Ava
While being driven by Easton's personal driver in an expensive car through the upper East side, I couldn't help but think about all the events that led me here. It had only been three days since I left that coffee shop and had the most unexpected encounter of my life, and yet, it felt like a distant memory.
At the same time, it also felt unreal. Like I was the main character in one of those sappy romance movies I'd watch when I was feeling lonely and needed a pick-me up. My brain couldn't quite grasp just how real this was.
Easton Maxwell ran after me, tracked me down and asked me out. All within a couple of days. And I didn't know a thing about him besides the fact that he could afford luxury apartments and night clubs.
Holy crap.
Suddenly, I got the urge to finally Google him, as curiosity was definitely getting the best of me, and I needed to know more about the man that found me.
As I typed his name in the search bar, the first thing that popped up was his web page:
"Easton James Maxwell, born on April 8th, 1993 is a well-known entrepreneur, CEO of Maxwell Industries, owner and co-owner of plenty of establishments and properties. In 2019, he made the Forbes' 30 under 30 list at only 25 years old, making him one of the youngest self-made billionaires to date. His father is the billionaire Garrett Maxwell, who's married to his mother, Katherine Pierce-Maxwell. He also has a sister named Ella Maxwell."
Wow. He's kind of a rock star in the business world.
I was extremely impressed by everything he had accomplished at such a young age. He clearly earned his right to be where he was.
I clicked on his profile picture and zoomed in until it covered the whole screen, so I could take in the view. With a dark grey suit, navy blue tie, black Oxfords and the watch I've seen him wear every time, he looked like not only he belonged in Wall Street, but he ran it. So sure of himself, so determined, so relentless. So... Intimidating.
Although I knew there was more to him, this was how most of the world saw him. This was what he allowed them to see.
I took some time to take in his features, something I could never do while I was standing next to him, because I could barely glance at him. Partly because I didn't want him to be able to read me, and partly because I was scared. Scared of looking at him and letting him turn into something real, of getting used to him, of being turned into stone by those emerald-colored eyes.
There were so many reasons to be scared. So many reasons to run.
And yet, I wasn't planning on running. At least, not for now.
As I zoomed in the picture even more, I was able to notice some traits I hadn't before. Like how his ears were slightly pointy, or the scar that he had under his left earlobe, and the tiny mole he had on his forehead. Things you could only notice if you were standing really close. And even though I couldn't bear the thought of getting close to him, there was nothing I craved more.
I enjoyed being close. I enjoyed every look, every touch — accidental or otherwise, and every feeling. I couldn't quite understand what they were, but boy, was I feeling them.
He gave me a myriad of sensations. Most of them good, some of them bad.
And the usual me would have focused on the bad, and used it as an excuse to stop something that hasn't begun yet. The usual me wouldn't take the chance.
But, perhaps, what could be considered as the new me... The new me wanted to see where things go.
Because in just two days, I had felt more than in the entire twenty-four years of my life. I felt joy, I felt excitement, I felt confusion, I felt fear. All at the same time, and so differently. And I wasn't ready to let go of the possibility of there being more.
But maybe I was just kidding myself. And maybe, this decision would come to be one of my biggest regrets.
But for now, I didn't care.
For now, I was going to give it a try.
***
I arrived outside of Sydney Moore's tiny apartment on the Lower East Side quicker than expected. Mr. Stevens was clearly an experienced driver, and he took every opportunity to get ahead of the traffic.
I thanked him and stepped out of the car, turning around once he drove off, then paced to the entrance and buzzed the doorbell. After a few seconds, Sydney let me in.
As I moved into the elevator and gazed onto the small mirror in one of the corners, I noticed I was different. Something had changed in me. Something I couldn't quite pinpoint yet, but was visibly there. I raised an eyebrow at my confused self, staring back at me with the same expression. Just as I was starting to overthink, the elevator doors opened, and I decided to not think on it for now. Whatever it was, it could wait.
