The physical therapist

What it takes |13|

!Flashback!

Devin had just closed the door to Avery's room, she fell asleep on him and he wanted to stay but he had practice the next morning so he needed to get home.
He walked into the living room and was startled by Zoe sitting on the couch, he thought it was just him and Avery.

"Uh hey... what are you doing here?"

"Oh I was waiting to talk to you," she said

She said laying down further on the couch.

"About what?" He said sitting on the other end of the couch.
She leaned over closer to Devin.
"So this you and Avery thing, it's not like... a real thing is it?"

Devin was very obviously confused.
"What do you mean?"

"We both know it's like a fling right? Just a few days? Not for real right?"

!real-time!

"So she hit on you once?" Avery asked confused as to why he was so upset by this.

"She would always get drunk she probably didn't even know what she was doing"
She said almost in denial.

"Avery she wasn't drunk..." he put his hand on her leg to comfort her and she knew exactly what he was doing.

"Devin I'm not upset I just don't think that's the biggest deal. Yea it's wrong but it could've been so much worse.

"That's just where it started A"

!flashback!

It was after a tough game, Devin's team lost and he took it very hard.

He was walking to the locker room when he glanced over to look for Avery, she gave him a small smile which wasn't returned, he just kept walking to the locker room.

He stayed in there for about an hour before coming out, he was the last one out.
His eyes immediately fell to his girlfriend who was sitting on the floor in the hallway waiting for him.
They were the only ones left in the gym area.

He put his hand out, helping her up off the floor, she wrapped her arms around his torso.
He kissed the top of her head before resting his head on hers again.

"I'm sorry baby, but there's another game tomorrow I'm sure that one will be so much better!"

She didn't get a response from him all he did was sigh.

"You wanna go get dinner or something? We can get food and go to my house?"

"I think I just want to be alone tonight baby," he said letting her go and grabbing her hand so they could walk out of the gym together.

She rested her head on his shoulder while they walked together.

He walked her to her car, opening the door for her, he kissed her before giving her a quiet "I love you" and then walking to his car.

He was halfway home when he got a text letting him know about a party that was happening tonight.
He stared at the text for a little bit before turning and heading to the house where the party was.

He felt bad knowing he told Avery he wanted to be alone then there he was headed to a party he knew she wouldn't even go to without him.

•the next morning•

He woke up in bed feeling horrible, he noticed it was 10 o clock meaning he was late for school but it was Friday so he really didn't care.

His movements were instantly stopped when he felt what he knew would not be good.

He looked over and saw Zoe, then was horribly aware of his lack of clothes.
He jumped out of bed holding a blanket around his midsection.

"What the fuck!"

Zoe was startled sitting up and looking at him.

"What's wrong?"

"Uhh look around!" He had never been in such panic before, he also never got over a hangover faster.
"What the hell happened!"

"Oh, this? It was really nothing actually" she laughed which pissed Devin off.

"You were drunk so I made sure you got in bed alright"

Devin looked at himself then back at her.

"Naked?!"

"Yea I got you undressed" and there was that stupid laugh again.

"Why did you stay?"

"Oh," she giggled "so I could get this" she turned her phone to show the picture of them in bed together.

"No no no no that can't be real!"

"Oh, it is. Isn't it cute? I was thinking about sending it to Avery? Just to kinda show her her place"

"You have to delete that shit"

"Oh, I can't do that now. There's this little thing called blackmail, and I just love to have it"

Devin felt like pulling his hair out.

He looked at his phone on his dresser to see Avery calling.

It felt like his heart was gonna beat out of his chest.

"You know how to make this all go away Devin" she smiled.

!real-time!

"What did you do to get them deleted?" Avery asked, you could hear the hurt in her voice-over not only what her boyfriend went through but how evil her best friend could truly be.

"10 grand..."

"Oh my gosh, Devin! Why would you do that"

"I would've paid triple if it meant I could keep you from getting hurt..."

"That had to be like everything you had? You were a college kid eating at Costco every day"

"It was my first check from all the promotion and stuff it really wasn't anything"

Avery didn't respond, she had a mix of hurt and anger mixing in her heart that was visible to Devin.

"I'm sorry Avery"

"It's not your fault... I don't get why she did that though..."

"Well I am light skin... we just have this power"

Avery slowly looked up at him and Devin almost regretted making that joke until she broke out it laughter.

"It's called arrogance" they both laughed.

They spent another hour laughing and sharing stories from the years they missed in each other's lives.
The two walked back to Devin's car, Avery on crutches still, he opened the door for her and helped her in.

They sat in the car for a few minutes laughing about the most random things.
Devin was telling Avery about how Kendall kept referring to her as his "nurse" and they both couldn't stop laughing.

Their laughing finally started to die down, tears still in their eyes. "I am sorry... about the whole breakup."

"Don't be. It was for the best."
He stared into her eyes like if he looked away he would lose everything, or at least that's what it felt like.

He didn't know if it was delusion or the wine, but she didn't look like she wanted to look away any more than he did.

Edgar Allen Poe once said "years of love have been forgot, in the hatred of a minute"
But in Avery's case years of hate have been forgot, in the love of a minute.

The four years she spent cursing his name, crying into his old sweatshirt, and begging God for healing of what he broke seemed to disappear when she saw him leaning into a kiss.
And when she leaned in too it was almost like a silent "I forgive you"