Heartache and Hope (Heartache Duet #1)(13)

Connor





I’d been killing it during practice. Every shot, every play, every move of my feet had been perfect. I was back to the old me, or as the team saw it—a new me. And then she walked into the gym, and I forget who I am and why I’m here.

The girl is something else. Even beneath her school blazer, those knee-high socks and completely modest skirt, I could tell she was hiding things some girls go above and beyond to flaunt.

I’m staring.

“Ledger!” someone calls out a split second before a ball hits the side of my head, knocking what little sense I had right out of me.

I take a time-out and head for my water bottle.

Still staring.

Because I can’t not.

“How’s that going for ya?” Rhys asks, motioning to Ava as he slumps down next to me.

She’s at the corner of the gym now, picking up a random backpack I didn’t know was there. “Huh?”

“You got a little drool,” he says, chuckling, and hands me a towel.

I wipe at my mouth because I’m too far gone.

Bending down to tie his laces, he says, “She told me you gave her a ride yesterday.”

“She did?” So, she and Rhys are friends. Noted. I clear my throat, try not to sound too… inquisitive. “What—I mean, what else did she say about me?”

He all out laughs now, coming to a stand. Shaking his head, his gaze floats between Ava and me. His hand on my shoulder tells me “You poor, pathetic little dude” but his words—his words say, “She said you make her uncomfortable.”





The first class I ever had at this school was psychology. After doing everything I needed at the office to register, I was late. It was only a minute, but it was enough to make my already anxious mind go into overdrive. When I walked into the room, there was only one desk free, two chairs, and so I took what was offered. A few people watched me walk through the rows, but no one said a word. It was a relief. A few minutes after that, Ava walked in. Initially, I thought she might be new, too, but I didn’t see her in the office and going by how the teacher spoke, I figured she was just late.

Now, I was walking toward that same room, and I wish I were late again. Or better yet, I wish the floor would swallow me whole. Unfortunately, I can’t come up with an excuse or some form of sudden chronic illness that would excuse me from attending classes for the rest of the year, so I grab the door that someone holds open for me and make my way into the room.

She’s here, in her seat, a textbook in front of her, staring into the abyss. You know, Classic-Ava. I walk painstakingly slow, but not slow enough because I still end up next to her. My chair drags as I pull it out, causing her to glance up, then right back down.

I clear my throat, and with my voice low, I ask, “Is it okay if I sit here?”

Her eyes lock on mine. Hold. She offers a smile filled with pity and laced with what I’m sure is disgust. “Of course,” she murmurs. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know,” I breathe out, taking the seat. “The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.”

A sound falls from her lips; a squeak of sorts. And she turns in her seat to the person behind us.

Rhys.

She shakes her head at him, her eyes wide.

Rhys laughs. Fucker.

And me? I spend the rest of the day in Classic-Ava mode.





Chapter 12





Ava





“Your grades are fantastic, Ava. Your GPA hasn’t dropped once since you started here. There are a lot of colleges that would be lucky to have you,” Miss Turner says, an assortment of catalogs spread out on her desk. “UNC, Duke, NC State. Given your circumstance, I assume you’d like to stay local?”

She’s only half right. I do plan on staying local; I just don’t plan on furthering my education—much to Trevor’s dismay.

I don’t tell her this, though. I simply nod, watch the minutes tick by. I don’t want to be here a second longer than I have to. I want to get to first-period psychology early enough to get a few words in with Connor, if he’ll even listen to me.

“Have you thought more about where you’re going to apply?”

One minute until the warning bell.

“Everywhere, anywhere,” I rush out.

“Well, that’s great, Ava!” She beams. “I’m glad you’re—”

“I have to go,” I say, cutting her off. I stand quickly. “I have a thing I need to do.”





Connor’s already in his seat when I walk in, his head on the desk, arms folded beneath it—a vision of hopelessness.

There’s a sudden sinking in my gut. An ache so strong it has me frozen to my spot. Around me, students swarm, bumping into me with zero apologies. My feet drag when I make my way over to him. Standing beside him, I whisper, “Hey.”

Tired, tormented eyes lock on mine. One second. Two. Then he goes back to his original position.

My heart drops.

“Take a seat, Ava,” Mr. McCallister says, walking into the room. “Are you with us, Connor?”

Connor sits up, grumbles under his breath, “Unfortunately.”

Mr. McCallister waits for the rest of the class to settle in, and when enough silence descends, he announces, “It’s your lucky day, people. My laptop has decided to die, so you’ll be working on your nature versus nurture assignment, and since it’s such a lovely day out, I’m going to let you partner up and work wherever you like. Within reason, of course.”