Three Years Later | ✓

17 | Regrets

"OOF," I GROANED as I was nearly toppled over after Ava crashed into me and nearly suffocated me with her tight embrace.

"You're finally back!" Ava shouted next to my ear, causing me to wince.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too," I chuckled, slowly returning the embrace. A moment later when Ava let go, I wheeled my suitcase into my room and plopped down onto the bed, sighing. It felt like it was just yesterday I was saying goodbye to Ava at the airport, and now here I was, back in my dorm room already.

"So how did it go? How was the trip? Ooh, what did you get me?" Ava sprouted as I pulled out a package from my carry-on. I handed her the small plastic bag and she hastily grabbed the small, black box inside. As she opened it up, she cooed at the small keychain.

"Aw, this is so cute. Thanks, Hadley," said Ava as she admired the golden keychain with her name engraved on the front and a picture of the Statue of Liberty in cartoon form on the back.

After disappearing to her room to put away the keychain and returning a minute later, Ava climbed onto the bed and urged me to tell her all about the trip. Eventually, I gave in and informed her of what happened, including what happened between me and Milo.

Ava sighed, "Hadley."

"I know, it's bad. I'm a bad person for letting that happen, right?" I groaned, launching backward, hitting the mattress with a loud poof. "God, what the hell were we thinking?"

"For the umpteenth time, Hads, you're not a bad person. You can't always be 'perfect' because you're human. You both just got caught up in the moment somehow, and...things happened."

"I feel so awful. I mean, why couldn't Nicole have been that jealous girlfriend who's always a bitch to every girl within a hundred mile radius of her boyfriend," I complained exasperatedly. "But no, she has this great, likable personality with looks and brains. For goodness sake, even her teeth are perfectly straight and pearly white," I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I pushed it out of my face.

After a few beats of silence, Ava spoke up. "Do you regret kissing him?" She questioned.

I paused as Ava stared at me intensely, waiting intently for my response, "I don't know. I mean, what happened in New York was wrong, so wrong. He has a girlfriend that, who not to mention, is literally perfect!" Before Ava could give her input, I sprang up. "You know what, this was all a mistake. What happened up there should've never happened."

I slipped on my shoes and cardigan, leaving Ava in the room.

"Wait, where are you going?" Ava screamed from behind.

I turned back to her with an unknown source of confidence flowing through me.

"To set things straight."

∞

"HEY," HE SMILED as he tucked in his chair, a screech emitted as the metal chair scraped against the concrete floor.

"Hi," I responded, short and sweet with my hands folded neatly on the small, round table. All the confidence I had in the dorm vanished as I nursed a small mug of coffee.

"So, what's up?" Milo asked, raising his eyebrows. I wanted to respond with "the ceiling", but I don't think now was a good time for a joke.

"So listen, about New York. It was really fun, and I'm really glad that we were able to reconnect over the trip, but...I think what happened that one night in our room was a mistake." I averted my gaze, biting on my lower lip as I felt my lungs closing up.