I don't miss the slightly panicked look on Avery's face when I fly through my front door and close it behind me. Her eyes look at me, wide before shooting across the room to the signs of the twins busy and playful morning.
"I swear, I was about to clean it up." She says, knowing my niche for a clean home.
But right now, I don't care for the Lego pieces thrown across the carpet, the crayons littering the coffee table, pieces of paper spilling off the edge and onto the carpet or the fact that there's a juice stain on my carpet.
"It's fine." I answer, pulling a smile. "I'm just going to take a shower."
She blinks as confusion takes hold of her features, but she nods and I head off to do just that.
As soon as I get into my bedroom, I pull Zak's clothes off my body and throw them into the basket before tugging my robe around my body. Selecting out clothes, I dump them onto my bed before stomping my way through the apartment and shoving his clothes in the machine.
The sooner I returned them, the sooner I can forget he ever existed.
"Riley... Are you okay?" Avery asks popping her head around the kitchen doorframe.
"Absolutely." I smile at her before looking at the fridge and the photo of myself and the twins. "Where are the girls?"
"At a friends house, I have to pick them up in..." She pauses to look at her phone. "An hour."
"Great, we can go for dinner after."
She nods. "Yeah, we can totally do that. If you are sure?"
"I am. I'm good." I smile before slipping out the kitchen and heading to the bathroom to shower.
Everyone says the most thinking is done in the shower, and once upon a time, I would have believed them, but today I did my utmost to turn off my mind and concentrate on getting in, getting washed and getting out.
With a pair of jeans and a white strap top with lace details, I leave my room with slightly damp hair and pick up my over the shoulder bag before looking at Avery. "Ready when you are." I tell her, I notice the lounge is tidy and give her a smile.
"You're coming with me to pick up the girls? I thought I would pick them up and bring them back here."
I frown. "No need to. I'm ready now."
"You don't feel sick or lightheaded?" She asks making me pause as I put in a pair of earrings.
"I never-"
"Zak has called. He um... He wanted to speak to you." She admits.
I keep my features even and nod slowly in understanding "Did he?"
She nods.
"I'll ring him later. We ready to go then?" I lie again.
"Uh, sure.." She says, following me out.
With the Vegas sun having blazed down all day, the concrete beneath my feet still felt warm as well as the air. It was a pleasant evening, only to be made better when we picked the girls up and went out for pizza.
Being outside was always a major win for me, I loved being out in the fresh air after spending a day with cleaning chemicals, which is why we decided to eat outside, where the girls could also play on the jungle gym and we could watch.
Throughout the meal, I had felt Avery watching me, taking in every breath and move I made, until finally I had to address it.
"Are you going to sit there and watch me all evening?" I ask turning my eyes in her direction.
She looks at me guiltily before biting her lip. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to. It's just..."
"Just what?" I ask. I'm waiting for her to start asking questions about Zak, wanting to know why I stayed at his house or maybe what happened between us, but I got something completely different instead.
"Zak said that you disappeared on him. Just up and vanished. After what happened to you at the house, he made it sound like you were unstable?"
My brows lift slightly as I listen, whilst watching the twins attempt the monkey bars. "Did he now?"
"I don't think he meant it as cruelly as it sounds, but he said you were lightheaded." She explains.
"Hmm. I have been. I've been lightheaded, nauseated, tired, drained, I've had a whole range of emotions too." I tell her.
"Then please don't be offended when I ask you, what the hell are you doing back here? If you wanted to come home, I could have came to you. Riley, you drove the van whilst feeling like this." She frowns.
I nod. "I did."
"But why? Why risk it?"
Looking at the twins, I really didn't have an answer. I could have caused an accident tonight, I could have injured myself and other people on the road, who are just trying to get on with their lives. Much like I was, until I heard that conversation..
"I don't know.."
"So why did you leave Zak's house? He sounded concerned on the phone.."
I scoff. "I'm sure he did."
"He did. Riley, you're not telling me something, I know you. Did he do something?"
"Who, Zak?" I ask finally looking at her.
She nods "Of course, Zak."
"No." I lie. "No he didn't do anything wrong. I just wanted to come home."
She didn't need to know how pathetic and stupid I had made myself by believing him. She didn't need to know that he played such a blinder, that I allowed myself believe that he was interested in me.
"Oh nearly!" I cheer at Grace as drops down a few bars from the finish.
She grins at me before running back to the start to try again whilst Olivia, forever the delicate flower, watches on in awe.
