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.

healed, but my daily

15:19

Calling Clayton

I’m not sure what it means

to talk to me?” he says,

watches, her eyes sparkling. She loves a good romantic drama, and my current love life is

haven’t talked with you since everything happened. I figured you would be

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

healing.”

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

disappeared since he answered the phone,

you, Ava.”

so startling that I almost drop

15:19

Ava: Calling

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

much?

to feel

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

Clayton.

hope in his voice breaks

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

stranger.

my own safety, but it isn’t like Lucas has done much better.

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

Lisa as her eyes widen. She can’t hear him on the other end, so she has no

haven’t chosen Lucas?”

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

15:10

seems like the Aund of thing

now, though

words are like

I’ve said something that’s soothed him in some way. T’ll never hold that

on Gøøglᴇ to access

can almost hear his happiness at my response, and that niggling feeling inside

what it is.

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

out. “Give me your number, so I can call you.”

YES, YES! at me. “It’s the same

I call you

planning on talking to him again today, but