New Beginnings.

37

Cullen's POV

Giving in to my internal struggle, I found myself at Avery's door. I knocked and knocked, not getting an answer. I had already texted her, but no response. I assumed she was asleep, so I knocked louder. I finally heard her sweet voice asking who it was, so I answered. I nervously waited as she opened the door. There she stood, wrapped in a blanket, her hair a mess and all over the place, and I'm pretty sure a smudge of ice cream was on her cheek. God, she was beautiful. I couldn't bring any words to come out as I stared at her. I couldn't take it any longer before I stepped forward and grabbed her up into my arms. It felt amazing; it felt like everything was right in the world again.

I hated feeling her sob against me and repeatedly apologizing. She begged me not to hate her; little did she know I could never hate her. However, I couldn't bring myself to tell her that. As I sat her down, she nervously rushed to clean up her little late-night snack mess. I fought back a chuckle as I watched her, then noticed she was wearing the Marine Corps t-shirt I had given her so awfully long ago at Tarran's house. It made my heart flutter to think she had kept it all this time and was still wearing it. When she confirmed she had been wearing it most nights, I couldn't take it. I had to kiss her; I had to feel her lips. I had to feel that connection again. So, I did. I felt like such a chump. The tears poured out of my eyes, despite my efforts to keep them in. I just felt such relief being near her, touching her and now kissing her. Feeling her rub my tears away melted me. I couldn't prepare myself for what happened after that. I never expected to hear the three words come from her mouth that I did.

"I love you, Cullen."

I was stunned. I felt her hands go down my arms, then take their place in my hands. Our fingers entwined. We fit so perfectly together, and I had missed this so much. Deep down, I wanted to tell her I still loved her and never had stopped, but I was still so hurt and trying to protect myself. The macho man inside me cursed for even coming here, and I went with him, and we left, we left our girl standing there. I went to my truck and sobbed as I drove home, sobbed as I fell into my bed, and sobbed until I fell asleep.

Avery

I laid on the couch, feeling numb. I was so confused at what had just happened. It was the reunion I had been waiting for, praying for, and it went so wrong, so fast. I just stared at the ceiling until exhaustion took over, and I fell asleep. The sounds of banging on my door yet again woke me. This time I jumped up quickly and ran straight to it, pulling it open. My excitement dropped when I saw Stacia and Derrick standing there. I dropped my head and moped back to the couch.

"Well, Hello to you too." She sang.

"Lookin' rough little buddy, what's up?" Derrick teased as they came in; he handed me a coffee.

"What time is it?" I questioned, searching for my phone with my free hand.

"It's like two in the afternoon." Stacia squeezed in next to me.

"Jeez. I was zonked." I sipped the coffee, nodding toward Derrick as a thank you.

"So, spill it. What happened?" She asked, all-knowing.

"Cullen." I started. "You know everything about the restaurant last night." I had told them all in the car on the way back to the apartment. "He texts me that he wanted to come over a few hours later, and then he did." I looked down, playing with the top of my coffee cup.

"Okay? So that's good, right?"

"He came, he hugged me, we hugged, and he said like three words, then I told him I loved him, and he left." I sighed.

"In that order?" Derrick asked.

"Pretty much." I gave them a few more details and just sat there soaking it all in. "What do I do now?" I groaned.

"Sounds like you have to wait."

I sat there, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"No crying! Chug that coffee and perk up; we're all going out tonight!" Stacia leaned over, giving me a side hug.

I sniffled the tears away and looked over at her. "It's two in the afternoon, and you had to come to tell me that now?" I teased.

"Well, I missed you and wanted to see you; I figured we could go shop for new outfits for the night and thought you might need to do some last-minute Christmas shopping too? Derrick is going to hang with Liam, so I figured I would hang with you." She smiled.

"Okay, I guess." I shrugged.

"Jeez, don't sound so excited." She teased.

"Hey, before I head out. I just wanted to say, Avery, give him some time. As a guy, him coming over, that's a good sign. I think it's all going to work out." Derrick leaned down, giving me a quick hug, then kissing Stacia and heading out.

I got myself ready, grabbed an apple, and headed out to the mall with Stacia. We talked like the old friends we are while browsing all the shops. Stacia bought some items, and we tried on dresses at a few different stores.

"Where are we going tonight?" I asked her, slipping on a red dress in the fitting room.

"Froggies, of course."

"Really?" I laughed. "We don't need dresses for Froggies."

"A dress is needed for any and all occasions." She giggled. I stepped out in the red dress; it was form-fitting with a lace top through the chest and into a short shoulder.

"Jesus, that dress makes me want to do you, and I'm so not into chicks," Stacia growled at me.

"Calm down now, horndog." I laughed. "I guess I should get this to wear then?"

"Definitely. I'll even make sure Tarran has Cullen show up to see what he's missing out on." She leaned down, grabbing her phone

"Stacia." I glared at her.

"I'll at least suggest to her that he should come, okay?" She winked.

Stacia bought the dress she had tried on; it was a simple black, skintight dress with a ruffle piece across the front. She looked stunning as usual. By the time we had finished our dress shopping adventure, it was after six, and we were planning to meet up with the others by eight, so we headed back.