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.

wounds have healed, but my daily soreness from exercise remains stubborn, not

15:19

Calling Clayton

haste. I’m not sure what it means or why

wanted to talk to me?” he says,

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 would

still worried. I want to know how you’re doing. If you’re

healing.”

you know everything that happened by now, so I won’t rehash it. I’m glad I’m not with my

disappeared since he answered the phone, and I wonder what he was

you, Ava.”

so startling that I

15:19

Calling

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

much?

to feel awful about

very much. Well, not a lot… but a lot more than I ever

Clayton.

hope in his

person. Responsible. Steadfast. He took care

stranger.

away for my own safety,

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

cheeks, and I shake my head at Lisa as her eyes widen. She can’t hear

you haven’t

his odd question.

15:10

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

now, though

Ava is words are like

like I’ve said something that’s soothed him in

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his happiness at my response, and that niggling feeling inside of

what it is.

was just calling to check on Ivy. I

“Give me your number,

at me. “It’s the same one I’m

call you

again today, but how can I