AVA'S POV

I was instinctively drawn towards him as he kissed my cheek softly, his lips lingering a second longer than necessary, causing my heartbeat to throb loudly as the blood rushed past my ears.

There was a magnetism that silently surged between us, and I was so close to leaning forward and pressing my lips to his I could scarcely believe it.

"To congratulate you on all your hard work, all the hours you trained, and the way you blew everyone away today." He explained so earnestly.

I was quite awestruck. I wasn't expecting to see him after the competition ended today, let alone have him turn up at my door singing my praises. My brain was still a little scattered after my encounter with the ever so 'charming' Très.

It still puzzles me that Ryan keeps showing up, finding ways to support me, comfort me, give me strength to keep going, despite all of my flaws and the many ways I've failed him.

How did I deserve the love of someone so sweet? I knew from just looking at these flowers that they weren't the same as those organised by the judges. I couldn't help but smile as I imagined him carefully picking out these perfect, velvet-petal roses, deciding in a matter-of-fact way that bright pink gerberas didn't quite suit me.

I wondered if he knew that I was doing this for him, or how he would react if he found out.
But then again, I'd gone and come second when I needed to be first.

And now I'd have to watch Ryan take Melissa to Senior Prom, the last time we could enjoy ourselves before college acceptance letters came in the mail and changed everything for everyone.

I hadn't even spoken to Ryan about where he finally applied to. Suddenly I felt deflated; how long have we waited to be together, not able to give up on each other, but only for us to be separated by distance after all of this?

We would meet so many new people at college and gravitate towards people more like-minded to us than the friends we made in high school.

I love him, and I trust him. But we aren't even together right now, and how could either of us foresee possibly meeting someone new? Someone different?

I don't want to forever think of us as 'what could have been.' I don't want him to be 'the one that got away.'

"I know the flowers seem so formal, but I just wanted a way to let you know how proud I am of you." He continued sincerely when words seemed to get caught in my throat, threatening to make me choke up with tears of appreciation and gratitude.

'No. I refuse to give up now.' I decided resolutely as I carefully laid the bouquet down on my dressing table behind me.

Even if it ends up that we go our separate ways in college, that's only 1 possibility in any number of things that might happen in the future. I know what I'm feeling right now is real and I'll never forgive myself if I don't fight for this.

I can no longer let myself be scared to bare all that I am to him, for fear of him seeing ugly parts of me that might drive him away. As of right now, he's basically seen all of my flaws and my weaknesses, and yet here he is standing before me telling me he's proud of me, while I would want nothing to do with myself if I was in his shoes. He's experienced them in the worst possible way too; they've burned him countless times, and maybe left scars. Scars which I won't rest until I've done everything I can to heal.

I'm not saying that Ryan is perfect, he has his own flaws too. We're human, we all do. But he sees something in me that I can't seem to, and whatever it is, it's precious enough to him that he was willing to not just stay, but actively fight for me. Even when I was the opponent.

I need to talk to him, properly. I can sense that Ryan knows I'm keeping so much to myself, and he wants to know but he's wary of me pulling away if he asks. He's holding back and waiting for me to reach out to him.

I can't help but hesitate. He deserves to hear everything I've left unsaid, but there is so much to say and I want to say it right. It's just that whenever I look into his eyes, my mind gets overtaken by my heart and I know I can never get the right words out.

His gaze was still on me, waiting for me to say something as I looked down at the soft cloud of flowers I cradled in my arms.

"I missed hearing your voice." I said quietly.

WOW. A big round of applause for me, I open my mouth to say something intelligent and this is the first thing that comes out!

Well it's a start...

An amused smile lit up his face and the tension in his body language dissipated immediately. I'm glad I could at least make him feel more at ease.

"I don't know, try listening to it all day long, even hearing it in your head when you think. Then you'll realise it's nothing special." He cracked a joke, and succeeded in making me laugh and bringing us back to the easy atmosphere we always used to have during our conversations.

"Ok wise guy, I meant I've missed talking to you." I explained with a shake of my head at his lame come back, carefully setting the bouquet down on the dressing table.

"Me too." He replied earnestly, putting his hands in his pockets bashfully as he closed the door and stepped closer to where I had moved.

He opened his mouth to continue, but hesitated for a moment before looking up to make eye contact.

"I wish you would tell me about all the things that are bothering you." He said to me, trying to lighten the sadness in his tone with a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

I was stunned. But in a good way. A very good way.

