All Hallows Eve, Vol. 3

Chapter 7

Seven

Ava

“I’m so sorry,” Dillon apologizes for like the hundredth time. And each time I tell him it is okay.

“Dillon, I’m just glad you both got to safety. I’m okay.”

He nods. “I’m probably going to say it again because I am.”

I get that he’s sorry, but now it’s annoying, “It’s okay. Shall we get to the lab for the day?”

He snorts, “Yeah, I get it. I’m annoying. But yes, I kinda of need this grade.”

We both do. I pull out the test tubes as he grabs the solutions we need to mix today. He sets them down and we read the instructions. We work in comfortable silence, watching the water change colors and make our notations.

Before I know it, it’s time to clean up. I take the beakers to pour out the solution in the proper bins, and then put them into the sink while Dillon packs up our backpacks. I take mine as we walk out of class.

“Coffee?” he asks. He knows me so well.

I follow him to the coffee shop and find a seat after giving him my order. The coffee shop is my happy place, something about the smells, the quiet, people-watching, and, obviously, the coffee.

He brings back two tall cups and takes a seat with a sigh. I can feel him staring at me as if he wants to ask me a question.

I turn to him, set my coffee down, “Out with it.”

His eyes widen. “What?”

I snort. “You want to ask me something?”

He shakes his head. “You know me so well. So, you were friends with the fab four?”

I nod, but he already knows this, but maybe he deserves story time. “We grew up together. I was with Roark all through high school. The day of tour rehearsal dinner, I found him with my sister.”

He spits his coffee out. “Wait. You have a sister?”

“And a brother, but I like him. No one talks about Adaline. When my parents confronted her, a lot came out. I guess she stole money from Dad and lied to a lot of people. She was a bully as well.”

“What happened to her?”

I shrug. “She basically left town when my parents disowned her and kicked her out. No one would take her in after all the lies.”

“And what happened with Roark?”

I turn to look out the window. “I ran out, went on my honeymoon with my friends. Haven’t talked to him since. The others stopped talking to me once I called off the wedding.”

I have been trying to put my life and heart back together ever since. I can talk about it without crying, but my soul still hurts.

I hate myself sometimes for not talking to him, but then again, he should have never let her in. Maybe I’m dumb for not hearing him out. But I don’t think I can hear his excuses. I’m not ready.

“I won’t push. Sorry, that happened to you. He’s an idiot.”

Sometimes he is.

“I do want to ask you something, though.”

“Ha! I knew it!”

He laughs, “Yeah, yeah.” And then he pulls out an envelope. I know right away what it is. I can feel the smile drop from my face when he sets it on the table. He glances up at me and frowns. “Do you know what this is?”

Nodding, “I’ve seen the guys on the football team hand them out. Even when I was friends with the guys, I never got an invite. Are you going?”

He looks down at the envelope. “Only if you come with me.”

He speaks so softly. Even I don’t know if I heard him correctly. Why would he want to go to a stupid party with me? I’m not a party girl and he knows that. But if I look at it from his point of view, he doesn’t talk to many people either and he wants to be accepted. I should be happy he got an invite as he really wanted to go.

“You want me to go with you?”

He pulls out the card, and it has his name with a plus one. Weird. Is this a party or a wedding?

“Please?” he asks with puppy dog eyes. I can’t say no to a handsome face like his. Dillon is good-looking. Square jaw, warm brown eyes, and dark brown hair with a year-round tan. He’s fit and plays basketball, though I don’t know what he looks like under all his clothes. But I’m surprised girls aren’t chasing after him. He’s a catch.

I relent. “I’ll go.”

He squeals, like actually squeals like a girl, garnering looks from around the café. He looks so funny doing it that I laugh, a full-on laugh until my stomach hurts.

With a pleased look, he grabs our cups. “I’ll get another round.”

Yeah, he better, since he owes me now.