Every Rose Has It's Thorn

6

14 votes I'll update 😎
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"Turn that wrench to the left." Keith instructed his niece, who was leaning over the hood of his car.

The poor girl was practically dangling over it, because her feet by no means, touched the ground.

Ava had finally gotten her cast off and was able to do all the things she would normally do.

Basically, all the things that made her mother worry more than necessary.

"Alright." Keith set her back down on the ground and took over. "What do you think the problem is?"

"The engine overheated." Ava shrugged.

"Pretty good guess." Keith's voice was a little muffled. "How's school been for you? Is Sarah still bothering you?"

"Not since I beat her up." Ava smiled proudly. "She doesn't bother Maddie or Sam anymore either."

"That's a good thing. Don't tell your mother I told you this, but I'm proud of you for doing what you thought you needed to do. Sometimes you need to fight back to get people to stop picking on you." The man spoke as he stood up straight to look Ava in the eye. "I have something important to tell you."

"Like what?"

"I got a job offer in Charleston." Keith began. "And I'm gonna take it."

Charleston was all the way in South Carolina. Three hours away from Tree Hill. That meant that Keith was going to be three hours away instead of just three minutes.

She didn't know what to say.

Keith had been there all her life and now he was leaving.

She felt like someone had just pulled the rug out from under feet.

"Oh." Was all she said.

"Now, don't think that just because I'm leaving Tree Hill, that I'm leaving you." Keith tried to assure her. "That's not what I mean, far from it. I'll still visit when I can and you'll visit, too. And hey, I'm always a phone call away."

Ava didn't want Keith to just be a phone call away. She liked things the way they were. She felt safe with the way things were.

But even at her tender age, she knew that she wouldn't always get what she wanted, and life wouldn't cater to her needs.

"It sounds awful now, but it won't be so bad." Keith nudged her playfully. "You'll see."

Ava didn't say anything. She just walked away and sat down inside of the car with her arms crossed.

This was a lot to process.

It wasn't like Keith had told her that he was moving across town.

He was moving to a totally different state!

What was she supposed to do with that information?

"Ava." Keith wasn't letting this go. "If I could stay I would."

"Then why can't you?" Ava asked as he opened the door and sat down next to her.

It was a selfish question, but she felt she had a right to ask.

She had never known life without Keith, and she didn't want to.

Not now. Not ever.

"You know how you got into a fight with Sarah, because it was something you felt like you had to do for yourself?"

"Yeah."

"This is something I need to do for me. It isn't became of your mom, or your dad, or you and Luke. I have to do this for me. Understand?"