The Catalyst (GirlXGirl)

Chp. 31 "Proper Introductions"

Chp. 31 "Proper Introductions"

I couldn't stop thinking about Avery's brother, Chris, as I lied awake in Avery's bed. She had left me in here alone over thirty minutes ago, I had even taken a shower like she had demanded. I was still caught totally off guard with the whole "I'm her long lost brother that just came back from the Army" deal, and in a way I was sad Avery had hid that from me. Why wouldn't she tell me that she had a brother, and that he was in the army? I felt sadness creep into me as I waited for her to join me but I knew it probably wouldn't be anytime soon, I mean she hasn't seen him in two years.

I rolled over, facing her closed door while I wished she would walk through it any minute now, but knowing better. I could hear muffled voices across the hall, and I knew she wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.

They probably had a lot to talk about, considering Avery was leaving with me in a couple days tops.

I didn't understand why she wouldn't tell me she had a brother. I mean I figured that was a pretty important detail to leave out. She had told me everything else about her family, or so I thought, but maybe I just had Avery Ryan figured out all wrong.

What else would she hide from me?

In a way I wanted to believe she had hid something from me, but then again I had never asked if she had any siblings. I just assumed if she did she would've told me, and when she gave me a tour of the house the first time I was here she never once showed me her brother's room.

Everything was just so confusing.

The more I thought about it the more depressed I became, and soon my eye lids were growing heavy. I had been waiting for Avery for over an hour, and I knew she wasn't coming back anytime soon.

I should just go to sleep, and hope that when I would wake up she would be next to me.

~ ~ ~ ~

I awoke at the suddenness of someone's arms hugging me around my torso, causing me to jerk awake. I saw Avery's familiar shape through the darkness in her room, glancing at the neon clock that read 1:00 AM. I didn't know what to say to her, but apparently she had come into the room and had enough time to take a shower. Her hair was damp and she smelt like soap, and for some reason I couldn't bring myself to talk to her.

She whispered, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up."

I felt a need to respond to her then after hearing her soft voice, so I spoke, "Its ok."

I felt her body move close to me as she pulled me into her, and for some reason I felt like something was off. When she had first left me she had left me with such coldness, she had been sad and angry, even though it wasn't directed at me. Maybe she felt bad now for doing that to me, so now she was making up for it.

She sighed heavily as I rested my head on her chest while her arms snaked around me, pulling me into her. She whispered, "I'm sorry about the way I acted towards you after Chris showed up, I was just caught off guard. And I know you're probably wondering why I didn't tell you about him, but I promise it's not because I was hiding it from you... I just... I don't know why I didn't tell you, and I'm sorry."

I frowned at her response, knowing she couldn't see my face. How could she not know why she didn't tell me about her brother?

I shook my head, "Avery, why wouldn't you tell me about your brother?"

I felt her grow stiff but I only wanted the truth. I mean did I not deserve that?

She continued speaking silently, "Chris left me during the most difficult part of my life, the time when my parents were fighting and getting a divorce. He left me alone to deal with that all on my own and I had no way to escape it like he did. He just up and left me, and he barely contacted me during his leave. Then two years later he just shows up and expects me to welcome him home? I was taken back Andy. I hadn't seen him in two years and he shows up out of the blue while you and I are having sex in my pool."