Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Birthday confessions

Few days have pasted since we were told Avery is going to die sooner. When we got home, her parents were there, crying as they held their daughter close to them. I moved and went to my room, letting them have their time. The next few days they spent time with Avery, I had invited Maddie over yesterday to cut my hair for my birthday tomorrow, I told her the news, instead of being telling me off like last time she just let me talk. I knew I was in love with Avery, I couldn't stop that feeling no matter how hard I tired, this whole situation is just making it worse. Because I knew how it was going to end.

It's 5am, the day of my birthday. I lay in bed, numb as I was 28 but also because Avery wanted to do dinner tonight, I had to get a dress from home as she said dinner would be formal, though she was out with her parents, she still came to me at night. We spoke a lot more, she even fell asleep on me the night after the big news. I didn't move the whole night just incase I woke her.

I moved to get out of bed as I heard a knock on my door, Avery just walks in so it must be her parents. I move to go open the door, as I did I saw a cupcake being held by her mother, with Mr. Mack behind her.

"We were told it was your birthday but you wanted nothing big so, we did what we did for Avery's 18th. Blow the candle dear." I smiled at the gesture as I blew out the candle, I took the cupcake, still amused at what they had done for me, I received a big hug from them as well as two gifts.

"You didn't have to."

"We wanted to, you have helped SO much since you came here, and I have never seen Avery so egger to so things so much in her life, you have changed her, made her last moments here, wonderful, I can never thank you enough." Mr. Mack said as he gave me a kiss on the cheek, I think its a family thing, I smiled as they walked off, I closed the door, setting the cupcake down as I went to see what I was given, Mr. Mack gave me a first edition of Shakespeare's complete works, I remember we spoke about this book the second month I was here, Mrs. Mack gave me a fountain pen, all the way from France, my my, I have never gotten things like this, I have remember to give a huge thank you to both of them. I went to put the gifts down by my desk and made my way to get dressed, I was up, no going back to sleep.

I had been reading the book Mr. Mack had given me for sometime, it must have been nearing 11am, I was really waiting for Avery to come into my room, with whatever she planned. Maybe she was still sleeping, at 11 in the morning? She's normally up by 9, I put the book down as I went to go see where she was, I went to her room, to see the box from the other day siting on her bed, it wasn't open but I had the words 'DAD DONT OPEN' on the side, I looked around to see where she was , when I noticed the bathroom door was closed, I went to knock when Avery opened it, making me hit her in the nose.

"I AM SO SORRY!"

"WHAT THE HELL?!" She asked grabbing her nose, falling to the floor, I fell with her as I tried to get her hands away from her face to see if I hurt her, she moved them away only for me to see she had a little bit of blood fall from her nose. Don't tell me I broke her nose, I don't think her parents will be happy with me. She looked me in the eye and started to laugh.

"What are you laughing for?"

"You are thinking in that pretty mind of yours that you broke my nose aren't you?"

"Well-

"The blood was already there, I had a nose bleed, its been happening here and there, also, you didn't hit me THAT hard." She put her hand on my shoulder to tell me to relax, I was still panicked, she has been getting nose bleeds?

"Also, Happy Birthday! I was coming to bring your gift but well, I was surprised, not the other way round."

I sighed as I stood up, I put my had out to help her up, she stood up, smiling as she went to open the box.

"Come see."

I walked to see the box, contained another small box, I hope there isn't not a small animal in there, I picked it out as she pushed the bigger box off her bed for me to sit. I unwrapped it to see-

"OH MY GOD! AVERY! THANK YOU!" I dropped the box and jumped on her, giving her the biggest hug yet, she screamed out in pain as I had pushed her hard onto her bed, I lifted myself off her as I stared at her under me.

"Sorry." I whispered

She bit her lip, her gaze moving to my lips and back to my eyes, she cleared her throat.

"It's fine, I didn't think a 28 year old would be so happy to get Harry Potter books, ah could you, you know."

"Oh yeah sorry." I moved off her as we sat back up and I picked up the box on the floor, I had told Avery I have never read the books, she has read them, she has her own books in her room, I could have just borrowed her but I guess she wanted me to have my own.

"I had them signed, not by any actor, I'm not that good, but by me, so you can have a mini message from me."

"Thank you Avery, really."

She smiled

"Now, we are going to order pizza, like I said, then later we are going out to dinner, I am going to wear a dress-

"Do you actually own one?"

"I had to get my mom and Sandra to help me get one, but you'll see later."

"After dinner, I need to tell you something."

"You can tell me now." She went to grab her phone to order pizza

"No, it can wait."

"OK? Uh cheese or pepperoni?"

We were sitting in the living room eating pizza as we just talked, laughing about something dumb Sandra did at work.

"OK, OK, I have a question." I said

"Ask away."

"What is one thing you can't do but wish you could?"

"Fly."

I hit her arm as she laughed

"I'm serious!"

"Alright! Uh, run."

