should've come to me. I shouldn't have had to find out through my drunk mother. She didn't deserve the pain I knew full well Xavier probably dished out to her. I would have done everything in my power to keep her from experiencing it. We were closer than that and I wanted to shield her from his playboy ways. I loved her.
"Please…" she said, shaking as she crossed her legs and sat down to face me. I had to wonder if she still would've gone through with the relationship knowing I’d be against it. My gut said yes.
I sighed inwardly and glanced around. On top of everything, she’d had an abortion, and it made me wonder if Joy had wanted my real mom to abort me too. I shook my head in disbelief. She probably did given how much animosity she's had toward me since day one.
The knot in my throat grew and became painfully hard to swallow when Avery’s cold hand rested on my forearm. Her fingers looked small and dainty. A sharp pain shot through my chest. With the amount of times my heart rate picked up in the past few months, I was going to need to see a cardiologist soon. I felt bad for Avery, but I was so hurt and angry that I didn't know how to open up and let her in.
"I can explain everything if you just give me the chance."
God. I wanted to give her the chance, but I couldn't see past the pain. Not even when she scooted forward and wrapped her boney arms around my shoulders, and dropped her head onto my arms and cried. Her knees were smooshed alongside mine and her entire body trembled with each intake of air she took.
She didn't say anything. She just cried silently. Her soft little whimpers severed something inside me, and before I could stop myself, the tears came pouring out.
Avery cried harder at the sound of my despair. We fell into each other and let out our own heartbreak together, both of us going through traumatic events and desperately needing one another.
But I couldn't do it. I couldn't give her what she needed and be there for her. I felt so broken, damaged, both for myself and for my best friend.
"I'm so sorry," she said. "I never meant to hurt you, or lie to you… I didn't expect for any of this to happen," she sobbed. "But I had no choice. I did what I had to do because of your brother and what he did… If you’d let me explain everything, I know you'd understand."
I cleared my throat and shrugged her hold off me. With a haste, I stood and wiped the sand off my butt and the tears from my eyes.
Looking down, I said, "We always have a choice, Avery. After everything we've been through together, the things I've told you…you purposely left me in the dark." I shook my head. "You know what, I have to go."
Between the news about my fake mom and lying best friend, I decided in that moment I was returning to World Cup early. Bad news traveled in threes and there was no way I'd be able to withstand another blow. My world had crumbled in a matter of minutes and I needed to be alone and escape it all.
"Wait," she yelled, reaching for me with massive worry in her eyes. Avery stood. She looked so frail that it concerned me. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask but then something dawned on me.
"Did Xavier tell you what I found out about my mom?" She tilted her head to the side. Her eyes crinkled, and the center of her brows creased. He hadn't told her. "I didn't think so."
"What happened with your mom?"
I looked at the ground and stepped away. "Nothing."
"Aid, tell me, please."
Tell me. An ironic chuckle escaped me. She flinched.
"Bye, Avery."
"Wait. Does…are you ever going to talk to me about this?"
"I don't know."
She paused, her eyes searched the sand as she stammered over her next set of words. "Does…does this mean we’re not friends anymore?" Her chest rose and fell so quickly I knew she was on the brink of hysteria and yet I couldn't find it in me to be gentle with her. I just couldn't.
"We'll always have our friendship, but I don't know if we'll ever be friends again."
She hiccupped and her face fell. "You can't mean that."