I Should Have Stayed

Chapter 18

I woke up at around 12 the next day. I never set an alarm because I had never needed to. Everything worked on my schedule and nobody else's. But here I was operating on the world's schedule. I got up and went downstairs to find Ava on the couch watching tv. I felt bad about everything that I had put her through. Then as I stood there staring at her beautiful face with her long brown hair and glowing brown eyes. They reminded me too much of... her eyes.

Then I realized something else. I didn't even know her age, nor did I know very much else about her. All I did know was that she was a psychology teacher for the junior and senior class. She was my teacher two years ago. Other than that I really didn't know her. But I knew her personality, and maybe that was enough. I really didn't want to get close to anyone else. Especially since my life had been going downhill for over a year now.

"Ava." She looked at me quickly as if I had scared her.

"Yeah?" She asked taking in a breath.

"How old are you?"

"... 23. Why?"

I had no idea she was that young. Only 4 years older than me. "Wait... but how are you so young?"

She shrugged. "I skipped a grade in elementary and then one in middle school. I was 'that smart kid'. The quiet one at the back of the classroom."

"Really? You don't seem like the type to be an introvert."

She laughed a little then. "Thanks. I'm flattered."

I smirked at her before going into the kitchen and making myself a cup of coffee. Ava yelled from in the living room. "Really? Coffee? It's almost 1 in the afternoon."

"It's never too late for coffee!" I yelled back. I came back into the living room with a mug in my hand and sat down on the couch next to her. We shared a comfortable silence as we both blankly stared at the tv.

"So what's the schedule for today?" She asked. I sighed and looked at her face. However much I didn't want her involved, she was now on board. I just hoped that she didn't die trying to help me.

"I have to find Blank. That's my biggest objective. Then Lane. All the while doing work for Miller."

"Sounds confusing." She said.

"Yeah..." I whispered more to myself than her.

"So what's your next step? Or, really, our next step?"

"... I have to trace back my smaller ties to get to the big one."

"Which means?"

"Find the smaller assets of my gang and trace them back to the big one, aka Blank."

"Okay. And what's your plan? Who do we go to first?" She looked at me expectantly. Her eyes glowed like Lindsey's did. At least her name didn't hurt as much to say as it used to.

"There's someone in this town that can help us. Someone who's one of my favorite people." I smirked thinking about him. "Get ready. We're leaving in 10 minutes." I jumped off the couch and almost ran upstairs. I was ready for some danger.

We left the house on queue and went straight into town. We went into the coffee shop that I went to a week or so back and I spotted him in the corner. He must have been a regular there. I motioned for Ava to follow and we sat across from him. He looked shocked at first, but soon acclimated to my presence.

"Hello, Chase. Remember me from a few weeks ago? We made that little trade?"

He nodded. "You remember my name?"

"Of course. I never forget anyone's face or name. Maybe that's how I got this position."

He nodded again and then shifted in his seat uncomfortably since I was staring at him. I felt a smirk cross my lips. "What can I do for you?"