten basic algebra?"

Offended, she snatched her paper back and looks over her workings, "What are you talking about? I've followed all the steps."

I point out her mistake, it's a simple simultaneous equation. Instead of collecting the like terms, she multiplied them. When she realises her mistake, her eyes widen in realisation.

"Ohh, that makes sense. I don't get why I was valedictorian." She mutters begrudgingly.

"Come on Jones, we both know you're smart. It's a simple mistake." A grin grows on her face and I realise what she's done. "You just wanted an ego boost, don't you?"

"Maybe." She replies. I look at the clock and then at Lucy, who's sitting there watching as Aviva works.

"How is your son so calm when he's here, but whenever he's at my apartment, he's a wreck?" I ask, totally confused.

Aviva picks Lucy up and kisses his head, "because he's a mama's boy." She muses. Then she puts Toulouse down and closes her book, placing it into her bag getting up from her seat.

"Where are you going?"

She doesn't answer as she walks to her dresser pulling out a couple sweatshirts. Damn, are all these mine?

"Here are your things I've borrowed, washed and dried." She hands them over to me but I push the tops back into her hands.

"Keep them." I insist.

"Are you sure?"

"Go ahead." I shrug. She takes her chain off and drops it into my hand.

"We can have an exchange of some sorts and before I forget." She pulls out a coconut hand cream. "You finished the other hand cream so I got you some more."

"Thanks Jones." I say sincerely. She nods as a you're welcome and grabs her keys.

"Let's go to the bookstore."

***
We walk into the bookstore and her eyes light up immediately. If there's one thing I've learnt, is that there's nothing that can get between a girl and her books.

"It's so beautiful look at their collection." She whispers in awe.

I know this place inside out so I direct her to the aisle, I know she will love. The romance section.

She squeals and runs right past me to look at the collection. "I loved this book. The main character invited her 'work colleague' to be her fake boyfriend at her sister's wedding." She says, holding the book to her heart. "I do love myself some Aaron."

I let her fangirl over the books before she decides which ones she wants to buy. "Cam! This one is part of a trilogy. The main character is part of group called the anarchists. But her lover is a part of the renegades, so it's like an enemies to lovers and they have secret identities and everything. It's amazing."

Aviva hands me the book and I read the name of the book Renegades by Marissa Meyer.

"So which book do you want?" I ask. She looks at me mischievously and grabs five books from the shelves.

"My bank account will be screaming after this shopping spree. Books are so pricey, but so worth it." She confesses.

"Think of it as my treat, I'll be paying for it." I assure.

"Camcam, there's no way I could let you do that. I wouldn't ask anyone to do that, seriously." She argues.

I take the books from her hands and go to the till to pay. I look back at her and her arms are crossed childishly. "I'll pay you back, I swear."

"Sure sure." I wave her off, knowing full well I won't be taking her money.

We get into the car, but I don't start it up yet.

"How come you love books so much?" I ask, it's one of the things I notice she loves, reading. If it isn't sleeping, netball, or trying to beat me in something, it's reading.

"Where should I start?" She says to herself, "I used to hate reading and think it was dumb. But then I found a genre and fell in love. I like the idea of all those things potentially happening to me. It' sounds dumb but something about reading makes me happy like nothing else." She rambles.

I pay close attention and rest my head on my arm as she talks animatedly about the books she loves. After she's done, she turns to me and gives me an awkward smile.

"Sorry I was totally rambling." She apologises.

"Don't apologise, it's cute." I reply. Aviva turns to face the window but this time I don't bother calling her out on it. "You've got netball, right?"

Aviva turns back to me and nods. I start the car and drive her to the courts.

***

"Do you remember that time in elementary school when you dares me to go on that swing at the highest height?" Aviva brings up.

We went on a trip in our last year in elementary to a cabin in the woods. Despite being tall herself, Aviva is petrified of heights.

So I triple dog dared her to go on the death dip swing at the highest height with me. Since we were partnered up and we lived to compete against each other, she agreed.

Moral of the story it was a terrible idea. We ended up getting stuck and she screamed until she couldn't anymore. It ended up malfunctioning and it dropped on us - surprising us both.

She ended up getting physically sick, shaking and all. Because I felt bad, I offered to stay with her until she calmed down - meaning a lot of apologising from me.

"I said I was sorry. At least you took a leap of faith, we went through it together." I counter.

Unsuccessfully.

"Hell no," she raises her eyebrow, "I almost died of fright that day. What's done, will never be forgiven."

Yeah right.

I pull up at the netball courts and she swings her gym bag over her shoulder. "Thanks for dropping me off."

She kisses my cheek and gets out of the car.

She kissed my cheek.

I don't think she thought that much about it, but I'm stuck in my spot trying to figure out how to continue my day. As if I didn't get a flutter of butterflies in my stomach.

Why is this happening to me?

Snapping out of my trance I drive myself back home and walk into my room sit at my desk. I decide to wear the chain - because it's a nice chain - and roll onto my bed.

Wondering what on earth I'm going to do with these growing feelings for Aviva.

****
I think someone is starting to realise that maybe they could be more than friends... but who knows?

Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter guys. As always have a great day, make sure you comment and vote!

- Coco <3