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 stubborn, not

15:19

Calling

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

to me?” he says,

switch the phone to my other ear as Lisa watches, her eyes sparkling. She loves

you since everything happened.

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

healing.”

is here, so I’m not alone. I’m sure you know everything that happened by now, so I

has disappeared since he answered

miss you,

so startling that I almost drop

15:19

Calling

answer?

much?

to feel awful about myself.

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

Clayton.

in his voice breaks my

Steadfast. He took care of me, even though I’m a

stranger.

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

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

at Lisa as her eyes widen. She can’t hear him on the other end,

haven’t chosen Lucas?”

at his odd

15:10

It seems like the Aund of thing I should apologize for. He knows about

now, though

like a caress,

something that’s soothed him

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and that niggling feeling inside of me

what it is.

was just calling to check on Ivy. I guess I’ll let you go. I’m sure

me your number, so

enthusiastically, mouthing, YES, YES, YES! at

I call you tonight?”

Yes?” I wasn’t planning on talking to him again today, but how can I say no when he asks me that