Addicted to You

Chapter 19: Resurrection

Ella's P.O.V.

As I walked back to my house, the sun slowly creeping it's way to tuck itself into the horizon, I thought back on what Avery had said to me, the way she looked at me. After I had asked her what she wanted to talk about, she simply continued on with questions involving the math we were doing. I could tell something was bothering her though. In the times we've known each other, it's always been difficult for that girl to hide from me.

I can tell she wants to say something, badly. However, she just won't. Every time I feel like she's about to tell me, she changes the subject or pretends her head hurts. She finds every known excuse she possibly can to avoid opening up to me.

The way she looked at me ignited so many different emotions inside of me. It felt like she was reading me, every feeling I had towards her. It was as if she already knows how I feel about her. How every time I see those beautiful eyes, I just want to press myself against her, feel her lips on mine. Some days, it was hard being around her. Having this pull towards her was exhausting when I had to ignore it and be her friend.

Don't get me wrong, I love being her friend. I love that she confides in me and with everything that was and still is going on with her brother, she wanted me there with her through it all. I'm honored she still wants me around and has opened up to me about those situations. However, I just want to know how she feels about me. If she wants to only be friends. I'd be okay with it, but the curiosity is burning me alive.

As I unlocked the door to my house, I quickly tip-toed upstairs to my room. It was already pretty late and it wouldn't be a good idea waking my mother's up at this time. After swiftly undressing down to a shirt, I crawled in my bed before grabbing my phone.

Ella: Hey, could you meet me tomorrow?

Avery: Of course, everything okay?

Ella: Yeah, I just wanna talk to you about something. Meet me at my house around 12.

Avery: Such an ungodly hour, interrupting my beauty sleep. Ugh alright, goodnight loser

Ella: With a face like that, you don't need anymore beauty sleep. Night (;

I was gonna get to the bottom of this. One way or another. Despite how nervous I was to find out what exactly it was that was bothering her, I wanted to be able to be there. I can't if she doesn't tell me what's wrong though. After a couple minutes of my mind racing, I felt myself drift off into sleep.

Once I had finally convinced myself to get out of bed at 10 o'clock, I quickly got myself ready for the day. After my shower, I changed into jeans and a sweatshirt before heading downstairs for breakfast. "The world must be ending to see you up this early. That, or you're going to see Avery," I heard my mother from the kitchen as the scraping of a spatula against a pan soon followed her voice.

"Good morning to you too, mom," I sarcastically spoke before jumping up on the counter next to the stove, leaning my back against the cupboards. A yawn stretched my jaw as I set a plate down on my lap, patiently waiting for my mom to finish the food she was cooking.

"So where is it your going this time?" She spoke to me, her eyes fixated on the french toast in front of her. I couldn't help but to smile at her. She's such a beautiful woman, she deserves everything she has. Love, a home, a family, happiness. I always wanted to be like her one day. She seemed to always be so happy.

I pulled myself out of my thoughts as she plopped a piece of toast on my plate. "Avery is gonna be here around noon, I'm taking her to our usual spot. I need to talk to her about a few things," I spoke as I launched myself off of the counter, grabbing the syrup as I made my way to the dining table.

My mother joined me soon after with a piece of toast on her own plate, finally looking up and into my eyes, the corners of her lips slowly curling upwards as a smile laid painted on her smooth skin. "So you're finally gonna talk to her. Hm. Took you long enough. Well, your mother is getting ready right now, but we'll be leaving here soon so make sure you don't stay out late. You're lucky you behave and actually study otherwise I wouldn't have let last night slide. You're not as sneaky as you think. Be back by ten, no later."

I nodded in agreement and offered an apology before I began eating my breakfast, my mother doing the same. The rest of the morning was quiet. Once the dishes were clean, I went back up to my room after saying goodbye to my parents for the day.

Half an hour flew by before I heard a knock at the front door. I immediately bolted downstairs, opening the door to find a beautiful brunette staring at me with a smile plastered on her lips. "Hey, I'm looking for this really cute blonde, goes by the name Ella. You seen her by chance?"

I felt myself roll my eyes before I came out of the house, closing the door behind me in the process. "You're so ridiculously lame. Why don't you leave the smooth talking to me?" I smirked at her before we began walking side by side down the road.

"Based on the direction we're going, I'm gonna just assume we're going to the meadow," the brunette spoke, glancing over at me as she shoved her hands into her sweatshirt pocket.

I mustered the best impression of a game show host, "And we are shown yet again, what magnificent talent Miss Avery possesses!"

I felt a fist collide with my arm as I laughed, my hand quickly moving to massage the soon to be bruised skin. "So are you going to wait until we get there to start talking, or are you going to be normal for once and at least give me an introduction as we walk there," the curious girl asked me. To be honest, I kept joking around just so things didn't have to be so serious. I thought I could hold it off longer, but like always, Avery just wants to get straight to the point.

"You know what I want to talk to you about. I think it's the same reason you've been acting so strange around me lately. Now that things are settling down with your brother and things are beginning to flow smoothly, you can't put it off any longer," we continued walking as I spoke, both of us avoiding eye contact, "but to simply put it, I want to be with you. Like a real relationship. Hand holding in the halls, obnoxiously adorable pictures together, really cringy tumblr dates, stupid arguments that we laugh about soon after because of how stupid it was. I want it all. I want you."

She remained silent for what seemed like years but was only seconds. I could tell she was gathering her thoughts, not quite sure what to say next. I couldn't blame her. With everything that she had been through, what I put her through, this entire year, it was a reasonable response. "I'm scared. About everything. Last time I opened up to you, you tore me apart. And that was when I didn't...like you. As much as I do now, I mean. We have something really good going with our friendship. You've been there for me in so many ways and I can't thank you enough for that. I don't want being in a relationship with you to ruin what we have now."

I understood where she was coming from. I was terrified right alongside her. I also knew that I had to take risks though. We don't have time to wait around and question the what ifs of the world before opportunities pass us by. "Things won't be the same this time. I liked you then, I did. But things are different. I'm different, you're different. How I feel towards you now? It's all so different." I took her hand, guiding her towards the center of our meadow before I slowly turned to her. I allowed my thumbs to glide across her gentle skin as I held both her hands. Moments passed before I lifted my head, locking eyes as I completely let myself go. She deserved to know what she had done to me. "Avery," I took in a deep breath, "I love you."