"You're a damn liar." Avery whispers making me look towards her.
"I am not. She was nearly there."
"I'm on about Zak. What has happened? You better tell me or I am ringing his ass up and demanding answers." She warns.
I shrug "Go on then. He's as clueless as to why I left. Why is it so hard to believe that I wanted to come home?"
"Because he's hot and he likes you. Why would you want to come home?" She says turning the question onto me.
Rolling my eyes, I turn back to the girls. "Whatever Ave, just drop it. I came home for some peace and quiet."
"You come home to twins and me. You're not getting any peace anytime soon. So you better pluck your head from your butt and get ready to tell me what has really happened."
I groan.
*****
Entering the apartment block, I watch as both the girls race each other up the flight of stairs, whilst I grab the post from the mailbox at the front door.
"Shall we watch a film tonight?" Avery asks looking at her phone.
"Sure thing. You decide." I answer locking up the box.
Just as the metal clinks, I hear the girls on the upper floor. In particular, I hear Grace. "Who are you and why are you at my auntie Riley's home?"
I shoot a look to Avery, who's head snaps up to the upper floor. Worried about who the twins are talking to, I hurdle up the stairs and swing around the corner to find Zak stood at the door step, looking down at the teacup humans before him.
His eyes shoot to me and a smile appears. "Hey."
Straightening my back, I lift my chin and fake a smile "Hi."
"So um.. You took off on me? Something I said?" He asks.
I almost laugh in irony at how true that sentence was, but when I hear Avery coming up the stairs, I decide to answer cautiously. "I just wanted to come home."
Zak touches his hair, almost as if it's a nervous habit and nods. "I get it. I'm like that too. You don't feel entirely safe until you are in your four walls, right?"
"Exactly." I answer shooting a look at Avery in a hope that Zak's answer will suffice.
The look I get back tells me it won't.
"So, what's up?" I ask.
"I was wondering if you'd like to go for dinner?" Zak asks.
"I've just been."
"Oh." His disappointment almost looks genuine and maybe it is, because I've just foiled his attempt to make me look stupid.
"But you could go for coffee, right?" Avery asks with me a smirk.
I want to be angry with her, for even suggesting it, but I know her heart is in the right place. She doesn't know what transpired at his house, thanks to my silence, or this meeting might have gone a complete different way.
Looking to Zak, who now looks a little more hopeful, I almost agree as a feeling starts in my stomach of pity, or maybe sympathy or guilt. It's ridiculous, I shouldn't be the one feeling guilty for anything. I didn't ask for this shit show to roll up on my lap, but here we were!
However, if I did go, I could roundabout ask him what I heard? But would he tell me? Would he simply lie? What if he admits it to be true?
All outcomes scared me and I decide on telling him that I don't feel too good, when the sound of steps are heard from behind me.
I turn, just in time to see Joel coming around the bottom of the steps, slight stagger to his walk.
Well shit.
"R-Riluuh" Joel burps.
Charming...
"Avery, get the girls in." I tell her, pulling keys from my pocket instantly.
She nods and takes the keys from my fingers.
"Heey girls!" Joel smiles lazily, wiggling his fingers at them in some creepy wave.
"Hi." Olivia smiles.
"You stink." Grace says instantly making my lips pinch together and Avery to gasp.
"Grace, in here." She hisses before looking at Joel herself. "Pull yourself together and don't speak to my children whilst you're drunk."
"I never liked you." He answers.
"The feeling was mutual. Believe me." She whispers before going inside and closing the door behind her.
I take a breath and look at Joel who is holding onto the stair rails, trying to keep himself up right. "How much have you drank?"
He looks at me through bloodshot eyes "Hey beautiful."
"You've had a skin full." I mutter grabbing his arm and pulling him up the stairs before he goes down them backwards.
Joel has always been taller than me, and as I pull him to my level, he stands over me, making me feel like a small ant.
"Easy there buddy." Zak says grabbing his elbow when Joel takes a backwards step.
For the first time, Joel looks at Zak confused, before pulling his elbow from Zak's hand. "Who.. Hey Avery! You left your dude out here!" He hollers.
"I'm with Riley."
"He's with me." Myself and Zak speak at the same time causing Joel to pull his head back.
"Wha- Who are you?" Joel asks Zak.
"I'm-"
"My boss." I interrupt, making Zak look down at me with a slight frown.
Joel looks back to me, satisfied. "Your boss... Is he loaded?"
