"Good day or bad day?" Julia asked on cue, just as I stepped into her room. This was routine for us. We didn't beat around the bush. It was either good or bad, happy or sad, positive or negative- simple and straightforward for us. We cut straight to the point.
That was one thing I always loved about Julia. She knew how to deal with me. Maybe it was because she had experienced pain firsthand just as I had when Skott died, or maybe we were both wired the same way, but she knew what I wanted to hear and how I wanted to hear it. She knew how to break news to me. And most importantly, she knew when it was the right time to listen and when it was the right time to talk.
Holly and I hit it off immediately for almost the same reasons. Those, and also because she had food in her fridge.
I'm kidding. (Of course I'm not.)
"Okay," I said, failing to hide my smile. Julia's mouth dropped open in shock. "No way. NO WAY. YOU AND TED ARE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN!" She chirped, clapping her hands together enthusiastically.
The part I said earlier about us being wired the same way? Yeah, scratch that out.
"Julia, what did I say about excitement?" I asked in a tone similar to what a teacher would ask their student when they were misbehaving.
"Tone it down because it may not last for long," she said in an annoyed voice. I pulled my chair back and took a seat. "Good therapist," I muttered.
"You know, we should really start talking about who's in charge here," she said seriously, even though she was smiling.
"Well, what's there to talk about? We both know it's me," I smiled coolly, and she shook her head, still unable to wipe off the grin.
"I'm just so happy for you, Av," she said, almost reaching for my hand, and then refraining herself in a split second. She knew I had boundaries and if anyone except for Ted, Holly and Allie crossed my bubble, I'd get antsy.
"Thanks for knocking some sense into me," I said, truly grateful to her.
"You didn't even listen to me. It was your friend Shay that did all the hard work," she said, lighting up. "Now speaking of her, what happened that night? We talked briefly about it the last time you were here, but you never got to finish your story."
I smiled, remembering the night Shay came back. I was walking back home from Elody's, after we'd discussed the script for the play, and she called me, telling me to turn around. And there she was, standing before me.
"She moved back here, Julia. Finally. Jace's grandmother, Charlotte, needs some support at the moment, what with Mr. Kessler passing away, so he and his family moved into a neighbourhood just a few blocks away to look after her. Jace is going to join my school for the next couple of months to finish high school, and then he's off to wherever he wants to study. Shay had no purpose in that old town anyway, and the only reason she didn't leave a hell lot sooner was because of Jace. So she made the final steps of packing her bags and moving into her parents' house the moment she heard the news."
"Things are looking up," Julia said with a smile.
"They really are," I smiled back.
With Shay back, some of the weight of Holly's departure left my shoulders. I knew that I had enough people to look after me once she was gone. And until then, I had to make sure to spend every last fleeting moment by her side. I had a chance to say goodbye, and I was going to make it special.
"Ava, I know you're in a good mood right now, and I really don't want to ruin it, but..." Julia started nervously.
"And there it is," I announced solemnly.
"What?"
"The big bomb that drops on me every time something good happens in my life. I was expecting it, just not this soon, I guess."
"Ava...."Julia said in a concerned tone.
"It's okay," I brushed her sympathy away. I needed to hear the bad news fast and get over with it.
"It's about Holly..."
"Well, what isn't?" I said spitefully. "Holly this and Holly that. The one time when things are going right in my life, Holly has to come in and screw it all up. Why does this always have to happen? Can Ava just have one good day? Can it be Ava for just one second?"
"You'll have plenty of Ava time when she's gone."
That's all she said. I could tell she wanted to take back those words just as much as I wanted to take back mine, but neither of us could. They were out. Our naked, shallow, horrid thoughts were out in the open, ready to swallow us whole.
"I'm sorry," we spilled at the same time. It could never mend what we'd said, but we both needed to hear it. We needed to give each other the apology Holly would never get.
"Tell me what's wrong," I said worriedly.
"Nothing's wrong, per se. I just figured something out."
"Your discoveries never fail to fascinate me. Spill."
"You know how a week ago I told you about how Brynn is made up of insecurity? The key to killing her is making her feel loved and worthy."
"Yes, go on," I urged.
"I discovered more triggers. Elody's is writing. Never let her writer's block cage her. Force her to write, if you must. The longer she stays away from the world inside her mind, the faster she disappears."
"Got it," I said, game mode on. Looks like Project Mirror, Mirror wasn't just Will's love story anymore. It was a way to keep Holly alive.
"Daisy's is Granddad," she said gravely, and I gasped.
"Don't tell me..."
"All you have to do is keep his memory alive. Show her pictures, objects to remind her of him. Things he kept around the house, stories about him, anything. Don't let her forget him, because the moment you do-"
"We'll lose Daisy," I finished sadly.
"Exactly. I'm yet to pinpoint Alora's, but to my knowledge, it should be coffee or rock music."
"I'm on it," I said seriously, getting up.
"You'll take care of her?" Julia asked softly.
"She's everything to me, Julia. Looking after her is all I know how to do."
"You're a good kid, Ava," Julia said seriously.
"Thank you for introducing us, Julia. Thank you for making this story begin," I said, hating myself for tearing up ever the slightest bit.
"Go on, kiddo. A wise girl once told me that sappiness will never get you anywhere in life."
. . . .