Page 75 of Reaching Avery
Later that night, after I’d dropped him off at home, I crawled into bed, but I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping anytime soon.
I was too wired, too excited. Too… everything.
I’d crushed on him for a while, but it was greater now. Our date that night was like the nail in the coffin for me.
I was thoroughly hooked on Avery and the feelings he created within me.
My stomach fluttered when I remembered us cuddled together during the movie, and how he’d turned his face more into my arm on some of the gruesome parts.
Even though he wasn’t near me, I could still remember the way he smelled and the perfect way his head fit on my shoulder.
An ache formed in my chest at the absence of him, and I wished he had a phone so I could text him. As I played through scenarios of me buying him a phone—and the backlash I’d probably get from him for doing such a thing—I kicked off my shoes, shrugged out of my jeans, and slid off my shirt. I lay down in bed afterward and just stared at the ceiling.
That’s when my phone vibrated.
Leaning over the edge of the bed, I grabbed my discarded jeans and retrieved my cell from the back pocket. My skin prickled when I saw who the text was from.
Chris:Hey. You up?
Me:Yeah… why?
I regretted replying to him, mostly because I was done with his crap and still kind of mad about him cheating. The anger was still present from the betrayal, but the hurt over him being with another guy was gone.
Chris:I’m sorry for what I did. You were nothing but amazing, and I hate that I went and screwed it all up.
I read his text several times before clicking the box to reply.
Me:Look, Chris. Yeah, what you did was messed up. But it was probably for the best. The long distance thing wouldn’t have worked 4ever, and missing out on someone awesome just to keep the relationship going wasn’t fair to either of us.
Chris:You found someone else???
Me:Yeah. Kind of. Not sure how he feels about things, but I’m all in.
It took him a while to respond, and I wasn’t sure if it was because he was upset at my confession or if he was with his boyfriend. My feeling was the same for both options, though: I didn’t care.
Chris:I’m happy for you.
Me:Thanks. How’re things with the bf?
Chris:We broke up. But I’m seeing a few guys atm, so it’s cool.
Me:Oh. Sorry it didn’t work with him.
Chris:Shit happens. Turns out he was screwing a guy at his gym. So karma really is a bitch.
The knowledge he’d been cheated on didn’t make me happy. Honestly, it made me sad for him. There I was in the beginning stages of what I hoped would be an incredible relationship with Avery, while Chris was starting from scratch.
Me:If you ever need to talk, I’m here.
Chris:Thanks, Mav. I hope things work out with the new guy.
I wasn’t sure why he’d texted me that night. Perhaps he’d apologized because he wanted to get back together since he’d broken up with his boyfriend. Or maybe he’d just been guilty and finding out that I’d moved on helped give him peace of mind.
I refused to dwell on it.
Our time together had been great, but some relationships weren’t meant to last forever. Sometimes, people came into your life for a short amount of time before going down a different path, and that was okay.
Not every love story had to end in a happily ever after. I had loved Chris, but I knew he wasn’t the guy I wanted to spend my life with.
A gut feeling told me, though, that maybe Avery was.
