In the morning when I had everything good and ready to go. After last night, I was more sure to leave than before. My hand reached to call Sarah who would pick me up to take me to her house. I heard a knock on my bedroom door. Taking a deep breath, pushing down the regret of possibly lying to Rhys about this I walked to the door with my cane and opened it.
I found him standing there in casual clothes as if he was ready to go somewhere. It was a Saturday and it was obvious that he and Alex were planning some day together.
I stood there in confusion as he assessed me, maybe it was the royal blue dress that I was wearing that might be giving him nostalgia. It was the same dress that I had worn when I first met him.
Then the reality of the truth hit me, as my mind was about to drift to somewhere else where I would related this moment to some prediction of our future. I said "Going somewhere?" With a gentle smile on my face.
I was the worse when it came to hiding pain, I knew it. Rhys knew it, but this time that smile I had on my face left him sad that I was actually happy to leave this place for a while.
I was in somewhere in my heart. Just a little though.
"I was leaving to go to Alex's place. Want me to drop you off at Sarah's?" He offered, a dangerous offer. Maybe it was my raise in the chin and my shoulders that showed that I was guarding myself from something or someone.
Was me lying to him making me feel like a had to escape him?
Do you want to escape him?
Of course not. I wouldn't want to escape him, ever.
I took a deep beath and let myself calm down. I walked out of the room with a curt nod and turned around as if forgot to get the things that I had packed. Before I could grab my luggage, Rhys came from behind and took it from me.
"I can pick it up" I said with humor. Rhysand's hair fell in front of his face as he bend down to grab my purse that was lying on the ground. Another bag with all of Cassian's things in it.
We both walked towards the car in silence as my dog ran in front of us. Rhys put my stuff in the car before handing Cassian over to me.
When we were on the road he asked breaking the calm silence "Are you sure you want to take Cassian with you? I mean, I can take care of him if you want" I let out a chuckle.
"Just say that you're gonna miss him" I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear as I wondered what he would be doing while I'm gone.
"He isn't the only thing that I'll miss" I heard him mumble under his breath.
"You can't take care of him. You leave our home at 9 in the morning and come back at 9 or 10 if you're lucky. Usually, you come back at 12. So I don't want to come back home after almost two weeks to find my precious baby sad" I said as I kissed the top of Cassian's head.
"Which one?" Rhys said in the most cocky way possible causing me to burst in laughter. Through my laugh I said, "I couldn't have been more clear that i was talking to the dog" on my reply Rhys laughed with me.
It was like the first in such a long time I felt this alive, I was alive in this moment. The moment that I will cherish when the days are the darkest. People wish that they would know that their "good old days" would become something so much more even when they are in the moment.
But I knew for a fact that this day was my "good old day" I hoped that wherever life took us, I would remember this.
"I love it when you say " our home"" Rhys said making my heart race as the moments passed making my cheeks feel warm. I didn't regret saying it, it was like my lists of regrets was prioritised. Surely, this wasn't one of them.
"What makes you say that?" I asked as I felt nervous about what he would say, looking at the city passing by us seemed like an interesting thing at the moment. Though, my mind was inclined to hear what Rhys would say.
"My house, never felt like a home. Ever. Ever since you came, you made your own space there, you made your significance in my house and turned it into ours. Now that place for me, isn't just a house , it's a home" he looked towards me for a brief moment and then looked back at the road.
"And you made it a home" he said in a low whisper knowing that I was listening.
"I never had a home" I said as I turned towards him "that place where I lived with my "family" or snakes I don't know which one's which at the moment. Despite of me not knowing the truth about my past, it still didn't feel like one. That's why I made the world my home, going to these places finding closure there. Until now, here I am placed into a place I never wanted to be but now that I look at your house, our home. It has everything that I need" I said with everything in my heart.
Because you are in it.
I love you.
Though he didn't say anything at the moment, but he eyes held the light that told me everything he wanted to say to me.
That was how close I could get to telling him about what I feel for him. The others were something that was for a special time.
When we stopped in front of Sarah's house, Rhys turned off the engine and grabbed my hand before I reached to open the door. There was hesitation on his face, as if he wanted me to stay.
"Rhys, it's just for two weeks" I chuckled, letting out a sigh he let go of my hand. Why was it so hard for him? It's not like I was leaving forever right now? I was going to leave him when our year ends, what will he do then?
I wasn't going to ask him these questions just now. I didn't want to make it hard for him. Not just now, not when he already has so much on his plate.
"You can come visit me, when you're free. Sarah needs to see more and more people to move on from Ryan. Bring Alex with you " my reply from him was a small smile.
There was an uneasiness that became a heaviness in my heart. Demanding myself that he'll figure it out. He's older in age and probably in maturity too, for the love of God.
From the corner of my eye I saw Sarah walking towards the car, she wore a grey cardigan, looking so fragile. It seemed that she had been skipping meals, that's why her best friend is here.
As Sarah helped me take my things for the last time I bid my farewell to Rhysand but this time, maybe it was anger. Maybe he was dealing with an inner turmoil, or maybe he hadn't accepted it yet. That's why he neither said anything to Sarah or to me. Keeping his face cold, showing me the reflection of the man I met for the first time. He drove away.
Maybe today, was like a reminder for both of us of the people we were when we first met. My blue dress, and his sudden attitude.
