The Queen's Back

After Ava went upstairs, Joseph took a careful look around the living room where she lived.

The space was simply decorated, mostly in shades of white. After surveying it, he sat down on the couch and waited for Ava to return.

He touched his cheek absentmindedly; it was bleeding slightly-Bud had hit him hard.

But he thought it was worth it since Ava had brought him here.

When Ava came down with a first-aid kit, she noticed the corners of Joseph's mouth lifting into a small smile.

The sight made her guilt deepen just a bit more, and she hurried over to him.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know why he snapped like that, making you take a punch for nothing," she said apologetically, opening the first-aid kit and sitting beside him.

"What are you apologizing for? I took the punch, but I gave one back, too," Joseph replied, frowning slightly.

He didn't like it when Ava apologized to him. It made him feel like she was aligned with Bud, leaving him on the outside.

But Ava was his girlfriend, not Bud's.

"Alright, alright-keep still and lower your head so I can treat it," Ava said, dipping a cotton swab into antiseptic. She reached for his cheek.

Joseph tilted his face towards her hand as instructed.

They were sitting close, and Joseph could smell the fresh, clean scent that seemed to cling to her.

His heart sped up just a bit.

Ava dabbed the cotton swab on his injured cheek.

Perhaps it was because it was Ava's first time doing that, so it seemed she wasn't used to treating wounds gently. Joseph couldn't help but hiss in pain and leaned back a little. Seeing his reaction, Ava quickly apologized and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was being rough."

overreacted," Joseph

lightened her touch, and soon she was placing a band-aid on his cheek, completing

and a brief thought about Bud's injury crossed

There was no use worrying about someone who had other people to take care of him. "Alright," she said, looking at the band-aid

normally looked impeccable, but now the band-aid made his face look a bit less polished. "So, do you mind?" he asked with

mind? It's nothing. Do you

face was too close to hers. The warmth of his breath brushed against her, making her a little uncomfortable. Seeing Ava trying

wrapped around Ava's waist, and his chin rested on the inside

of his breath against her neck made

but was acutely aware of their extraordinarily intimate proximity. Her hands were tangled together, unsure of where

position felt

Joseph reluctantly released his grip on her waist, his

up from Joseph's lap and

spoke, and the living room fell into an extraordinary silence. Even the slightest sound

a few moments,

After instructing her to close the door when she went to bed, he suggested he should

politeness, Ava walked

She urged him, "It's getting late. You should go home now!" "Well, give me a hug, Ava," Joseph replied, gently wrapping his

curly and felt nice to the

hug was

I'm going into the crew tomorrow, so we won't have much time to see each other. If you have

by when I can," Ava

money was one thing, but passing the time felt more pressing, and she just felt so bored when idling away the days. When Joseph left in his RV,

car, Bud dropped the cigarette from his hand and opened the

a moment's hesitation, he picked up his cell

with another man tonight, he understood his feelings had deepened. As Maxwell had said, he had made mistakes, but from now on, he wanted to do

wanted to