I had never known Ryan to speak so directly with ease. I'd only witnessed it when I had pushed him close to the edge. He's changed in that regard, and I feel so proud of him.

"I wouldn't want to bore you, a lot of those things aren't a big deal anyway." I replied nonchalantly with a wave of my hand. I didn't want to make him worry for my sake.

"They must be bothering you enough for you to attack my locker with your forehead." He challenged, giving me a dry look that said he wasn't buying it.

I laughed out loud again; that was so unexpectedly blunt and full of sass coming from him. And I loved it. I could tell it was what he was really thinking, without filtering and re-wording to be polite.

"That was a very hectic day for me ok? I'm not a serial locker assaulter!" I defended myself playfully as I reached out to swat his arm.

He caught my wrist mid-swat and gently pulled me towards him, laughter still dancing in his eyes as he gazed at me.

"I missed that smile." He whispered, and I felt the breath being stolen from my chest, and the blaze of warmth from his words that left a heated trail down my spine. "It's been gone for far too long."

This new frankness of his would be the death of me if he kept saying things like this.

"There's a lot I have to tell you, so much so that I don't know where to start." I confessed, acutely aware of the shivers travelling up my arm as Ryan's hand slipped down into mine and effortlessly laced his fingers through my own.

"Then tell me the first thing you can think of that's bothering you." He replied simply, smiling down at me.

That's the problem though; out of all the things I could possibly be worrying about, the one thing that was repeating over and over in my head was:

PROM. I want to go to Prom with you. I want that slow dance. I want to spend every last moment of Senior year with you.

"...it's pretty stupid." I stalled.

He squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Ava just say whatever it is!"

"I really hate that you have to go to Prom with Melissa OK?" I blurted out, my face starting to burn at how immature I sounded.

His eyes widened briefly and then crinkled a little as he tried to suppress a grin.

"Is that all?" He asked patiently.

Great, now he thinks I was banging my head on his locker just because I wanted him to ask me to Prom!

"No but it's just...it's just a lot to explain." I offered plainly as words seemed to fail me again.

He looked at me with conflict flitting over his features. I could sense inner turmoil brewing behind his blue eyes. In the past, I always noticed how he quickly schooled his expression to hide how he really felt, or what he really wanted to say.

Except this time, he didn't hold back.

"Do you find it difficult?" He asked in earnest, "to talk to me, that is." He continued, his fingers still laced securely through mine.

What?

"I just feel like I never really know if you're ok or not, and it plays on my mind to no end." He disclosed honestly.

I didn't know how to reply.

Everything I had tried to do to protect him was backfiring. I kept him in the dark, tried to put on a brave face, held myself back from telling him exactly how I feel.

All for him to be hurt and think I don't want to open up to him, think that I'm uncomfortable; think that don't trust him enough.

"That's not true! Ryan you're one of the few people I feel like I can actually talk to about anything." I quickly tried to amend his flawed perspective.

I watched as a small blush bloomed on his cheeks, but it didn't last for long. And the weight on my heart grew heavier.

"But not everything." He added quietly, breaking eye contact to glance down at our hands. My thumb gently brushing over his skin slowly came to a halt.

I shut my eyes and swallowed thickly. It just goes to show that nothing you do ever goes to plan.

"...I've been worried for the longest time what you would think of me if you knew everything." I admitted quietly, eyes still squeezed shut. "But I think it's too late for that now. I think you've already seen the worst of me."

Idiot! How is he supposed to respond to that?!

What was I hoping he'd say? 'Don't worry Ava, you haven't hurt me at all. You're perfect. You've done no wrong.'

What a load of crap.

But he didn't have to say anything; he just tugged me into his arms and held me.

Oh my god, my heart just skipped a beat.

A rush of relief washed over me as I recovered from his sudden movement, and melted into his embrace.

"You already know how I feel. You should never try to hide yourself from me, or anyone else." He murmured against my hair. "Don't decide things on your own. Yes I've seen many sides of you, even the parts you wish didn't exist. And I've had many chances to walk away, but I am my own person and you can't make that decision for me."

"I know that..." I replied weakly as I tilted my head back so we were face to face. I knew that now, but I always should have and never tried to assume how he felt, or rather, how he should feel about me. Subconsciously I was using that as an excuse to push him away before he could push me.

"You shouldn't worry about what I think of you." He said resolutely as he held me closer, and I struggled to fight back tears. "I'm still here, even though I don't know a thing about what you really think of me; I've been guessing for as long as I can remember."

