A Drunken Mistake

XXVIII

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The lights in the Cheesecake Factory were dimmed and the table that Ava and Grayson sat at was placed by a window that gave an amazing view of the city that took Ava's breath away when she sat down. Grayson, being the nervous guy he was, fidgeted into his seat to calm his nerves down while staring at Ava smile as she stared at the view in awe. 

Grayson couldn't help the smile that made its way on his face as Ava turned away from the view with a blush on her face when she noticed Grayson's focus was on her being a child looking at the view. 

"Did you decide on a baby name yet?" Grayson asked putting his hands down on the table, his left leg bouncing up and down from his nervousness. 

Ava shook her head biting her lip. "No, but I really love the name Mia or Aria." 

"I like Aria," Grayson said smiling. "How are we going to decide what we're going to name her?" Grayson laughed along with Ava who shrugged her shoulders as she took a drink out of the water that was already placed on the table, the waitress already heading out to get their drinks for them. 

"I'm not sure, I guess when we both agree on a name that we both like," Ava said putting her drink back down on the table and opening her menu up even though she already knew what she wanted, she didn't want to make a mistake if they added something new to the menu that she wanted to try. 

"How about we make a list of all the names we like, we go over the list and when we get at least four names that we both like and could agree on, we put them in a bowl or hat and we draw a name out and whichever name is picked that's the name of our daughter?" Grayson suggested running his sweaty hands down his pant legs.

Ava nods her head smiling. "Okay, let's do that tonight after we get back from dinner? We can do it at my place if you'd like."

"I'd love that," Grayson said. "Maybe we could eat our cheesecake there instead,"

The waitress comes back carrying Ava's raspberry lemonade and Grayson's ice tea. They ordered their food, Grayson ordering the steak with spaghetti on the side and Ava ordering the four cheese pizza with marinara sauce, something that she always got when she ate here. While they waited for their food they made small talk mostly about how classes were going and if Grayson was still wanting to go to medical school after this year, which he said he wasn't sure about because of the baby coming in five months, a month before he graduates from University. 

"I'm going to go to the restroom, I'll be right back," Ava said standing up from the table, Grayson nods his head giving her a smile and watches her walk to where the bathroom was before looking down at the table taking a deep breath. 

'Come on Grayson, it's just Ava. You've known this girl for two years now, you shouldn't be this nervous around her no matter if it's your first date or not.' Grayson gave himself a pep talk as he waited for Ava to come back from the restroom.

"Oh, my god. Is that Ava Johnson?" Ava heard someone say from inside the bathroom when she walked over to one of the stalls to do her business. "She looks sort of big."

Ava bit down the hurt that she felt when the girl said that ignoring as her and the person that she was talking to continue on talking about Ava as if she wasn't there. By now Ava was used to what people were saying about her behind her back at campus and online, some were really hurtful and Ava learned how to push them away and focus on the good things like when people congradulate her on the pregnancy and other things like how her daughter was perfectly healthy because that's all Ava needed to focus on was how healthy her daughter was. 

"Wait until Corey hears about this." One of the girls laughs before walking out of the bathroom along with the other girl. 

Sighing, Ava walks out of the stall after doing her business and walks over to the sinks to wash her hands. As she washes them, the bathroom door opens and in walks the devil herself, Corey followed behind the two girls who were just in the bathroom, all three of them wearing the restaurant's uniforms. 

Since when did Corey work here?

"Oh, Corey. Um Hi." Ava mumbles turning away from the sink, her hands dripping with water onto the floor. 

Corey doesn't say anything but continues on staring at Ava more like looking down at her stomach that was bigger than it was when Corey found out about the baby. Ava bites her lip grabbing a paper towel to draw her hands and steps past Corey and her friends. A hand too cold against her skin stops her from walking further and Ava freezes in place as she turns her head to look at the glare that Corey had on her face. 

"You and Grayson have some nerve to come here on my first day." She spats digging her nails into Ava's arm. Ava flinches away and pulls her arm away from Corey's hold and shoots the girl a glare.

"We had no idea that you worked here now Corey. You need to grow up and stop acting like a child." 

"At least I'm not having a child." She spats.

Ava rolled her eyes shaking her head and opened the door. "Whatever Corey, do everyone a favor and grow the hell up."

Before Corey could retort back, Ava was already out of the bathroom and back towards the table were Grayson sat patiently waiting for her arrival with the cheesecake that they ordered after their dinner. Grayson smiled when he saw Ava walking back but quickly dropped it when he saw the angry expression on Ava's face and stood up from the table. 

"Hey, are you okay?" He asks putting his hand on Ava's arm, noticing the red mark and little crescents where nails were once digged into, concern instantly taking place. 

"I'm fine, can we just leave? I don't want to be here anymore."

"Of course, just let me pay for everything okay?"

Ava nods her head taking her seat once more and looked over towards the bathroom where Corey just walked out with her friends and shooting a glare towards Ava and Grayson, who was thankfully looking down at the bill and putting a tip and his card to pay. 

"Want to tell me what happened?" Grayson asked as soon as the waitress left to pay for their meal. 

"I bumped into Corey in the restroom, she supposedly works here now."

Grayson stiffens his hands clenching into fists and looks over at where the waitress went but couldn't find Corey anywhere. Looking back at Ava, Grayson gives her a soft smile and puts his hand on top of hers.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know she worked here or else I wouldn't have taken you here. God, this date was ruined and-"

"Grayson, the date was fine. You had no idea that she was going to be here. This was amazing and I it's going to be better when we decide on a name tonight."

Grayson sighed in relief as the waitress came back with their to go to bag and Grayson's receipt and card. Standing up, Grayson offers Ava his arm which she laces her own with and they walk out of the restaurant and right past a glaring Corey. 

Word Count: 1,325