“That you, Av?” Mom calls from the living room.
I’m still a little dazed and confused from information overload. “Yeah,” I say, joining her and Dad and taking a seat on the recliner.
“I’ve been waiting for you to call for a ride,” she says.
“Sorry, it’s been a crazy morning. Dylan and I actually had breakfast and he dropped me off.”
“Dylan?” Mom’s face lights up.
“Yeah.”
“Everything okay, sweetheart?” Dad asks.
“Just have a lot of my mind. Did you guys know that Dylan bought the old Hampton house?”
“We did,” Dad says.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“It wasn’t our place.”
“Do you know why he bought it?”
“We do,” Mom answers.
“So, what? You want us together now? You agreed that I should go to Western.”
“We did, Avery,” Dad agrees. “As your parents, we knew what that scholarship meant for you. We know how important is it to be able to start your own life without the debt of school hanging over your head. We wanted you to enjoy college and not have to work full time and study just to feel like you were keeping your head above water.”
“You said it was best to let Dylan go,” I remind him.
Dad nods. “I did say that. It wasn’t until you were gone that I could see the error in my ways. That boy loves you, Avery. He’s worked hard to be the man he feels like you deserve.”
“That’s not his choice!” I scream. “I loved him for who he was, not who he could be for me. For him, just Dylan.”
“We know that, Avery.”
“Then explain to me why. You knew he was what I wanted. From the day he ended us, you all encouraged me to go to Western. I was planning to stay here anyway, hoping he would see that it could all work out. You and Alan, you all convinced me it was best.” I’m crying now.
“Avery—” Dad stands from the couch.
“Don’t!” I jump from my seat and hold my hand up. “I need to be alone.” I turn and stomp up the stairs like a teenager. I can’t help it. It’s like I’m living this all over again, and my heart is breaking once more.
Then there’s Dylan. He’s the same Dylan, my Dylan, and he’s saying all the right things, doing all the right things. I feel like I’m in the fucking twilight zone.
Slamming my bedroom door, I turn the lock and fall onto my bed. My phone beeps in my pocket but I ignore it. I don’t want to talk to anyone; I just need to process this. Curling up with a stuffed bear Dylan won me at the county fair, which I refused to get rid of, I cry myself to sleep.
Hours later, there’s a knock at my bedroom door, waking me. I see it’s dusk outside. “Avery,” Mom calls out. “Honey, can you open the door?”
With a heavy sigh, I climb out of bed and twist the lock, opening the door. My mom stands there, Dylan behind her.
“Aves,” he says, relief in his voice.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him.
“You didn’t answer my messages and I was worried.”
“Why didn’t you just call my parents? I hear the three of you are well acquainted these days.”
“I wanted to see you.”
“I said slow, Dylan. This is not slow.”
“Slow gets thrown out the damn window if I think something’s happened to you.”
“Four years, Dylan.” I hold up four fingers. “I was gone for four years and you weren’t there to look out for me.”
He opens his mouth to speak, then slams it shut.
“Nothing to say to that?” I taunt him.
“Avery,” Mom scolds.
“I’m fine, Dylan. You can go.”
“Avery,” he pleads.
“Look, I have a lot to think about. I’ll talk to you soon.”
He nods, then slowly turns and walks away.
“Avery, what has gotten into you?” Mom asks.
“Let’s see. I lost the love of my life, and then I find out my parents encouraged me to do something they knew I didn’t want, and now they admit they were wrong for doing so. Oh, and said love bought my dream house and refuses to live in it without me. That’s just the top of the list—should I keep going?”
“Let’s sit.” Mom walks into my room and sits on the edge of the bed, tapping the spot next to her. “When you’re a parent, you’ll realize there is no rule book. You do what you think is best for your kids, give them advice that you think is the best. People change and so do opinions. Your dad and I thought you leaving was best. We didn’t want to see you give up what you had worked so hard for. It’s not until we saw the light leave your eyes that we realized we’d made a mistake. We just want you happy. Dylan lost his light too. We watched both of you mourn the loss of the other.”
“I love him.” My voice breaks as the words leave my lips. Mom wraps me in a hug and I let the tears fall. It’s been a while since I’ve had a good cry.
“Honey, take it slow. Get to know him again. See if these feelings are still there. The only advice I’m going to give you is to follow your heart. I should’ve said those exact words four years ago. I’m sorry I didn’t.”
“Me too,” Dad says from the doorway. “We just want you happy.”
I scoff. “That’s what Dylan said too, but he still ended us.”
“Honey, he didn’t want to. He wanted to stay together, remember? He only ended things because he didn’t want to be the reason you gave up your dream of Western.”
“People change, dreams change. All I wanted was Dylan.”
“Come on, let’s get you some dinner.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Okay. We’ll let you be.” They both give me a hug and leave me alone to my thoughts.
I’m more confused now than I was this morning. Can Dylan and I really make this work after all this time?