I reached up and caressed his cheek with my hand, meeting the sadness that lingered in his eyes head on with a brave face.

"There's a lot for me to say, but I'll tell you. You deserve to hear everything." I promised him, my gaze burning with sincerity.

And that gaze warmed his cheeks with a strong and lasting blush, and I savoured the way his skin stretched into a small smile beneath my touch.

My heart melted at the sight of his ocean blue eyes glimmering at me.

"Ava do you trust me?" He asked me, his arms readjusting their hold around my waist and making me realise that by this point my legs had nearly been reduced to jello.

"Of course, completely." I answered earnestly.

"Then can you wait for a week longer to tell me everything? There's something I need to do, you're not going to like it, but you can't interfere ok?" He continued quickly.

Excuse me, what?

I'm so confused.

"I can't interfere with what?" I questioned him firmly, my eyebrows knitting together. "Wait, so does this mean I still can't speak to you for another entire week?"

"Just until Prom." He explained calmly.

'Why?' I wondered

I had to bite my tongue; I was dying to know exactly what kind of plan he had come up with. It was bad enough that both Melissa had decided to get in my way on the path towards Ryan, but now even he had something he needed to do which would keep us apart.

This is becoming almost unbearable...

"I would tell you Ava, but we've all agreed that the less you know, the better."

"We?!" I exclaimed, stepping back out of his arms. Just how many people were involved in this cryptic plan?

I couldn't help but find it ironic that Ryan is pleading with me to tell him 'everything', but right now he's leaving me in the dark.

I didn't miss how bereft he seemed when I broke free, and I was reminded all too painfully that none of this was easy for him. Ryan wouldn't usually be so bold and he must have been pushing himself to take risks to get through to me. Maybe this is all just a taste of my own medicine; not knowing just what is going on in his head, being locked out when I want him to let me in.

And yet somehow the next moment, he had regained composure. His eyes blazed with determination when they locked with mine and he closed the distance between us. He reached out to tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear, carefully cupping my cheek in the palm of his hand.

It only took one moment under his imploring gaze for me to crumble, and any hesitation or uncertainty I had, dissipated. He said that I wouldn't like whatever he had planned, but the expression he wore was one brimming with love and earnestness, that there was no way I could doubt him; no way I could deny him.

"Please Sweetheart..." He whispered, and hearing that name for me pass so sweetly from his lips conjured up a deep, contented sigh from within.

He lightly traced my jawline with the back of his hand, before his knuckles came to rest just under my chin, gently nudging my face upwards, ever closer towards his.

My eyes were shut and my breath was caught in my throat as I savoured this moment. I could feel with my entire body, just how small the distance between us had become.

'What are you doing to me Ryan? How had I ever been able to say no to him before?' I wondered, slightly intoxicated by him.

I'll have to remember to find out where he learned to do that knuckle thing after Prom, because I am 99.9% sure he didn't know how to do that before! Was Brad corrupting him?! Was he –

"Ava?" Ryan prompted me softly.

My eyelids fluttered open. "I trust you Ryan." The relief that I witnessed wash over his features, did indescribable things to my heart. "I just don't know if I can stand waiting until Prom..." I grinned up at him cheekily as I nuzzled against his hand.

I don't know what kind of reaction I was expecting from him, but a smirk, a real, devilish smirk was definitely not at the top of my list. My heart was beating so quickly as he gave my chin another soft nudge, gradually bringing our lips a hair's breadth apart. The anticipation of those saintly lips teasing and taunting mine was torturous.

Just a little closer...if anything were to interrupt this moment, I swear I –

*BAM*

"Hey Babe! I just wanted to say you were amaz – Oh shit." Brad's eyes popped out as he burst into the room all of a sudden, so oblivious to everything.

Bradley Haywood, you have a death wish...

"Sorry for the interruption, I have to break up the pity party though," He told us, clearly pleased about the scene he just stumbled upon "Annnd I just need to remind you that you're driving me to the airport Ryan."

Brad seemed entirely unfazed by the fact that Ryan was glaring daggers at him while I, on the other hand, was trying to make his head explode with my mind.

"I'm well aware of the fact that I'm driving you." Ryan gritted out, clearly as frustrated by his brother's perfect timing as I was.

"Yep, there's just one change..." Brad trailed off.

"Which is?" I piped up impatiently; I was eager to get back to the part where Ryan's lips would be pressed against mine.

"My flight got cancelled and the only other one available that would get me back to Boston today is 2 hours earlier. Which means we have to leave right now." Brad explained sheepishly as he eyed both me and his brother.

