Chapter 52
Ava’s POV
"Holy Hell! Are you okay?" Travis frantically asked. I rolled my eyes at him being so dramatic, "I need money to pay for the cab." I said.
"I will worry about that, you need to get inside and sit down." Travis said, reaching for my shoulder.
I flinched at the movement and shut my eyes; I slowed my breath and reopened my eyes to meet a very confused Travis. I shook my head and went inside the house, sitting down on the sofa.
A few moments Travis came back from paying that taxi driver. He walked into the living room and sat across from me, I watched as he looked me up and down, worry in his eye.
"Ava, what the hell are you okay?" He asked cutting his head down and sounding like he was on the verge of tears.
"Travis stop being over dramatic, I am fine." I replied, trying to comfort him.
Travis looked up at me and shook his head, "Have you seen yourself?" He asked.
I rolled my eyes and tried to crack a smile, "Wow thanks for telling me I look good." I replied.
"Come on the bathroom is down hallway, first one on the right." He told me.
I looked at him trying to decipher if he was being serious or not, he was being serious. I got up from the couch and went to the bathroom, looking at myself in the mirror.
I gasped at my reflection.
My cheeks were hollow and stripped of color, my lip was purple with a small cut on it, it looked like I had stitches by my eyebrow causing a slit in my left eyebrow, my eyes had bags under them and my right eye had a hint of purple. My neck had the blue imprints of Sylvester’s hand, I brought my hand too my neck and flinched when I remembered what had caused it.
On both my wrists there were black bruises from the chains being so tight, I could only imagine my ankles were the same.
I slowly lifted my hospital gown to expose my stomach, my eyes widened in horror. My whole stomach was black and blue, covered in bruises.
I held my breathe trying to calm myself but failed when my chest let out an unbearable pain. My eyes started to water and I broke down in tears and screams. Sylvester had come back, even though I had spent years trying to get away from him, he had found me.
I would never be able too escape him, each mark was a reminder of how weak I truly was. I would have to be reminded every day of how much I really meant which was nothing.
"Ava!" Travis shouted, barging into the bathroom where I was now curled up in the corner.
Travis walked towards me but I only tried too scurry into the corner more so I wouldn’t be close to him. "Charis." I managed to whisper in-between my sobs.
I hated myself for pushing Travis away but I couldn’t be around someone or anyone even slightly similar to Sylvester.
Travis understood and walked out of the bathroom too get Charis.
"Ava, hey it’s okay." I heard Charis cooed.
I managed to stop my tears long enough to look at Charis and let her come neat me. I felt her arms go around my body and I cried and cried into her shoulders while she rocked me back and forth, telling me that it was going to be okay.
I managed too slow my breaths and stop the tears from flowing down my face. Charis pulled away, allowing me too slowly stand up and gather myself.
"Ava I am here to talk about what happened." Charis said. I found comfort in her words, she didn’t ask if I was okay or what happened but instead letting me know that she was still my friend.
"Thank you, Charis. I just need a few things and then I will be out of your way." I said, managing a small smile.
"Ava, I think you should stay here." She replied, looking at me concerned. I shook my head and hugged her before exiting the bathroom and walking into the living room where Travis was.
"Hey, Blue." I said, walking over to where Travis was sitting.
"Hey, Shortness." Travis said, removing his hand from his hands and looking up at me.
"Can I just have a change of clothes and some money? I promise I will pay you back." I asked, putting my hand on his shoulder in comfort.
"Ava, are you okay?" Was all he said, looking back down at the floor.
"Travis of course. What’s wrong?" I asked, confused on why he was acting so strange.
"What’s wrong? Ava you just showed up too my house looking half dead and in a hospital gown and not with Andrew... Did he do this to you? I swear to God I will kill Andrew if he laid a hand on you." Travis shouted, getting up from the sofa.
"No, No Andrew didn’t do this to me... certain stuff happened and I will tell you about it but I need to get back too Andrew to clear a few things up. I just need some cloths and enough money for a plane ticket." I explained, pulling him into a hug.
Travis was taken back from my response and my sudden movement but reluctantly hugged me back after a few moments. "I just care about you and you scared me. I am sorry." Travis sighed.
"Don’t be sorry. I am going to be okay, like I always am." I replied, pulling away from the hug.
"Alright, Charis has cloths here and you can use my jet." Travis said, walking too Charis who was just coming out of the bathroom. "And when you’re ready, I will be here to talk about what happened." He continued.
I nodded my head and watched Travis look down at Charis, telling her too get some cloths for me.
I smiled at the utter affection he showed for her just by looking at her, he was so in love with her even if she didn’t know it yet. I thought back too Andrew and wondered if he looked at me the same way... did he love me?
Did I love him?
That was just another thing I would have to figure out when I saw Andrew. I needed to make sure that Sylvester was just playing with my head and Andrew didn’t really sell me.
I trusted him and was almost positive that he didn’t but I just needed to make sure.
"Ava." I heard Charis say, bringing me out of the thoughts. I looked at her and she gave me a pair of sweatpants, a red tank top and a black jacket with some sneakers.
"Thank you." I replied, grabbing them and racing into the bathroom to change. I refrained myself from looking in the mirror again, not wanting to have another panic attack.
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