Upside Down Love

Chapter 24: Ghosts of the Past

Avery's POV

"Almost there." I mumbled to myself as I left Tilly's. I had gotten my paycheck and I was only $400 away from being able to buy Madison a car. I knew she'd wanted one for a while.

I talked to Mr. and Mrs. Cameron and they agreed to pay her monthly bills if I got them down to $200. So, I'd been working overtime for a while, saving as much as I could.

I texted Madison to let her know I was off of work.

My phone began to ring, but just as it did, I saw what looked like Rhea, walking in a crowd of people. She looked at me and grinned. I ran towards her and she began to walk away. I ran even quicker, and stopped at the end of the plaza, looking around.

I breathed heavily as I walked around the building.

"Looking for me?" I turned around to see her emerging from behind the dumpster. She pushed me against the wall, but I pushed her off of me and held her arms.

"How?" I asked, still catching my breath. She tried to pull away from my grasps, but I held her tightly.

"You've gotten stronger haven't you?" I studied her. She looked mostly the same, just smaller and weaker.

"Are you real?" She snorted.

"Of course I am. Thought you killed me huh? So did I." I glared at her, and she shrank back, pulling away from me.

"Stay way from my family." She shook in my hands.

"I'm not here to hurt you, please don't hurt me." She whimpered and I loosened my grip. I blinked and stared at her.

"What?" I asked her, surprised.

"If I wanted to hurt you, don't you think I would've helped Connor?" She asked, taking a step back from me. "I've been trying to get you alone."

"Why?" I demanded. I honestly wanted nothing to do with her.

"I–I wanted to a–apologize." My eyes widened. "I deserved what you did to me. I–I had no right to do what I did. I was just so pissed at you. I know it wasn't right to kidnap you, but... I loved you. I didn't want them to know about us." I shook my head, it was still stupid.

"Oh."

"I know sorry doesn't cut it. I just thought you needed to know." I stared away, at the wall in thought. She began walking away and I snapped out of it.

"I'm glad I didn't kill you." I mumbled to her. She turned around and gave me a small smile.

"Me too." She left and so did I.

I texted Madison to let her know I was on my way to her house. She'd blown my phone up since I didn't answer the first time. Oddly enough, I didn't hear it after that.

I was in a weird sort of trance state. Well, it was more like a constant state of thinking about everything that happened. My mind wouldn't calm down.

Madison was outside as I got to her house. She ran to my car and tackled me as I got there. I caught her in my arms and she kissed me, clearing my mind.

She pulled back and ran her hands through my hair.

"Dammit Ave, I thought something had happened to you. Please don't scare me like that again." I nodded.

"I'm sorry." She rubbed my face and I sighed, leaning into it. She was my calm in the storm.

"What's wrong?" She whispered.

"I talked to Rhea. She's alive." She froze and hugged me tightly around my neck. I smiled and rubbed her back.

"Oh, my baby. I'll protect you from her. I'll find her now and beat her ass. I'll send her right back to the hospital, she won't hurt you on my watch." She tried getting down as I laughed.