The Unfolding ✔

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE.

(Ava's Pov)

Nerves danced inside my stomach as I got ready for wherever Justin was taking me. A date. He was taking me out on a date. Something I hadn't been on since I was eighteen, a freshmen in college. That too being with a shy guy, that I can barely remember the name of.

I think it was... Caleb?

But that didn't matter. What mattered was that Justin wasn't Caleb - nowhere close. Where Caleb was a date I agreed to because I hated rejecting and disappointing people - Justin was someone who I had deep, growing emotions for. That date meant nothing, but this date meant everything.

At least to me.

"Stop freaking out, Ava." I mumbled to myself, glancing over the outfit I was wearing. A black, lacy, shoulder dress, reaching a little below my mid-thigh. A diamond choker was wrapped around my neck, something cheap but nice I found on sale, along with matching earrings. My feet were covered by 4-inch all-black heels, strapped around my ankle.

"Oh no, what if it's too black?" I thought aloud, frowning at my attire. Hearing a sudden knock sound from the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I jumped, biting down on my bottom lip as I slowly walked over to open the door.

The nerves grew just a little wilder when I found myself face to face with a incredibly handsome Justin. A dark green button-down shirt covered his toned torso as his legs were dressed in jeans, black doc martens worn on his feet. My eyes trailed over his face, landing on his face and simply taking in how unreal he looked.

"You look so beautiful."

"You look so handsome."

The words left our lips in sync, a grin curling onto both our lips. He truly did, especially with the way he had styled his hair back. 

"I don't look under dress... or look like I'm going to a funeral, do I?" I blurted out, tucking a curly strand behind my hair. He silently shook his head, reaching forward to take my hand in his.

"You look stunning, Ava." He placed his soft lips against my hand, giving it a gentle kiss. My heart jumped and my stomach fluttered. I felt myself blush. Something he only had the power to make me do.

"Thank you." I whispered, glancing back up at him. He smiled, interlocking our fingers and giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

"Shall we?" He asked with glint dancing in his eyes. I wanted to see it more often.

"We shall." I agreed, closing the door behind me as I fully stepped out. He smiled at me once more before leading us down the hallway, down the stairs before we finally reached the front-door. Our hands never once broke apart.

"Where are the children?" I asked, feeling a little relaxed than before. The last time I saw them was at five, before Kelly told me to go get ready, orders from Justin. I don't know where they went after that. In-fact, the house seemed a little quiet.

Justin grabbed his black blazer, throwing it on as he licked his lips. "Kelly's taken them out for tonight. At some indoor fun house... I forgot."

"Oh," I mumbled, chewing down on my bottom lip. "Won't that get tiring and well... boring for her?"

"Don't worry, she's not alone." A smirk drew onto his lips. "Mike, the old guy that runs the gates and escorts the children when I can't, went too."

My mouth opened as I let out another oh, realizing that Kelly and Mike had a little something going between them. I was definitely going to have a chat with Kelly for keeping secrets and find out whatever was going on between them.