Tangled

101 Ava: Calling Clayton

A plate of mixed greens, topped with an obscene amount of sliced chicken and shredded cheese, is slid

in front of me as I wait for Clayton to answer the phone,

There’s a lot of sound in the background, and I can hear Vester shouting that I’m on the line.

Stabbing a bite of salad, I crunch at it, the sound grating against my eardrums as I wait.

“Ava?” Clayton’s voice, usually so strong and assured, wavers with a vulnerability that catches me off guard. The sound tugs at my heart, a pang of guilt piercing through the layers of confusion that has settled

between us.

I should have asked Lucas to let me talk to him a long time ago. He’s probably been worried. He’s too responsible and caring to have just let things go without wondering how I’m doing.

I’m a terrible person.

I never really thought about him in this time.

1/7

101 Ava Calling Clayton

“Hey,” I manage, my throat tightening around the word. “How… how have you been?”

Lisa’s eyebrows shoot up at the sound of my words, her gaze fixed on me with an intensity that suggests she’s hanging on every word. I ignore her, focusing instead on the static–laden silence stretching across the connection.

“How are you feeling?” Clayton asks, dodging my question with one of his own. “Are you healing alright?”

There’s a lump in my throat at the sound of his

concern. Damn. I swallow hard. “I’m fine,” I assure him, though the words feel hollow even to my own ears. “I actually called because… well, I was worried about Ivy. I wanted to know how she’s doing. And I wanted to talk to you.”

He’s silent for a long time. “Ivy’s doing well. She’s healing, but slowly. She doesn’t heal much faster than

humans.”

I know that pain.

daily soreness from exercise remains

15:19

Calling Clayton

what it means or why my body’s

to talk to

as Lisa watches, her eyes sparkling. She loves a good

since everything happened. I figured you would be worried.”

still worried. I want to know how you’re doing. If you’re okay, if you’re healthy, if you’re

healing.”

best friend is here, so I’m not alone. I’m sure you know everything that

he answered the phone, and I

miss you,

is so startling that I almost drop

15:19

Ava: Calling

“I miss you, too.” How else am I supposed to answer? I don’t miss him? I don’t think of

much?

I’m starting to feel

not a lot… but a lot more than

Clayton.

his voice breaks

Responsible. Steadfast.

stranger.

also kept me locked away for my own safety, but it isn’t like Lucas

My mind flashes to other things, like the sound of his voice in my ear, the way his gentlemanly demeanor changes when my heat

at Lisa as her eyes widen. She can’t hear him on the other end, so she has no idea what’s happening.

haven’t chosen Lucas?”

his odd

15:10

von about him. Us It seems like the Aund of thing

now, though

are like a caress, and I

slightly different wavelengths. It sounds like I’ve said something that’s soothed him in

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response, and that niggling feeling inside of

what it is.

I

your number, so I can

nodding enthusiastically, mouthing, YES, YES, YES! at me. “It’s the same one I’m calling from

call you tonight?”

on talking to him again today, but how can I say