James
ME: Avery? Is that you?
664-596-9636:Yes!! It’s me! I can’t believe I’m texting you.
I let the towel I’d been holding up around my waist fall to the ground. I took a seat on the side of my bed trying to get the nervous feeling in my stomach to settle down.
“I can’t believe you’re texting me, either,” I said to the empty space.
ME:I can’t believe it either.
AVERY:I have to tell you something. I haven’t been completely honest with you. I got myself into some trouble and I fucked everything up.
Oh fuck, he’s gonna tell me about David.
ME:What is it? You can tell me anything sweetheart.
AVERY:I’m engaged. I know that I lied to you, and I’m so sorry. I didn't really have a choice at the time… it’s hard to explain. I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to. I wanted to wait for you, but I was going to lose my family. I feel like shit, and I should have told you a long time ago.
I bit my lip and stood up off the bed to pace around the room. I had so much nervous energy and my stupid emotions were all over the goddamn place. I had been completely brokenhearted when Avery had told me he didn’t want to see me anymore and that he was in love with someone else. I had imagined he was talking about David.
ME:Do you love him, Avery?
I stepped into a pair of briefs and almost had a clean shirt over my head when he replied.
AVERY:No. I’m in love with you, James. It’s always been you.
I couldn’t believe what I was reading. My heart was beating fast in my chest, and all I wanted to do was run to him.
ME:Leave him. Come be with me.
AVERY:I’m going to. But I need to try to do it in a way that doesn’t get us killed, or my parents hating my guts for the rest of my life. He’s dangerous, and I don’t trust him not to do something irrational.
AVERY:I also need to talk to my parents. Explain things to them, maybe I can get away from him and not lose them in the process. He’s very close with my mom and dad. Honestly, I think they like him more than me most times. But they don’t see the real him.
ME:What can I do?
AVERY:Just hang tight, and give me a few days to sort this out. God, I want to see you so bad. I’ve been waiting for years, and I feel like we’re so close, but there’s still so much between us.
ME:Where are you?
AVERY:I’m at my parents’, where you send the letters to. I’m watching the house while they are away visiting friends. David and I had a fight, so I’m sleeping over here for a few days. But I feel like he’ll be watching me like a hawk.
Jesus Christ, I had already forgotten about earlier. Fuck, I forgot Avery had already met me!He’s gonna think I was lying to him or playing games.
AVERY:I don’t think we should be seen together. If David catches me cheating, he’ll get to my parentsfirst, and then I’m toast. I have to be careful, but I want to be near you so bad!
ME:What if… what if you didn’t ‘cheat,’ per se. What if you didn’t have a “choice?”
AVERY:What do you mean?
My fingers hesitated as my half-baked plan began to form…
ME:Do you trust me?
AVERY:Yes. Of course.
ME:Leave the back door unlocked tonight.
