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.

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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.

have healed, but my daily soreness from exercise remains stubborn,

15:19

Calling Clayton

what it means or why my

to

phone to my other ear as Lisa watches, her eyes sparkling. She loves a good romantic drama, and my current love

everything happened. I figured you

want to know how

healing.”

I’m sure you know everything that happened by now, so I won’t

is unnerving. The cacophony in the background has disappeared since he answered the phone,

you,

is so startling that I almost

15:19

Ava: Calling Clayton

“I miss you, too.” How else am I supposed to answer? I

much?

feel awful

a lot… but a lot more than I ever think about

Clayton.

you?” The hope in his

do miss him. He’s a nice person. Responsible. Steadfast. He took care of

stranger.

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

to other things, like the sound of his voice in my ear, the

widen. She can’t hear him on

you haven’t chosen

I frown at his odd question. “About Lucas… I’m

15:10

Us It seems like the Aund of thing I

now, though

care. Ava is words are like a caress, and I

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

on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest

and that niggling feeling

what it is.

calling to check on Ivy. I guess I’ll let you

“Give me your number, so I

YES, YES, YES! at

I call you

Yes?” I wasn’t planning on talking to him again today, but how can