Ava drove us down to Cherry Hill- my mom, who was up, questioned me on my way out as to why I was going. She had spoken to Amira too and didn't want me to go- she just wanted the police to patrol the area. I told her I didn't care- that I was going. I needed to. I saw that Cherry Hill was quite a big city- and I knew I would most likely have no luck finding April. But I needed to try. I would regret it if I didn't at least try.
"Are we stopping at the Wawa she was spotted at first?" Ava asked me as we drove in New Jersey.
"I think that's a good idea. I could use some coffee too."
"Same. So it's a win-win." she grinned at me. And each time she looked at me there seemed to be longing in her eyes. God, I wanted her. I knew we had to talk about what was going on. I'm usually very upfront about things, but this situation made me nervous. I was playing with fire here and I didn't want to get burned by my best friend.
"You understand why I wanted to come here today, right? My mom made me feel crazy for it." I said, looking out the window.
"Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. I'd do the same thing." Ava said, reassuring me.
We finally got to the Wawa in Cherry Hill. There were about a million of them, but we found the one she had been spotted at. Supposedly.
Before we went in I felt my heart start racing. And I wasn't quite sure why. I wasn't expecting to see her here. But a part of me hoped I would walk in and see April getting coffee.
That didn't happen. Ava and I got our coffees and I scoured the entire store for anything that could have something to do with April, or be April.
We got back in the car. I was feeling a bit defeated.
"I'm going to drive around. She could be walking somewhere, you never know." Ava said, pulling out of the parking lot.
So we did. For a long time that morning, we drove around searching for April. We drove past huge homes as well as not so great areas on our search in Cherry Hill.
"I don't think we are going to find anything." I said as it reached to be around one.
"We can take a break from looking if you want." Ava said.
"I wish I wasn't so tired. I could just pass out right now." I said to Ava.
"I feel that. I am absolutely exhausted." Ava said back. Then she looked at me, "We should get a hotel room or something."
"Would you actually want to?"
"Why not? Make this a little overnight trip. I know New Jersey isn't a hot destination, but we can have fun."
Fun...I hope she meant a certain kind of fun.
"Sure. Let's do it." I said, and we both started looking up hotels. We settled on a Marriott home style suites the next town over. Of course I popped into my brain that maybe April would be there. But of course she wasn't.
But I had Ava with me in this hotel room. There was one bed so we would have to share. Which we have done so many times before. I never really second guessed it until now.
We wound up passing out on the bed, without covers on in our clothes when we checked into the room. I found myself being tired all the time since April went missing- but this day had me feeling even more exhausted. The hope of finding her and being let down, even though expected, hurt.
When I woke up, it was dark. I looked at my phone. 7:15 PM. I turned over to look at Ava and she was up, on her phone.
"Hey." I said to her, "How long have you been up?"
"About an hour or so. But I wanted to let you sleep." she smiled at me sweetly.
"Are you hungry? I'm starving." I said as my stomach growled.
"Let's get room service. Be fancy." she laughed, "I also am going to skip class tomorrow so we can look around more in the morning if you want."
"I feel bad to make you miss school." I said.
"It's no big deal. I could use a day off. I have a lot on my mind." she said, looking at me. Then she got up and grabbed the menu on her bedside table, "Hmm..what should we order?"
"We wound up getting breakfast for dinner. Pancakes and fruit and a side of turkey bacon.
"This was a great idea." Ava said as we sat on the bed and chowed down.
"Cannot beat pancakes at any time of the day." I agreed, "Pancakes are April's go to drunk meal at like 3 am when she's wasted and winds up at a diner or something."
"She's smart. I think it like soaks up the alcohol or something."
"I hope she's still doing that." I said, looking down. It was hitting me that she might not be.
I felt April place her hand gently on my knee. I looked up at her and we locked eyes. Her hazel eyes were always pretty to me, but now I could really see the specks of gold and green in them. And I knew I wanted to kiss her. But I couldn't.
"What's going on here, Ava?" I finally asked.
She looked slightly startled. "I-I don't know."
"Do you like girls?" I asked the question on my mind.
She bit her lip in thought. "I think I do. But I know...that I like you." she said those last words quietly.
I felt my heart skip a beat. "I don't think you know how long I've had a thing for you." I confessed. Finally.
"I hooked up with a girl...about a year ago." Ava said, to my surprise. "I was at a party and I just found her to be attractive. I didn't know what came over me, but I had sex with her that night. Like I did things to her as well. I wasn't just a straight girl letting another girl eat me out or something."
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her.
"I wanted to. But then after that- any time I saw you, I kept thinking of you in that way. What it would be like to do those things with you. You're just...so beautiful, Josephine. And hot, honestly. And it made me scared that I was feeling that way. So I hid it." she said.
"Where do we go from here? Are we just friends that are going to fuck? Or more?" I asked, hoping she would say more.
"I'd...like to be more." she said, looking down and then up into my eyes.
I didn't realize I was holding my breath, but I let it out. "So would I."
"It doesn't have to be much different than it is now. Except for that we are just like, romantic. And we you know-"
"Fuck." I said, cutting Ava off.
"Yeah." she said, and I could see her visibly blushing. I felt that heat, that tension between us.
A few minutes later she was straddling my lap as we made out. I was sitting on the end of the bed, my arms wrapped around her.
"Let me please you." I said in her ear. "I'm taking care of you tonight."
She nodded, kissing my neck, I could feel her soft hair against me.
I laid her down on the bed. She was already in her pretty lavender lace bra. When I pulled off her leggings I saw she had on a matching thong.
"Did you do this on purpose?" I chuckled.
"Maybe." she winked at me, and put her leg up on my shoulder. I was now in my black bra and underwear too. I kissed down her leg that was on my shoulder until I made my way exactly to where I needed to be, kissing all the way down, enjoying the sounds of her heavy breaths.
I slipped off her underwear and for a second just admired what was underneath them. I couldn't quite believe I was seeing her naked. She looked even better with no clothes on.
I dove in, and felt her hands all in my hair. I used my tongue and fingers to please her until she was moaning my name.
My face was soaked by the time it was over. I moved my way up and kissed her flushed face.
Realizing in that moment- I was truly in love with my best friend.