Ryan inhaled and sighed deeply.

"I guess it can't be helped. I'll pass my car keys to Mom and then we can get going." He replied reluctantly, glancing back at me before he moved towards the door.

"Thanks little bro!" Brad called out after him as Ryan left me alone with his old jerk of a brother.

Brad bristled when his eyes met my death stare.

"Sorry Babe, I didn't know things were getting steamy in here." He smirked so incredibly annoyingly. And yet I knew he was genuinely apologetic.

"I'm so glad you're finally leaving." I bit out sardonically and rolled my eyes.

"Aww I'm so glad we met too!" He shot back sarcastically, placing his hand over his heart.
"Shouldn't you be thanking me for all the wisdom I imparted and the wingman-ing I did for you with my own little brother? Let me tell you it was not easy watching the two of you lovesick teenagers pining over each other." He said as a disgusted gagging noise escaped the back of his throat.

Instead of getting even more pissed, I took a good look at the handsome jerk standing in front of me that had very much become the big brother I never had.

I realised that I was going to miss him.

"Thank you Brad." I said sincerely, watching as a flicker of surprise passed through his stormy grey eyes. "You've helped me and been there for me in more ways than I can count."

Behind his cocky smile and charming charisma, he was a complex person; complex, but good. He cared deeply for his brother. And if anyone knew how impossible it was not to care about Ryan Haywood, well that would be me.

"I really mean it, from the bottom of my heart." I reiterated my heartfelt sentiments, and saw a myriad of emotions ripple through eyes that were usually hard as steel.

And then I was suddenly wrapped up in a warm bear hug and spun around, my toes dangling just above the ground.

"You're the first person in a long time, outside of my family, to thank me for something...and actually mean it." He said quietly, almost vulnerably. "Thank you Ava. I know I'm leaving my brother in good hands."

I hugged him tighter for a second before he set me down. I truly hoped that he would be able to move on from the troubles that brought him back home in the first place.

"Are you going to be alright settling back into college after your suspension?" I asked tentatively. I wasn't sure if he had even told Ryan the truth about his return yet.

"I'll be fine Babe. I am Brad Haywood after all." He grinned smugly, all of that irritatingly charming confidence returning as if it had never wavered.

"Sorry that all of this drama f*cked up your psychology essay. I am probably the worst experiment subject ever." I apologised guiltily. It was his own choice to get involved, but I didn't want him to get a bad grade just because I couldn't get my shit together.

"Um, what?" He stared at me looking extremely confused.

"For the record if you asked me how I feel about Ryan now on a scale of 1 to 5, I'd say it's probably a 10." I babbled on distractedly.

"Woah! Way to get in touch with your feelings Babe, but I finished that essay weeks ago."

"...what." My face suddenly fell into a expression that can only be described as that of someone on the brink of attempting murder. If he finished weeks ago, then what was all this testing of feelings and note recording of observations we'd been doing up until now?

"Yeah, oh did you really think I was serious about the whole 'Observing adolescents on the cusp of falling in love' etcetera, etcetera? HAH that would be a nightmare to even try and measure statistically! The construct validity would be so low it wouldn't even be worth doing! I just wrote a review paper on the correlation between poor memory and lack of sleep. And I did happen to experience that myself on the day of the charity fête when I had to wake up so early to haul your ass out of bed that, you know, it just sort of slipped my mind to tell you I'd signed you up for the kissing booth." Brad had tears in his eyes from struggling not to laugh at the expression of confusion on my face quickly contorted into anger and disbelief.

I've changed my mind, he is the biggest, most frustrating, emotionally manipulative jerk I've ever met! I should have known he'd been messing with me from day one!

My eyes flew to his in a red hot glare.

"You absolute dick!" I screeched as I launched myself into attacking him with my fists. And it was at that point that he evidently could not stop himself from bursting into bouts hysterical laughter despite my rage-fuelled punches.

So I stomped on his foot with all the force I possessed in my rock hard quads, and that shut him up real quick. That's the thing, dancers never skip leg day.

"Come on Brad let's go," Ryan said as he came rushing back into the room, suddenly very confused about why his brother was crouched on the ground clutching his foot and groaning.

"...are you ok?" He asked tentatively.

"He's fine." I answered smugly on Brad's behalf.

"Alright, just let me say my last goodbye." Brad grunted as he got up.

"Bye Brad, Have a safe flight!" I smiled devilishly as I let him pull me into a final hug.