"What does that matter?" I bite grabbing Joel's arm as he wobbles. "Seriously, how much have you drank?"
"I can't remember."
"Brilliant. Let's get you in a taxi home." I sigh, putting his arm over my shoulders and turning for the stairs.
My eyes are too focused on my feet to see what happens, or understand what transpired, but Joel instantly goes on the defence and shoves Zak.
"Get your hands off me!" He shouts.
"Woah!" I complain falling down a step.
"Stop man! You're gonna make her fall!" Zak frowns trying to grab Joel's arm that is shoving him back and me forward down the steps.
"Don't you touch me!"
"Joel, stop."
Does he listen? Absolutely not, leading me to fall down two steps suddenly and for Zak to shoot around Joel's arm and grab me before I can go down completely.
"Hey! Get your hands off her!" Joel shouts turning to shove Zak.
"Enough!" I snap at him but he doesn't listen. Drunk Joel is a complete ass, and usually has selective hearing, which means all conversation is one sided. Usually all his side with his potty mouth.
It's like watching a pair of kids squabble, as Zak tries to stop Joel from.. I think he is trying to slap him?
Shaking my head, I go to guide Joel away from Zak when he pulls his arm back fast and hits me square in the face.
"Offt!"
Black spots dance in my eyes, making me step back and blink them away, the floor moves beneath me, threatening to topple me over. Taking hold of the stair rail, myself, I wait for it to pass.
"Are you okay?" Zak asks. Appearing in front of me and lifting my head to inspect for damage. My lips part to reply when Joel decides to jump in and yank Zak's hand from my face.
Whatever control Zak possesses snaps, and he grabs Joel forcibly. "Stop fucking around! She is hurt!"
The pair struggle, until Zak shoves Joel towards the stairs. My heart leaps into my mouth thinking Joel is going to fall down them when he trips over his own feet and falls, smacking his head on the stair rail.
Joel groans in pain, whilst I look at Zak who is glaring down at him. There's something in his eyes that make me shudder and when he goes towards Joel again, I find myself shouting at Zak to stop.
He looks at me "I wasn't-"
"You've done enough!" I hiss moving past Zak and to helping Joel get off the floor. There's a good size lump appearing on his forehead making me sigh. "Come on. Let's get you home.."
"Riley." Zak says making me shoot him a look.
"I've got to sort him out. Like it or not, the world doesn't revolve around you!" I snap before moving Joel down the stairs and out the building.
The taxi company couldn't give me a time when I rang them to book, so against my better judgement, I shove Joel in the cleaners van and take him home. Thankfully, he gives me his address before he falls asleep and I spend the journey in a grateful silence.
Waking him up was easier said than done, which resulted in me throwing water from a bottle over his face. He groans before looking at the front door.
"You like him?" Joel asks making me look from the steering wheel over to him.
"Who?"
"That douche bag."
What do I say? Do I say yes? Do I say no? Do I tell him what is really going on and that, the man who hurt him, is planning to hurt me too?
"I don't know.." I answer quietly.
He rolls his head across the seat. "I think you do."
"It's complicated, how about that?"
Joel scoffs. "It's only complicated if you make it. You know that. You gotta say it as you see it."
When I fail to comment, he adds "He likes you."
Does he? Or is it an act?
"Why would it be an act? God my head hurts."
I frown wondering if I had said it out loud when Joel nods, as if confirming my inner thought.
"It doesn't matter... Get in and get some sleep. Try not to choke on your own puke."
He chuckles. "Ever the caring type. I'll try my best not to. "
Joel opens the door and gets out the van before staggering across the road and to the house, swaying on the doorstep, he shoves the key into the door and lets himself in. He doesn't look back when he kicks it shut.
Letting my head fall back against the seat, I think about what he said and only making it complicated. Maybe I should just call Zak out over it? But maybe I shouldn't.
Getting no real answers, I head home, ready to confide in Avery who will tell me what to do straight away. I can almost guess that she will tell me to call Zak out on what I heard, but I would still like to hear her say the words before I go and do it.
Parking up, I get out and head into the apartment block, climbing the stairs and mulling it all over in my head. But when I round the corner, Zak is still there, sat on the steps, waiting.
"I think it's time we had a talk... Don't you?" He asks.
I forget asking Avery for her opinion or advice, as anger burns up in my gut. Leading me to answer back. "Yeah. I think it is. Starting with why Rachel was at your house?"