I Should Have Stayed

Chapter 6

"Ms. Williams." I said as my mom opened the door to greet the guest. She wore a nice blue shirt and pants. I was just wearing the usual. A black hoodie and my jeans. I didn't really have any other clothes with me. I bought them wherever I was.

"Please. Call me Ava." She put her hand out for me to shake it and I did but I immediately put up a facade knowing that someone I once knew was around me. I also introduced Lindsey, but I decided to leave out the whole fiancée deal since Ava wasn't close to me.

We all sat at the table for dinner and I found out that Ava and my parents met at my funeral. They all thought I was dead until I showed up and brought the town back up to date. They said they met there and then Ava said she felt so bad that I was gone that she had dinner with my parents afterward and they've been friends ever since.

After that story I didn't pay anymore attention to what they talked about. Lindsey went to bed suddenly and no one even realized that she left. She never said anything when she went to bed, just looked at me and then left. It always confused people, but I loved it. I stayed with everyone until a few hours after sunset came around and Ava had to go home.

"Did you walk here, Ava?" My mom asked as we stepped outside to say goodbye and there was only our cars.

"Yes. I'll be fine to walk home."

"No its dark. Dakota will walk you home." My mom said. Ava looked at me. Her brown eyes reminded me of Lindsey's. They gave off that warm and fuzzy feeling when you stared into them. I almost blushed.

"Okay. But will she be okay to walk home after dropping me off?" Good question Ava. I looked at my mom for the answer.

"Yes. She's been plenty of places more dangerous than a small town I'm sure." They said their goodbyes and then I walked with Ava back to her house. We were silent for a long time, but then the silence was broken.

"So your mom said you've been a lot of places. Can you name a few?"

"Yeah." Was all I said. She felt nervous around me and I loved it.

"Okay, what's your favorite place?"

I thought for a second. "Colorado. The mountains are gorgeous." She nodded in agreement. And then the silence filled the air once more.

"Why did you leave?" The question made me stop in my tracks. I stood there quietly for a second. I didn't want to tell her why.

"I I don't know. I just did. I guess I got tired of being in a small town and not being able to see the world."

"So you just left?"

"It's much more complicated than that."

"Then why? We have time to talk." She was pressing me and it pissed me off, but I stayed calm.

"I met someone that day of graduation. Someone who needed my skills. So I went to work for this person, got mixed up in plenty of various activities, and then life pulled me in a million directions and I went down them all. And then I came back."

"Why did you come back?" I sighed and looked at her. We were still stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. I started walking again and then finally spoke.

"I wanted to visit my friends and family for a week or so."

"Liar." I stared at her with my facade. "I saw you at my neighbors house. Why were you there?"

"I'm was visiting my friend."

"I'm have a hard believing you." By that time we were already in front of her house. "I may not be able to see past your facade, but I can see a broken soul when I meet one. That's why I didn't believe that you came back to see the people you left. Usually broken souls try to avoid things like that. They're loners." I was in shock. "But maybe I'm wrong." She whispered. Her brown eyes continued to stare at me until she turned away and went inside. Her brown hair flowed down her back as she shut the door. I walked back home alone, lost in thought. There was something about Ava I couldn't put my finger on.

When I got back Lindsey was in bed sleeping. Her blonde hair framed her face so well. It almost wasn't fair that I got her all to myself, I thought and smiled. I put on a sleeping shirt and shorts and jumped in bed beside her. I closed my eyes and felt her arms wrap around me and smiled.

***

"If you're hungry, you fight for your food here."

I looked up at his face and sniffled my bloody nose.

"No."

"No? If you don't eat you'll starve and I want you healthy. So fight." He said. He grabbed my chin in his hand and made me look at him and then pushed me away. My face slumped down again.

"I'm not fighting for my food. I guess you'll just have to watch me starve then." He groaned in protest and then untied me. His muscular body drug me through a narrow hallway all the way to a set of double doors. I looked at them not knowing what was on the other side. He picked up my head from my hair making me wince and whispered in my ear.

"I'll make a deal with you. You win this round? I'll give you food and your freedom." He was a man to his word. He always was. I tried nodding in agreement. He gave me a sharp laugh and then the doors opened revealing something I'd never want to see again. The Fighting Ring.

***

I jumped out of bed with a start and started shaking. Lindsey rubbed my back in comfort. I always had these nights and she was used to it by now. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was 5 in the morning. I told her to go back to bed and kissed her lightly on the cheek before going and taking a shower.

I got out soon and then made my way downstairs. My parents were already up and my dad was watching tv and my mom was cooking breakfast as usual. "I'm almost out of food for the week. I need to go grocery shopping." She said as I walked into the kitchen.

"I'll go." I said. "It's no problem."

"You sure?" I nodded. "Okay. Here's the list." She handed me a list of items and offered me money but I declined and ate her wonderful breakfast before heading out and going shopping alone. Lindsey would be in bed for a while. She would be up before I got back though. Maybe she would help clean the house or something.

I got to the grocery store and picked out all the things my mom had on the list and then added a few more essentials that I needed. "Dakota?" I heard a familiar voice say. I spun around and saw Ava standing there with her grocery cart. "Hi." I said meekly. My facade came back. She unnerved me since last night and the conversation we had.

"Out grocery shopping I see."

"Well, duh. What else would I be doing in a grocery store?"

"Nothing. So what are you doing later? We should catch up. It's been a while since I've seen you in my class."

"We have no catching up to do. I'm sure you've done plenty of that with my parents." I didn't spit it out but I sounded a little rude and she looked taken aback. I quickly walked to the cash register not bothering to say goodbye and when I left the store Lindsey was waiting for me. "Will you not just leave me alone for a few hours?"

"God, someone is having a bad day." She said. We threw the groceries in the back of the Jaguar and sat in silence until we got home. I tried unlocking the door to get out but Lindsey wouldn't unlock it. I tried pulling out the button to unlock it but she stopped me and looked at me intently.

"What happened in the grocery store?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? You sure? It didn't sound like nothing when you walked out and yelled at me."

"I'm sorry. I just I ran into Ava in there."

"And"

"She wanted to catch up with me and I didn't feel like talking to her."

"Didn't she used to be your Psychology teacher your senior year?"

"Yeah."

"And what's wrong with that? Why don't you want to catch up with her?"

"I don't know, Lindsey!" I was getting exasperated.

"You liked her then. And now you're starting to like her again." Her statement completely caught me off guard and I gaped at her. I shut my mouth and then stared at her. "I'm right aren't I?" I looked away and then unlocked the door. She didn't stop me.

"Remember that you're mine until I'm dead." She smiled. I gave a weak smile back and then unpacked the groceries and headed inside. It was going to be a long night.