"Good Luck Babe," He said as he let me go. "You deserve to be happy too, you know?"

And then all of a sudden, way too fast for me to react, Brad leaned forward and kissed me.

It was the cheekiest peck on the lips I'd ever received and I was more stunned than angry at him. And it was the self-satisfied smirk he gave me afterwards that told me this was clearly revenge for his very bruised toes.

"Ok let's go little bro!" He said quickly with a mischievous spark in his eye as he bolted out of the room.

Ryan looked like a ghost as he stopped dead in his tracks and all the blood drained from his face.

I just stood there blinking like a robot, not knowing how to react to what just happened and the fact that it had happened right before Ryan's eyes.

I felt like yelling "IT'S THE WRONG HAYWOOD'S LIPS! I'VE BEEN VIOLATED!" and shaking my fist angrily at the open door Brad had escaped through.

But instead all I could say was "Uhh that was...unexpected?"

That seemed to set Ryan back into motion because the next second he was hovering around me like a helicopter mom.

"Ava I'm so sorry he did that, I have no idea why he would do that to you!" He said, his hands repeatedly moving to touch me but then changing his mind. Then more to himself he mumbled "Why would he do that to me? He knows that I–, wait does he have feelings for –, wait no he said he didn't and – "

My little lamb was getting too frazzled and it was unbelievably adorable.

"Ryan relax, it was a joke. It's ok" I couldn't help but smile as I tried to calm him down.

"It's not ok!" He countered as he ran his fingers through his hair.

He looked so conflicted, as if he truly believed that perhaps Brad harboured feelings for me. Which was a load of crap considering that all Brad had been doing this entire time was trying to get us together!

"Ryan we have to go now or I'll miss my flight!" Brad called out from somewhere down the hallway. I could tell from the tone of his voice that he was so pleased with his devious act and couldn't wait to see Ryan's reaction when he finally left my dressing room.

"You better go," I told him, laughing a little as I gently grasped his hands that hovered around my face, and pressed them to my cheeks. His eyebrows had furrowed and his expression was conflicted as he fretted over me, because there was nothing he could do to undo Brad's kiss.

Which was hardly a kiss at all to be honest!

"I'm ok, that kiss was nothing. It's ok." I reassured him again.

"It's not ok." He repeated softly as he stared into my eyes.

The atmosphere between us suddenly began to smoulder as he gently swiped his thumb over my lower lip; as if it had the power to erase the memory of his brother's actions.

"Not when he knows that I'm in love with you." He concluded.

Ryan's eyes refused to break contact with mine, observing intently as I felt my face go from slightly flushed, to the temperature of the surface of the sun within a matter of seconds.

"Ryan!" Brad called again from outside. This time his tone sounded more urgent.

"Just one more week." He promised, closing his eyes as he swiftly leaned in to kiss my forehead before turning to leave. But evidently he had said that more for himself than for me.

I watched him close the door behind him before I let myself deflate into a wobbly, lovesick pile of jello. He left me reeling; heart pounding, butterflies in my stomach, blushing heatedly from where he kissed me, to the tips of my toes.

"One more week..." I repeated out loud with a deep sigh.

One more week and he's all mine.

Just the thought of it sent delicious shivers rushing over my skin in all directions.

_______________________________________________

Just as I finished up changing out of my costume and packing everything else away, there came another knock at the door.

But this time it wasn't Très, nor was it Ryan or Brad.

"Ava Maxwell?" I heard a muffled voice from the other side of the thin plywood.

"Yes, that's me." I replied cautiously as I opened the door to see a tall, slender woman dressed professionally all in black, save for her scarlet red lips and the stylish tortoiseshell-frame glasses she wore.

"Nina Suarez." She introduced herself with a bright smile, holding her hand out to shake mine firmly. "I am a talent scout and representative of The NYU Tisch School of The Arts. I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk about your plans for college in the near future?"

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Hello my lovely readers.

You all must hate me very much for leaving you for so long, but I am back now and ready to try again to finally finish this story! I hope this update satisfies your cravings!

Just wanted to clarify that I have changed the talent scout to be associated with NYU Tisch rather than Juilliard because clearly I did not do my research properly when it comes to the types of degrees these institutions offer! I haven't had a chance to back track to other previous chapters and make the necessary changes, so for now just pretend that these inconsistencies don't exist!

Hope you are all well.
Please enjoy this chapter and look forward to the next!

Take care, 
Cerise xx :)