WITH YOU- I Never Had A Choice ✔️

CHAPTER FORTY SIX

"I've been wondering..." I start. I really don't know what to talk about but at the same time, I have a lot to say. We haven't talked at all in the week. It seems so weird to be sitting with him right now. It feels like the comfort zone that existed is no more there.

"What?" he asks bringing his attention to me. Although there is no tinge of irritation in his voice or on his face, I kind of feel insecure saying anything to him. Mainly because I dont know how he is going to take it.

"Nothing." I shake my head and go back to pulling at the fabric of my PJs.

"Are you...comfortable here?" Dylan asks. I look up at him. He looks uncomfortable. As if we are strangers all over again.

"As comfortable as I can be," I answer. An l thin shiver rises my spine due to the sudden fall in temperature around me. My teeth chatter a little and my toes curl up.

"Are you still cold?" Dylan asks as a frown appears on his forehead. I am wearing his pullover right now, it smells like him, a different kind of warmth. I love it actually. But somehow these small things indicate why I did the right thing by pushing him away.

"No, I— " I stop talking when he reaches across and places the back of his palm on my forehead. His hand is cold as hell but just because it is his hand, I dont seems to have any problem with that. The frown on his temple deepens.

"I think your temperature is rising," he states while sitting back.

I shake my head and say, "No, it's because your hand is cold as ice."

He presses his hand on his cheeks and lets out a small chuckle, "Oh yeah."

Silence falls again. I dont like this. It's not the kind of silence one would enjoy, like that time beside the pool or last week in the car. We were just enjoying each other's presence, silently but this is not the case here. It's more of awkward silence. It doesn't feel like we were ever as close as we were. Instead of letting it bug me, I start, "So..."

"So?" He gives me his full attention once again.

"What have you been up to this week?" We haven't talked the whole week so seems like a legit question to me.

"Nothing much. Just work." He gives me a nonchalant shrug. Even his answers seem so cold and so unlike the Dylan, I know.

"I mean apart from that. How's your mom?" I ask. I haven't talked to her of seen her in a while.

"She is good, " he answers.

"Did you meet her again?"

"Yeah. I did. On Friday."

"Oh... I'll go see her next week."

"Hmm..." The room goes silent again. Seems like I am the only one trying to start a conversation.  He is not even putting up an effort to continue it.

"Dylan—" I start again but this time, he cuts me off.

"Avery you don't have to make small talk just because we have nothing else to do." Taken aback by his words and tone I blink a few times unable to believe this is Dylan speaking. As if he is getting irritated.

"I thought..."

"What? That you're going get me to behave as if nothing happened and that you didn't insult me?" Shit. Everything that I did on one side and the pain in his voice on the other. He sounds more hurt than mad. Although I can feel that he is trying to hold back his anger. Folding his legs under his body, he leans forward keeping his elbows on his knees and says, "This is a deal. I get it and nor do I want it to be more than that but you don't have to keep pointing that out every once in a while." Ouch. At least now I know that I made the right decision by pushing him away, "The way I am behaving right now is not me ignoring you or being rude. It's me being professional."