Another Love | C.C

•Ch.6•

A few days had passed by and Ava had just spent the day chilling with Colby. He had just driven her home but she offered for him to come in for a little bit because Jake was currently in the apartment with Tara.

The two made their way up to the apartment and Ava let them both inside to see Tara and Jake sat on the couch playing Mario Kart.

"Hey! There's something for you on the kitchen counter" Tara spoke, not taking her eyes off the game. Ava furrowed her eyebrows slightly and headed over to the kitchen area, Colby following closely behind, to see a bouquet of her favourite flowers on the side. White Roses.

"What the-?" Ava asked full of confusion as she headed over to the flowers to check the card that came with them.

Ava-
Firstly, I just want to apologise to you again. For everything.
Please meet me by the lake tonight at 7:30.
Crawford x

"Are you gonna go?" Colby asked, reading the note over her shoulder.

"Uhh- I mean I guess so. I don't have any reason not to" she shrugged, placing the card back with the flowers, smiling slightly because of how beautiful they looked. It was kind a gesture for him to do, and she recognised that.

"I can drive you if you want?" He offered her, looking down at her as he said so.

"Yeah, if that's okay?" She asked. He nodded.

"Of course, I can come back here and wait for you as well. I'm presuming he'll drive you home so I'll wait here for you to spill the tea to us after" he joked, knowing Jake wouldn't be leaving here till later on anyways.

Ava laughed with him and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan"

She decided to take a picture of the flowers and send them to Crawford on snapchat saying 'thank you cx' as well as posting them on her story with a black and white filter and no caption.

This started making her twitter go a little crazy from the fans seeing the bouquet. Some were accusing Colby of buying them for her, others were guessing Crawford, and others were guessing there was just a whole new guy in her life.

"Do people not realise we're just best friends?" Colby laugher, clearly scrolling through the tweets on his phone from his spot on the couch where he was now say with Jake and Tara.

Ava laughed and agreed before going to get ready for the evening. She put on some leather leggings and red crop top jumper with black trainers. Her hair was left natural and she didn't do anything extra to her makeup.

She still had about an hour before she had to leave so she decided to join the others in a few games of Mario Kart. The time went by quite quickly and she soon found herself in Colby's car, heading towards the lake.

The lake was a beautiful place. It was crystal clear water with a small brown, wooden bridge over the top of it, decorated in fairy lights. It was always her 'spot' with Crawford when they were dating. It was the first place he took her to when she first moved to America and from then onwards it was their escape place, and safe space.

Colby brought the car to a haul and Ava didn't wait to unbuckle her seat belt.

"Let me know if you need picking up" Colby told her, resting his hands on the wheel.

"Will do. Thanks for the ride, I'll see back at the apartment" she grinned at him. He said goodbye to her and watched as she got out of the car and started walking away.

He knew she'd be okay, but he couldn't help but worry slightly. He knew Crawford was a good guy, but he didn't want to see Ava so hurt again. It took her a long time to feel better and he didn't want that happening to her again. He didn't want her losing herself again.

When she was out of sight, he drove away and back to her apartment where Jake and Tara would be.

Ava headed over to the lake and stood at the end of the bridge where she saw Crawford was stood half way up, resting his arms on the barrier. He noticed her stood there and stood up straight, smiling slightly as she started heading towards him.

"Hey" he said softly, pulling her in for a hug as she reached him.

"Hi" she smiled, returning the hug before letting go.

"You look beautiful" he told her, watching as she turned to face the water and rested her arms on the barrier.

She felt heat rush on her cheeks from the compliment but thanked him anyways. He smiled, noticing he still had that affect on her to make her blush whenever he complimented her.

"Thank you for the flowers. They're my favourite" she told him, not taking her eyes off the water.

"It's no problem. I know there's a lot I still need to do to even gain your trust and forgiveness back, but I'm not gonna give up" he told her genuinely. She stayed silent for a moment, playing with her fingertips as her arms rest on the barrier.

"I already trust you, Crawford. You were honest with me the other day and I already pretty much knew the truth to know how manipulated you were. Like, yeah you hurt me and there's a lot of grafting to do in that aspect, but, I don't not trust you anymore" she explained to him.

"Thank you. But, I still want to prove myself to you. Seeing you at the party the other day just brought so many feelings and emotions back, it almost pretty much overwhelmed me. I know these are things I should've said ten months ago but I'm here now...and I'm really sorry. I miss you. And nothing in terms of how I feel about you has changed..." he explained to her. This was unlike Crawford, he was never the type to pour his heart out for anyone, including Ava. He always kept his feelings to himself and just tried to move forward with that. Ava on the other hand, she used to be the same. But since their breakup, her new friends taught her that it was okay not to feel okay, and it was okay to talk about that. So that's what she did.

"That's the thing Crawford. I know I still love you and my feelings for you haven't changed but, it's like I almost have a hatred for you as well now, after everything you put me through. The breakup was brutal. It was awful. And it hurt. You made me feel things I've never felt before. And, I gave up everything for you. I moved away from London at the age of 18 to be with you. That was the biggest risk I've ever done. But we dated for over a year and a half and I proved everyone back at home wrong. But I also lost them along the way. I nearly went back home, in hope that they would all want me back in their lives. I got to the airport and everything, but Colby, Tara and the others stopped me. They convinced me to stay, and honestly I'm glad now that  I did" she explained to him.

He rested his arms on the barrier also.

"I'm glad you did too. I don't know what I would've done if I found you left" he told her truthfully.

Ava sighed.

"What is you want, Crawford?" She asked him curiously, finally turning to look at him.

"Honestly? I want everything to go back to how it used to be. But I know that's not gonna happen, at least not for a long time anyways. But I'm willing to do whatever it takes. You know I want you back, and you know how I feel about you. I'll be patient with you if I have to" he told her. She smiled slightly.

"It's gonna be a process. But I can't believe I'm saying this but I want all of that too. It's just gonna take time and I hope this doesn't sound rude or anything, but you've just gotta prove yourself" she told him.

"100%, I agree. And I'll do that. I promise" he told her.

Ava smiled slightly before turning back to the water. A comfortable silence fell amongst them this time, they were just enjoying each other's company, both thinking about what the future would hold.