AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She rose from the couch. “Thanks, Rachel, but there is nothing to resolve.”
Rigo saved her from more questioning by coming in to see if Rachel needed anything. Ava took the cue and made her way outside to get Luca. She needed a drink and wasn’t going to have one in front of her family. If Daniel was aware of her lack of enthusiasm for work, then she was sure that almost her entire family knew. She didn’t want them accusing her of over-indulging in alcohol.
She took Luca’s hand and waved goodbye to her family. When they got to the street, she asked him if he wanted to take her home to his place.
“Why don’t we ever go to your place? We have been fucking for almost two weeks, and I have yet to go to your apartment.”
“I like your apartment. It’s quiet and comfortable.”
She knew she couldn’t tell him the truth. Her apartment was a disaster. She hadn’t cleaned it in several weeks, and her laundry was piling up. Every surface had clutter on it much like his did the first night she went to his place. Now his apartment was spotless and clean. Even her bathroom was a mess. It was part of the I-don’t-give-a-shit attitude. In fact, the only thing she cared about was Boomer and Riley. She made sure they were well fed even though they had to live among the clutter, which they didn’t seem to mind.
The reality was that her life was spiraling out of control and she didn’t know how to stop the spin. By the age of twenty-eight, most people are done with their rebellious years. She never had them and now had just started to live, or so she thought. She justified her behavior in her mind by referring to the things that Brooke did when she was younger.
Brooke drank, sneaked out at night and fucked anyone she wanted. Ava sat in her room reading her days and nights away. She had only slept with one man up until Luca, and she wanted to experience more. Soon Luca would be miniature in her rear view mirror as she moved on to the next guy.
Luca wanted to have sex with her so she acquiesced and they went to his apartment. Later that evening they were lying in bed, and he asked her a question she wasn’t sure how to answer without hurting him.
“Ava, what exactly are we doing?”
“You mean now? It looks like we just got done fucking.”
He said as he pointed to himself and her. “No. I mean what is this?”
“We’re just having fun.”
“Suppose I don’t want it to be just fun.”
“You mean you want a relationship? I’m not looking for that.”
“Doing what you are doing is not going to make you forget.”
“Forget what?”
“Not what, who. The person who gave you that ring. If you were over him, then you wouldn’t continue to wear that,” he said as he pointed to the necklace around her neck.
She got out of bed and started pulling on her clothes. “I seriously am not looking for relationship advice. I just want to enjoy myself.”
“I’m sorry, but I want a relationship, not just a fuck buddy. I hope we can continue to be friends.”
“I need a friend right now.” She sat down on the bed and started to wipe the tears that spilled over her cheeks. Luca slipped to her side of the bed and held her in his arms.
“It gets better you know. It takes time.” He handed her a tissue from the nightstand. He kissed her cheek, and she stood up.
“I’ll call you this week. Maybe we can go for coffee, or you can come over for dinner one night,” she said.
“I’d like that,” he said as she opened the apartment door.
“Goodbye, Luca.”
At home that night, she cried. She had no idea what she was doing. She checked her cell phone and saw that Tim had left her several text messages. She had been dodging him for the past week. She had treated him poorly, and he didn’t deserve that. He cared about her, and she could use the comfort he provided.
She texted him back to let him know that she would like to get together tomorrow if he wasn’t busy. Though it was late, he got back to her immediately setting a lunch date for the next day. When she finished with him, she went to the freezer and took out a pint of Cherry Garcia and her bottle of Grey Goose. That was a good combination. She filled a tumbler with ice and filled it part of the way with the vodka, then went to sit on her couch but first had to push aside several stacks of newspapers. Tomorrow if the spirit moved her, she would have to do some cleaning.
She sipped at the vodka and ate half a pint of Cherry Garcia. She put the spoon and glass in the sink among a stack of other dishes and put the rest of the pint in the freezer. She went to her bedroom to get ready for bed, rummaging through her dresser for something to wear. She touched upon Xander’s threadbare t-shirt that he left with her several years ago. Though she was so furious with him, she chose it. She couldn’t help how she still felt about him. She loved him.
Hours late she woke from an uneasy sleep with a stomachache. Vodka and Cherry Garcia did not make a good mix after all. She was nauseous and went to the bathroom to vomit. Several eruptions later and her stomach was free of the pink mess that now floated in her toilet. She flushed and brushed her teeth. It was then that she got a good look at herself. Her skin was pale, and her face looked bloated. Her bright green eyes were bloodshot, and she had circles under them. It had only taken two weeks for her to fall apart.
The next morning she spent three hours trying to right the state of her home. She dusted, washed dishes, threw out the garbage, changed sheets and did laundry. Her bathroom took a good hour alone to clean. But her apartment finally was sparkling, and what's more, she had clean underwear (something she skipped for the past two days except for a recycled bra from the dirty laundry pile).