I gave a funny look.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I've heard how when a person runs, they get this natural high and everything around you disappears. All you can think about is your heart burning so bad it's like it is on fire, your lungs, your legs, feet and time just sort of stops. In the book All The Bright Places, Theodor Finch runs till time stops, till his mind stops, he does it as a coping mechanism to his mental illness, to stay awake. I have always wanted to run on my hardest till I cant think of anything else, till my pain just fades away, my mind just, stops."

I stare at her for a moment.

"Wow. I have never heard anyone describe the most annoying exercise in such a way that makes me want to get up right now and run."

She gave a sad smile.

"I get what you mean, you want to run away?"

"Basically."

"Running away isn't going to stop this or anything really. Or give you what you want, for thing to stop, for the pain to stop. I don't think things like that just, go away, If anything, running away makes reality harder to face once you go back to it."

We sat in silence after that for a bit, till she spoke

"What is that you want to tell me?"

I bit my lip, I am going to do the most dumbest thing I have ever done in my life, I was going to tell Avery how I felt. But not right now.

"Like I said, it can wait. I think we should be getting ready." I said as I stood up to look at the time, it was only past 2pm, Avery's parents would be home soon, I cleaned up the left over food as Avery walked to her room, she seemed upset, maybe I shouldn't tell her...but If I don't now, she will never know, why must I pick today? I sighed as I went to my room to get ready or well, hide away till we needed to go.

Hours later, it was about 6:30pm when Mr. Mack knocked on my door. He came in after I said he may, he was dressed in his best suit, he even shaved.

"We are ready when you are, you look stunning, Jamie." He said as I smiled

"Not to bad yourself Mr. Mack. I am ready to leave."

He held his arm for me to take as we walked to the living room, I saw Mrs. Mack was wearing a matching black dress to Mr. Mack's black suit, I wonder where we are going, I was wearing a long green dress, nothing to fancy but it was the one that I have been wearing since I turned 23, always fitted. We waited for Avery, I have never seen her in a dress, I'm excited to see her in one. As I said that we heard someone clear their throat and there she was. Wow… Avery was wearing a dark blue dress, it was figure hugging, it went all the way to her ankle's, she made her hair in a all to the right sort of style, I was star struck as she walked to us, her mother started to cry.

"Avery, you look Amazing my dear!" Mrs. Mack said as Mr. Mack agreed as he kissed her cheek, I smiled at her, she looked beautiful

"Jamie, you look nice."

"Thank you, you look beautiful."

She blushed at my words as we left to go to dinner.

We drove not to far from the house as we went to the restaurant Daniel. This was a VERY fancy restaurant, and I mean VERY fancy, we walked in, Mr. Mack asked for our table, as we were settled I looked all around, I have only heard about this place in Time Out, and walked past, never thought I would be eating their food. I let them do all the talking as the waiter spoke in French. Avery knew what he was saying as she ordered us Chateau d'Armailhav, a very fine wine along with Duo of Hamachi, paprika-crusted lobster tail, halibut baked on Himalayan sea salt, kaffir-lime-infused mango, we all were going to have the same as it was their recommend.

The night went by slow as we all sat and ate, joked about the fact Avery nearly spat out the wine in her mothers face when she tasted it as well as we commented on how the food was to die for. It was past 10 when we arrived home, I thank' d Mr. and Mrs. Mack for a wonderful dinner as they said it was not a problem, they said goodnight to Avery and I as they left, we walked to my room, Avery was playing butler as she escorted me to my room, opening the door as she sat down.

"Since when do you know French?"

"Always have, I leant it back when Michael was alive."

"He would be happy to see you getting out more."

"He would, but he would be sad to know it wont be for long."

"Do we always have to talk about your death?"

"No, we could talk about what you wanted to tell me."

"I was hoping you would forget about that."

"Not likely."

I bit my lip as I turned to face her.

"What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

I kept quiet

"Jamie..."

"Yes?"

"What did you want to tell me​?"

Here goes.

"Wait, can I guess?"

"Avery-

"You got another job?"

"No-

"OK, You have a thing for my dad?!"

"NO-

"OK, Sandra and you actually are a thing?'

"Avery."

"Yes?"

I went to sit next to her, she turned to look me in the eye, I held her hand

"I. I think. I think I'm in love with you. No. I know I am. I am in love with you." She moved her hand away from mine

"What..."

"These past few months, I have done nothing but think about you, in every way possible, you are all that is good in my life, you are kind, strong, sweet, caring, beautiful, and have such a way with words, I have never been told the things you have told me nor have felt the things I have felt-

"No." She stood up facing away from me, my heart sank.

"No?"

"No. You can't love me. I can't… I can't ask that of you." I stood up to stand in front of her, I held her hand again

"But your not, I am choosing to love you."

She stared at me, I've messed up big time.

"Jamie-

"You don't have to say it back. I said it so you would know how I really feel about you, not so you would feel pressured into saying it back or-

"I love you."

what

"What?"

"I think I love you too."

This can't be real.