I stepped out and noticed that Sydney's door was open, so I walked right in. As soon as I did, I heard a distant voice screaming "Avarie!"
I got closer to where the sound was, and saw Sydney in the small studio's kitchenette wearing tiny pajama shorts and a yellow crop top, with her long, dark hair wrapped in a messy bun.
"Hey, Syd." I greeted, putting my clutch on top of the small counter.
She gazed at me and noticed I was wearing the same outfit I had on last night, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
"Smells good, what are you making?"
"Hash browns. Do you want some?"
"No, thanks. I have already eaten."
The silence settled in, both of us standing in the tiny kitchenette, not making a sound.
After what felt like forever, she broke it.
"Where were you last night?"
"I told you."
"No..." She turned around. "You told me you went home. Which is a lie, seeing as you're dressed the same. When did we start having secrets?"
"Never. We don't... It's just not a big deal. You left before I did."
"Yes, and I texted you saying I was going to stay at a guy's house and sent you and Tyler the usual location pin so that you'd know where I was. Why didn't you?"
I crossed my arms and lowered my head, staring at the bottom of the fridge.
"Yeah, I know. I just... I was at a guy's house, too." I blurted it out way too quickly, before chickening out and deciding to make up and excuse.
She dropped the spatula she was holding and pointed a finger at me. "I knew it!"
"Like I said, it's not a big deal. I only went to his house because I forgot your keys."
"Well, I'm glad you're ok. I would've given you mine if you needed them, you know that."
"Yeah, I do. I just didn't want to bother you, and he offered. I slept in his guest room and I left after breakfast, that was all."
Sydney was often so protective of me, ever since we met, and I always thanked her for it. I didn't know how many times she saved me from potentially dangerous situations just by being herself, and I was so thankful for having her in my life. I was never going to take it for granted and I made sure to be the same for her.
"That doesn't sound like every guy in New York."
"He's not like any guy in New York." I corrected her.
"Is that so?" She picked up her plate and left the kitchenette, and I follow her. She then sat on the floor of the living room in front of her coffee table, and I did the same.
"Spill it." She said, with a hash brown half-stuffed in her mouth.
"There isn't much to tell. I met him a couple of days ago and saw him last night, we're... getting acquainted."
"Is this the hot guy you were dancing with?" My eyes widened. "You saw that?"
"Duh, of course I did. Tyler disappeared and I wasn't going to leave without knowing you'd be fine. You seemed like you were having fun, so I didn't want to interrupt." She attempted to smirk, while stuffing another hash brown in her mouth.
I felt my face instantly turn red. "Yeah, it was... fun."
"Ava Marie Brown having fun in a nightclub without her best friends. Now that's something I never thought I'd hear about." She paused, widening her eyes. "Wait, is he the reason why we got into Nova?"
I nodded.
"Wow, Ava. He must be someone important."
He is.
***
Mo's Kebab House was the one place the three of us always got together at when going out to eat. It hadn't changed much since my teenage years; the then colorful walls, posters and photographs now slightly dull due to age. The neon signs above the open kitchen were replaced every couple years and so were the tables, but the atmosphere was the same. Familiar.
This restaurant was witness to some of our most important accomplishments, and just as it was still standing, so were we.
Sydney and I had arrived first, followed by Tyler about twenty minutes later. As soon as we saw him, also dressed in yesterday's clothes with his hair all disheveled, we knew he had a lot to tell, as he was showing us his usual triumphant smile.
"If it isn't my two favorite girls in the whole world." He said while opening his arms and planting a kiss on both of our cheeks.
"If it isn't the guy who ditched us last night." Darted Sydney, while I quietly sipped on my mint lemonade.
"You know I never go away for long." He took her hand and kissed it. "It was well worth it. I think I found my prince charming."
"... For the night." I teased.
"Burn!" Sydney fist bumped me. Tyler's eyes rolled slowly.
"Ok, yes. But, did you see him?! He looked like Chris Hemsworth in Thor, but with a cowboy outfit instead. How am I supposed to resist that?"
