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.

healed, but my daily soreness from exercise remains

15:19

Ava: Calling Clayton

I’m not sure what it means or why my body’s

talk to me?” he

She loves

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

how you’re doing. If you’re

healing.”

I sound lame. “My best friend is here, so I’m not alone. I’m sure you know everything that happened by now, so I won’t rehash it. I’m glad I’m not with my

has disappeared since he answered the phone,

miss you, Ava.”

that I almost

15:19

Calling

else am I supposed to answer? I don’t miss him? I don’t

much?

I’m starting to feel awful about

even thought about Lucas very much. Well, not a lot… but a lot more than

Clayton.

hope in his voice breaks

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

stranger.

away for my own safety, but it

his voice in my ear, the way his gentlemanly demeanor changes when my heat has

her eyes widen. She

haven’t chosen

at his odd

15:10

seems like the Aund of thing I should

now, though

are like a caress, and

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

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and that niggling feeling inside of me grows.

what it is.

I was just calling to check on Ivy. I guess I’ll

me your

mouthing, YES, YES, YES! at me. “It’s the

call

planning on talking to him again today, but how