Life After Life

•C h a p t e r T w e n t y - F o u r•

I laid on my bed, finally out of my wet swimsuit and into a black floral dress. Avery sat next to me, dressed in one of my sweatshirts. She had her textbook out as she crammed for a quiz she had coming up.

We'd just got back from the beach after leaving Liam and Sam, they'd decided to stay for a bit of night surfing. I thought that was ridiculous, the water was cold enough already during the day.

Avery glanced over at me frequently, her mouth opened and shut as if she wanted to say something but was too afraid to.

I smiled, sitting up, "What's wrong, Avery?"

She set her textbook aside, seeing her opening, "I just think you and Liam are really weird together."

"Define weird," my brows furrowed as I leaned back on my headboard.

She cleared her throat, swallowing hard, "You guys act like you've known each other for like forever, and you just met at the beginning of school. You guys always look at each other like that too."

"I don't know what you mean," I let out a small laugh. To answer Avery's question, it was because we've known each other for a long time, not that I could tell her that.

"Oh, you know," she wriggled her eyebrows, smirking. "You can tell me anything, you know that right? That includes Liam."

"Yes, I know that," I told her, sighing. "You just might think I'm crazy." I wrung my hands together.

"I already think that," Avery raised an eyebrow.

"Gee, thanks. I feel so much better," I said sarcastically, even though a smile creeped on my face.

"I'm just saying, what you tell me isn't going to change my opinion of you. I've known you for more than ten years," she elaborated.

I could tell Avery, and risk her thinking I was a psychopath. After all, I had no real explanation as to why I remembered so much from two centuries ago. It just was the way it was.

I'd done stupid things before, but telling Avery about Liam and I would be at the top of the list. I knew I could trust Avery. I just hoped it wouldn't be a mistake.

"Liam and I act like that because... we have known each other a long time," I started, and her brows drew together in confusion.

"You've known him before this year and you never told me?" her eyes glistened, a slow smile spreading over her face.

"No, not like that," I rolled my eyes. "I mean, we knew each other two centuries ago."

"Come again?" she leaned in closer.

"You heard me right the first time, Avery," I stared at her as her confused expression deepened.

I explained to her what happened from the beginning. How Liam's name was actually Noah back then, and how we'd met at a ball and gotten engaged, all the way to how he'd told the King what I'd done. I even showed her the old photo of Liam and I to back up my words.

When I finished, Avery only stared back at me with her lips pressed in a thin line. She stayed in her spot on my bed.

"Say something?" I grimaced.

"Calm down, I know you won't make something like this up. You play jokes on me, but not like this," Avery said and I let out a relieved breath. Then, she laughed, "I'm just trying to figure out what to say."