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.

wounds have healed, but my daily

15:19

Ava: Calling

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

talk to me?” he says, hesitant.

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

haven’t talked with you since everything happened.

to know how

healing.”

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

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

miss you, Ava.”

startling that I almost drop the

15:19

Calling

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

much?

to feel

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

Clayton.

in his voice breaks

a nice person. Responsible. Steadfast. He took care of me, even

stranger.

he’d also kept me locked away for my own safety, but it

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

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

you haven’t chosen

I frown at his odd question.

15:10

like the Aund of

now, though

like a caress, and I feel

we’re on slightly different wavelengths. It sounds like I’ve said something that’s soothed him in some way. T’ll

FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the

hear his happiness at my response, and that niggling feeling

what it is.

to check on Ivy. I guess I’ll let you

me your number, so I can

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

I call you tonight?”

on talking to him again today, but how can I say no when