“It’s stupid, but I just thought you could tell me what the fuck I do wrong. You know, aside from the cheating and all that shit.”
“Because that wasn’t enough? Is this about Avery? You better not have cheated on her, or I’ll come to beat your ass myself.” Layla liked Avery, and that was both a plus and a minus.
“We’re not even a couple, Lay. And while I can usually pinpoint what I’ve done wrong, I have really tried with her, and I’m lost. I don’t know if it’s her sister telling her the shit from our past, or if it’s just me being a fuckup. I’m really trying, though.” I sounded like a desperate fool and I didn’t care.
“Well, I know she was crazy about you the last time I talked to her, so if she’s not now, it’s because you’re still the screwup I dated.”
“I’m trying not to be. Look, it took a lot to call you, and that should count for something. Besides, Coach Carr doesn’t want a repeat of my being down in the dumps, so I thought if I could talk to you…” I took a deep breath. “Fuck it. I don’t know what I was expecting.”
“You want me to tell you how to fix it,” said Layla. “Talk to her. Go make a fucking effort for once in your life. You took a big risk calling me, sure, but when was the last time you took one for her?”
“I thought I was taking a big risk calling you for advice, but I guess you’re right. Thanks. I won’t bother you again.”
“You’re not a bother,” she said, her voice taking on a more pity-filled tone, which was just what I didn’t want from her.
“She’s lying,” said Jayce, who was still listening in the background. “You’re still a pain in my ass.”
“Stop it,” said Layla, who was trying not to laugh. I could hear the amusement in her tone. And while I would have been jealous in the past that he was on that side of the call with her and not me, I didn’t want to be anywhere without Avery.
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I guess I have never said that. And I really am. I’m glad you’re happy.” I just wanted that happiness for myself with someone, and that someone was Avery.
Layla’s voice softened a bit. “Thanks, Seth. I’m glad about how things worked out, and I’m happy. I wish you the best, but seriously, Avery is a good girl. Don’t screw it up.”
“I’m trying not to.” That was the whole point of the call.
“Well, do something about it!” I could tell she was getting really aggravated with me.
“I will, and again, I’m sorry. Sorry for what I did, and sorry that I called. I hope we can all be friends.”
Jayce surprised me by speaking up. “Sure, man. Good luck.”
“Bye, Seth.” Layla’s voice was finally normal, and maybe that meant she forgave me a little bit.
“Bye.” I ended the call and realized my omelet had gone cold. I felt like a miserable lump of shit and dragged myself up to dump the food in the trash on my way to my bed.
I had made one call to make it right, and now it was time to make another.
I lay back on my pillow and pulled the covers over me. I decided calling was a little too much and opted for a text instead.
Can we talk?
I hit send and waited, but no response ever came.
Chapter 3 Avery
After a late practice, I stopped by Clara’s to bring her some dinner. With Dillon gone, I knew he wasn’t around to police her eating, so I decided to take up the task.
When she came to the door, I held up the pizza box. “Special delivery.” I had stopped on the way and gotten what used to be her childhood favorite. I hoped that by offering her foods from our past that still had great memories attached, she’d be more likely to eat it.
“I just ate a TV dinner,” she said. “You should have called first.” She pointed to the coffee table where her plastic food tray was still sitting with a fork and napkin.
“Oh, well, you can always freeze it and have some for lunch tomorrow. It’s your favorite. Pepperoni and ham with onions.” I was starving and carried the pizza into their kitchen, where I wasted no time getting a slice. “Practice has me starving. I hope you don’t mind.” I bit into it and sighed. It was so good.
“No, go ahead,” she said with a laugh. “You eat like Dillon, always coming in after a hard practice and stuffing his face.”
“Have you heard from him? How’s the training going?” It had to be exciting being on the Olympic team. Dillon’s dreams were coming true.
Clara raked her hand through her hair and sighed. “He says it’s tough. He called me earlier and fell asleep on the phone. I told him not to do that in the pool, or he’ll drown, and I won’t be there to save him.”
Dillon had pulled my sister from the brink of death twice when she nearly drowned. “I bet he didn’t find that funny.”
Clara giggled. “Not even a little. But I did. He’ll come around and be able to joke about it one day too.”
“I think that’s wishful thinking. He was devastated. I remember the look in his eyes at the hospital. That’s when I knew he really loved you, and I wished I’d find that with someone.”
“Well, you are free to move on and find someone who will actually treat you that way. You know I don’t think Seth Mills was capable. Better for it to stop before anything got started. He’s like one of those serial killers where they have no emotional grid.”
“Seth isn’t that bad,” I snapped before shoving in another