Later that day
Dismissing all the thoughts of what made Rhys turn into this cold being, I was certain that it was either a big problem for me or it was simply nothing. One of his bad moods that I occasionally see.
Sarah knew about the letters, for I read them to her as well over the phone when I had it in me. She knew about the final letter, we both were opening it tonight.
I walked into her room, where a place that was filled with the memories she shared with Ryan. It was still filled with them. Pictures, scented candles he liked to buy for her, I stood in front of a picture of three of us. My heart ached for Sarah the most when I saw the way she was looking at him. It was Rome. Our second home as we liked to call it. Or just my first.
"Why aren't you taking down these pictures?" I asked as I turned towards her. Sarah was lying in front of her laptop, her hair tied into pigtails, with a glass of cheap wine she liked to drink. I sat next to her and found out that she was designing a dress.
"Why should I?" She said as she tried to keep a straight face.
"They remind you of him" I told her, that moment she looked at me and put her class away.
"What is the point of taking these pictures down, where is entire apartment is filled with his memories? To the times where he told me that he loved me, to the times where we were at our worst, to the times when he told me that he didn't love me anymore, to the times when he told me that he loved her so much" a tear left her eye but when I tried to get close to her she pushed me away.
"We'll move then" I said causing her to look at me with confusion.
"What?" She asked as she wiped away her tears and drank her wine.
"Once everything with Rhys is over" there was a weight on my chest that caused my insides to burn "I'll have to leave his place right? Though that place feels like a home but I'll leave it. You and I buy a house somewhere where I will continue with my studies and you can work as a desinger" I told her my plans.
"It'll be okay though I love him. It'll be okay though it will end in the worst way possible" I said as I laid on the bed, I gazed the ceiling as a single tear left my eye just like Sarah's did. She laid down next to me, doing exactly what I did.
"I want to leave Amercia" she said as she let out a sigh.
"I want to leave America too" I said as I got up from the bed and walked towards my luggage that was in her closet.
Digging into the pile of clothes and what not. I finally took out a big envelope that had a big number four on it. Along with the description that I should open it alone.
"Are we gonna do this?" She said as I ripped it open. I sat on the edge and looked at her. Both of us were hesitant.
A couple of things fell out, as I picked them up one by one. I couldn't help but gasp at what was in front of me.
I was an official document, that said something about a house in Canada. There was a picture of it separately too. Sarah took the picture, and I took the document. It was saying that there was a house that was going to be owned by me. A hand written note fell out, I grabbed it and read it out loud.
"I figured that once things end between you and Rhys. If my prediction about the contract ending are wrong, then this is your future plan. The moment you open this, there is a card of my lawyer that you might remember attending my funeral. I bought you a house and made a couple of arrangements for you. It says that it's mine but I am giving it to you. Everything that stands between you getting the house is just a signature. My lawyer will be bringing everything that I have for you the moment you call him"
The next thing I picked up was a credit card with a bank statement. But in the note it said "I want you to study more, that's why I have enough money for you to do your masters or PH.D in anything you'd like. Though I'm sure that you are so smart that you will get in for free. But the money is just in case that your dambass needs" I heard Sarah snort, looking up from the paper with anger.
She simply shrugged, yeah obviously she has lost it. Maybe if it would have been finding this funny too.
"All the files are in here. Do not, I repeat. DO NOT tell anyone except from Sarah or Ryan about this. Not even Rhys. I haven't spent enough time with him to know if I can trust him. You have to keep this as a secret. I hope you are coping with all of this. Remember that you will always come out stringer than before. I love you. Love Ridge" a card fell out that said the name of a lawyer and his number written on it. I recognized the name it was one of his friends from high school who was an amazing lawyer.
Elijah Bennett.
The moment I set everything down and collected all the things from the envelope. Keeping them safe from where I took it. I thanked Hod that I had taken two weeks from Rhys, it would be enough time for me to get these things done. Planning on contacting Mr. Bennett tomorrow.
My phone rang and I picked it up without looking who it was. My heart filled with pain and happiness when I heard his voice.
"Hey, Avery" Rhys said, I didn't miss the guilt trapped in this voice somewhere. Not wanting to confront him about his attitude I instead said in a sweet voice that I forged but didn't succeed as my voice sounded guarded and almost angry.
"Hey, Rhys" I laid down on the bed as tears filled my eyes. I felt broken between the two lives that I was about to live. I didn't want to lie to him but I had to follow what Ridge said.
"You okay, love?" I asked even though it hurt bad.
There was silence on the phone, I knew that he was taken aback from the sudden endearment. But a moment later, I heard his deep voice saying "I'm okay. How are you, Fireheart?" His nickname for me. Though I didn't get it, he said it rarely when he used to be happy. I was glad that he was happy.
"The usual. I'm just trying to figure things out" I said as I close my eyes, imagining him sitting in his room with his lamp on. A book in hand, as he talked to me. I hope that everything works out between us. I really do.
Rhys
After an entire day of swimming and hanging out with Alex. I came back to an empty home. My heart that filled with void, soon started to come back into it's senses when I reached my room. I stopped at the door and turned back to look at the closed bedroom door that belonged to Avery.
I walked in to her room and fell onto her bed, inhaling her lavender scent I lay there. It calmed me down to the point where I felt like she was next to me.
I picked up my phone and called her.
A/N: THERE YOU GUYS GO! My college has started so I was getting my life back on track. I started to write this chapter last night and here we are! Happy reading! Leave your thought! What do you think will happen next?