DYLAN

It wasn't an accident. It was planned.

Melissa's words keep playing in my head over and over again as I drive towards home. The fear that was haunting me was about to come true. Avery was attacked by that person. It was the same black truck that was following her. Melissa said that this happened at the fifth Church Street which is not a very crowded one. Luckily their phones got exchanged and Melissa had to come back to return that. She said that the truck was about to hit Avery again when Melissa turned around the corner and the truck stopped. But by the time she reached Avery, the truck was nowhere to be seen.

I glance at Avery. She is looking outside the window slowly humming a tune and swaying her head. I can't believe how attached I've grown to this woman and that I was almost losing her today. As if sensing my eyes on her, she turns her head towards me. I look away quickly towards the road. "You know I am okay, right?"

"Yeah, I know, " I reply nonchalantly, probably hiding the rough edge in my voice. She keeps staring at me for a while then looks at the road in front. I just can't bear to see her bruised face. The blood in my veins boil uncontrollably and all I want is to kill that person, whoever did this to her. The feeling that I had when I walked into the hospital room, was unbearable. Her face was bruised and her shirt was wet with blood. There was a huge cut on her forehead. Her hands had too many bandaids and scratches and even her leg. Knowing that she had to go through this for me, makes it even worse.

I enter the driveway of the house and instead of stopping in front of the door, I drive the car into the garage and park it. Avery starts to open the door and I stop her, "wait up." I get out of the car and jog around to her side. I open the backdoor and let Bear out. He jumps out of the seat and run towards the door. Opening Avery's door, I say, "hold your crutches."

"Dylan I can walk!" she protests. I shake my head and nod at her crutches. "Dylan..."

"Sush. Crutches." Pouting, she picks them up and holds them to her chest. I bend down and scoop her in my arms. She puts one arm around my neck and holds the crutches on the other hand.

"You didn't have to do this..."

"I want to." Her eyes move to my face and she looks at me, probably sensing the unspoken emotions. I am so terrified, I don't want to let go of her hold for one second. It really seems like if I do, she will disappear. I push the door closed and walk towards the house. "Push in the code, " I tell her and wait while she presses the buttons. She turns the knobs and I walk in. Bear follows us into the house, right at my feet. I push the door and close it with my back.

"Oh, God! What happened?" Mrs Griffin comes running towards us as we step into the living room.

"Nothing just a little accident, " Avery answers.

"It wasn't a little one Avery, " I mumble. "She got hit by a car, " I tell Mrs Griffin.

Her eyes widen. "Are you okay?" she asks Avery, getting worried.

"I'm fine," Avery answers with a warm smile. She can't even walk yet she keeps saying that she is okay.

"Can you make something light for her?" I ask Mrs Griffin.

"Sure, I'll bring it to her room, " she says.

"No, bring it to my room, please." Told you, I'm not leaving her alone anymore. Avery's head snaps in my direction. Mrs Griffin eyes us both and then nods. Bear starts jumping at my feet. He probably sensed that something is wrong with Avery. I peep down at him. Mrs Griffin seeing him, bends down and scoops him up.

"I'll take him, " She leaves the living room with Bear after giving me a small smile.

I start walking up the stairs ignoring the look Avery is giving me. Finally, she speaks up, "are you taking me to your room?" I stay quiet and keep walking, ignoring her question. She will start again with her 'I am fine' thing. Today's incident was a big bash. I might be doing too much but I really don't care anymore. "Dylan answer me!" She says again as we reach my bedroom door.

"Open the door."

"I am not opening the door!" She glares at me.

"Avery, don't be childish. Open the door."

"I am not being childish Dylan! You are!  Why do I have to stay in your room? Why are you acting this way?" She raises her voice. I clench my jaw and look down at her. Her glare softens as she sees the pain in my eyes and her expression changes. She brings the hand from behind my neck to my cheek as her thumb starts rubbing and drawing circles on my skin. "Why are you acting this way?" Her soft voice eases a little of my tense muscles.

I look forward and ask, "can you open the door first?" She sighs and turns the knob and opens the door. I turn sideways and get in with her in my arms. Reaching the bed, I gently place her on the mattress and move to place the pillows on her back to make her comfortable.

"I'll go bring your stuff from the car, " I start turning around when sleek fingers wrap around my wrist stopping me.

I look at Avery and she says, "you're not leaving until you tell me what's bugging you." She tugs at my wrist and I sit down at the edge of the bed. I bring my eyes up to look at her once. "Dylan, I need you to open up to me. It works both ways." She is right. I have to tell her. If not the whole thing still some parts so that she knows that there might be some danger.

I am more disappointed in me. My negligence could have killed her today. Unable to meet her eyes, I look down at the floor and sigh. "It...it wasn't an accident." I wait for her to take it in. I sit there prepared to answer all her questions but after a while when nothing comes, I look at her to find her staring at the far end of the room as if lost on her thoughts. I gently place my hand on her knee and nudge her, "Avery..."

Her head snaps in my direction as if I pulled her out of her thoughts. She stares at my face with a blank expression giving nothing away. Finally, she lets out a long breath and whispers, "I know it wasn't an accident."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SORRY FOR THE SHORT CHAPTER...