The Unfolding ✔

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

(Ava's Pov)

"Are you sure you're okay, child?" The familiar, sweet, soft voice belonging to Kelly, sounded in my ears. I glanced at her, nodding my head with a grin.

"I'm fine. I was just feeling a little poorly yesterday." I explained to her, for what seemed like the fifth time today. "I'm good. Trust me."

She shot me a look, showing me just how hesitant she was to believe I wasn't talking rubbish and purposely trying to wave her off. "If you say so."

I rolled my eyes, wondering over to the empty stool, which was just calling my butt over to it. I didn't hesitate to pull it out and claim it as my own seat. When I was settled down on the high stool, a sigh of content left my lips.

My eyes darted to Kelly's hands, watching as she chopped up some vegetables; a carrot to be exact. I followed her actions, unaware that a smile was playing on my lips. But you couldn't blame me. After yesterday - I just felt full of hope and strange happiness.

"I'm guessing he apologized, huh?" I heard Kelly question, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced at her, seeing her watch me with a gleam dancing in her grey eyes. I opened my mouth, furrowing my brows.

"Yeah..." I trailed off, confused. "How do you know?"

She softly chuckled at my question, only causing me to grow even more curious. Wait, was Justin playing a prank or something? Because I sure as hell had my own assumptions that he was before...but he seemed too honest - too truthful.

Oh God...he played me.

Stupid, stupid, Ava. Always so gullible, aren't you?

"I know because before he went to amend his wrong ways, he told me." She sadly smiled. The sudden assumptions of Justin playing me washed away. Confusion overpowered itself inside of me and I was suddenly full of curiosity. 

"What?"

"Yes," She sighed. "I found him alone in the kitchen, looking down. He just sort of broke down and began telling me everything that was on his mind."

I silently listened to her words.

"He was calling himself awful names, so I told him that he shouldn't and told him he just made mistakes that he could amend." She continued. My heart clenched in new found sympathy for Justin. I always knew that there was something strange about the way Justin presented himself.

It just didn't seem like the real him.

"Oh," I mumbled out. Kelly nodded at me, another sigh escaping her lips. She returned her gaze back on the carrots she was chopping up. So many thoughts swam through my mind, begging for my attention. I wondered so much about Justin, so much that it sometimes scared me.

"Kelly..." I called, trailing off. She hummed in response, not tearing her gaze away from the lettuce she had began cutting up.

"Can I ask you a question?" I hesitantly let out.

"Of course, sweetheart." She softly encouraged, finally looking at me. I exhaled, biting down on my bottom lip. I didn't want to sound nosy or crossing lines in any matter - but I just really needed to know.

"Where's the children's mom?" The question fell of my lips before I could put a second thought to it. I held my breath, closely watching Kelly's reaction. Her eyes widened slightly, and her brows arched. I noticed she stilled for a second, before snapping out of her moment of shock.

"Well..." I trailed off after a couple seconds of complete silence. It was only making the air seem tense and uncomfortable. I didn't like it. And then I felt like an idiot. I might have just overstepped the line.