Flying Free (MAC Security 2.50)

“Ah, well...” He clears his throat as his eyes meet mine. “Ma said she was worried about you so I said I’d come down and check on you.”

Blowing out a puff of air, I lay back down and look up at the pristine white ceiling.

“How long you staying for?” I ask, turning my head back to him. Even though he originally came to check on me, I intend to make the most of my time with Charlie while he’s here.

They both look at each other and shrug. “I ain’t got nothing on this weekend,” Jackson replies with a raised brow.

“I’ll drive back Sunday night,” Charlie says then smirks. “Why?”

“Well, I’ve been meaning to do some decorating,” I leave that statement hanging in the air and wait for them to get my meaning. I think it’s about time that I make some changes and I want to start with my bedroom.

“We’ll help,” Charlie says, leaning forward on the couch. “Go and get ready and then we’ll get some supplies.”

I hold my hand out to him as he stands up and let him lift me off the floor. I need a shower to wake me up first and then possibly a smoothie on the way to the hardware store, just for extra energy.

Walking into the lecture on Monday morning, I see Jess and Scott for the first time since Friday night.

I try my hardest not to look in their direction but I can’t stop my eyes flicking to them briefly as I make my way to my seat.

Neither of them have been back to the apartment all weekend, not that it has bothered me.

We spent all day Saturday stripping my bedroom down to its bare bones, and then re-doing it all, I even made a wall dedicated to my post-it notes. I could see on Jackson’s face that he was wondering about them but when Charlie shook his head, he just smiled at me, not saying anything.

Before they left on Sunday, Charlie wrapped his arms around me, telling me how proud he is of me. It meant the world to me that he said that. It wasn’t until they had both left that I noticed that Jess hadn’t been back to the apartment.

Though Jackson has been messaging me none stop since they left, mainly random jokes and pictures, but it kept my mind off things.

The buzzing of my cell as I sit down brings a smile to my face and I already know it’s him before I unlock the screen.

Some would think it’s weird that I feel a connection with Jackson but to me he was just another version of Charlie and Ty, he’s kind of a mixture between the two.

I found myself telling him about my freak out the other week with the new lecturer, Thomas. Being behind a screen and not having to say it face to face gave me confidence and even though I had a brief second of regret as I was waiting for him to message me back, there really was no need to worry because he was surprisingly understanding.

From: Jackson

To: Ava

What up little Ava?

(to view this attachment click here)

I click on the attachment and snort at the photo that’s he’s sent me. Using one of those silly filters, he’s completely distorted his face and I have to cover my mouth to try and control the laughter that’s bubbling up.

“Something you’d like to share with us, Miss Johnson?” I jump in my seat, not realizing that the class is full and ready to start.

“Oh... no.” I shake my head and gulp as I shove my cell into my pocket, ignoring the buzz of another message.

His brows raise and his jaw clenches as he shakes his head, his eyes landing on the obvious bruise around my eye before turning back to the board and pointing at something he wrote.

Tapping my pen on the table three times, I start to write notes but I’m finding it hard to concentrate. I can feel eyes burning into the back of my head and I have to restrain myself from turning around.

Butterflies take flight in my stomach as the class ends and I wish that I can just leave at the same time as everyone else instead of having to wait until the room is almost empty.

“Ava?” Jess calls from the end of the aisle. I look at her, picking my bag up off the floor and swallowing past the growing lump in my throat. Her walls are firmly in place not letting me see what she’s thinking so I take a step towards her, aware that Scott and a couple of his friends are waiting at the bottom of the stairs. “Can we talk?”

“Sure.” I say, shrugging my shoulders. Her eyes flick to my eye that has a lovely purple tinge to it and she winces. Looking away, she tilts her head to Scott and he looks briefly at me before shaking his head and walking out of the room, his friends following him out.

“Ava...” she says as I stand beside her and wave my arm at the stairs, signaling that we should walk and talk. “I’m sorry about what happened on Friday.” I open my mouth to say something but she continues. “I’m a little confused to be honest.”