"He makes a good point." I told Sydney, who replied by sticking out her tongue.
"I guess we all left with hot guys last night." She said, as revenge.
I gave her a death stare, feeling betrayed by her lack of filter.
"What do you mean, all of us?" Tyler looked at Sydney, and then turned to me, ever so slowly. "Ava! Et tu? You naughty girl!"
I rolled my eyes at the two of them.
"I forgot Sydney's keys."
"What she wants to say is, she's met this mysterious stranger she refuses to talk about, who's the reason we got into Nova, proceeded to dirty dance with him on the dance floor, and then slept at his house. She showed up at my doorstep dressed in yesterday's clothes."
Tyler gasped way too dramatically.
"Slept only! In the guest bedroom. That was it. Sydney lent me her clothes." I was now wearing Nike sneakers, cargo pants and a red shirt that was too cropped for my liking.
"That's still more than what usually happens." he turned to Sydney. "How hot is he?"
"I couldn't get a closer look, but he definitely blew up the scales."
He chuckled at her response, fascinated.
"Guys! I'm right here."
"Yes, you are. Welcome to the walk of shame, sweets." He raised his beer at me, and I shook my head.
"You guys are unbelievable."
"Are you seeing him again?" He asked, taking a sip of his beer.
"I... Think so... Yes." I finally landed on, straightening my shoulders.
"Wow. This has got to be our year, I'm calling it right now." He bumped his fist on the table.
"The year is more than halfway done, you moron." Sydney commented.
"And? There's less time to fuck up."
She pretend-slapped him, and I laughed.
Sydney and Tyler were my only real family in New York since my mom left. I could have gone with her, but I chose to stay because I would miss this. I would miss our lunch dates, the nights they practically forced me to go out, pizza Fridays. There was no me without them. Wherever they were, was where I wanted to be.
And luckily, they felt the same way about me.
***
As I was sitting in the Subway listening to soft pop ballads, waiting to reach the last stop to Queens before having to catch an Uber to Ed's, I started thinking about Easton.
Remembering how handsome he looked in his suit when he approached me outside of Sydney's coffee shop, how sure he sounded when he asked me out, and how confused he was when I apologized and ran from him as fast as I could. I wasn't lying when I said I had places to be - I had to drop my resume after all - but I didn't have to go in such a hurry. At that moment, my fight or flight took over, and I chose flight as I always did, hoping that would stop all the bad — and the good — from happening to me. And once I got into the Subway on that day, I immediately felt an overwhelming sense of regret, worrying I was missing out on something incredible. I was going to turn back around, but I figured he wouldn't be there anymore. I thought that would be the end of it.
Except I was wrong. And I couldn't be any more glad to be wrong.
Easton found me. And I knew I should be wary of the means he went through to do so, I didn't know that much about him, after all.
But it didn't matter.
At that moment, all I wanted to do was grab the piece of paper I had in my clutch with his phone number written on it, that he had given me that morning before leaving his penthouse, and text him.
So, I did.
I wrote his number on my phone, and added him to my contacts. Then, I typed a text, and pondered over the next five minutes whether or not I wanted to send it. Did I?
'It's just a text, Ava. What harm can it do?' I guess my inner conscience won this round.
Ava
"Hey! It's Ava. I just wanted to say, thanks for letting me crash last night... :)"
I pressed the button quickly and put the phone back in my pocket so fast that if people noticed, they would have thought it was burning my skin.
I reclined back on my seat and closed my eyes, trying to drown the nervousness that was overwhelming me. What if he gave me the wrong number? What if he doesn't like texts? Maybe I shouldn't have added the smiley face. Crap.
But the nervousness was replaced by fear really fast, as the phone buzzed a minute later. I took a deep breath before looking at it.
Easton
"Any time. And I mean it. I can't stop thinking about your pancakes. Counting the days to dinner ;)"
I didn't know whether to feel embarrassed or giggle, so I chose the latter.
I had a feeling that whatever he was thinking about, it wasn't my pancakes.