Chapter 33: Almost backfired
The coffee shop of white cups and black coffee, of small jugs filled with cream, has that ambience of friendly chatter. In the middle of the coffee shop sat two customers, so far yet so close. They sat opposite each other; one father one daughter full of hatred. Ava set aside the feud aside and decided to talk to him, for the sake of all the children and her own brother. She took the advantage of meeting her father to find the answer to unanswered questions that has meant to be revealed for years.
"Ever since I got sober, I've been trying to build my life back up and trying to move on. But I couldn't, something was missing. It was you guys. So, from that moment on, I swore to myself I would try my hardest to make up for all those lost years and to better myself."
Ava refused to believe anything he said was the truth. She wanted proof that he was being sincere; she couldn't trust anyone.
"Where's Lucas? I haven't heard from him in a while," Ava said, avoiding his explanation.
Jaws clenched, Matt straighten himself and looked at Ava who was clearly taking things seriously.
"Trying to intimidate me isn't going to frighten me. I'm not scared of you like everyone else," Ava coldly stated.
Matt took a deep breath and spoke, "He doesn't want to come home, and his whereabouts is none of your business."
"He's my brother, so it is my business, and I want to visit him."
"As far as I know, you despise Lucas. So why do you suddenly start caring about him?"
They both sternly looked at each other, their patience slowly running out.
"I don't hate him."
One of the baristas came round to their table and set their coffee down. Ava thanked her and took a sip of her coffee. Then suddenly, Matt's compliment put her off it.
"I like your necklace."
She looked down at the amulet on her chest and lifted her shirt higher to cover it up. Matt smirked at her action. Ava's phone pinged and she immediately checked it, but she was disappointed to see it wasn't Noah. Ava looked at Matt, who was clearly growing impatient. He abruptly got up and searched his pockets for his phone.
"I'm leaving. I've got nothing else to do at this low life shop."
"No, wait!"
Ava began to panic. She had to keep him there for a bit longer until Noah texts her. Without thinking, she said the unthinkable.
"I want you back in my life."
As those words came out of her mouth, they both looked at each other shocked.
"What are you up to?"
She looked at him confused.
"You thought I wouldn't catch on?"
"To what?" Ava asked.
"Ava, you hate me. Why would you want to meet up with me? Last time I remember you hated my guts, and you didn't want me back in your life. EVER. Now you say this. You are definitely plotting something, and I'm going to find out what."
Before Ava could come up with a lie, she was interrupted.
"Don't even try to lie; it's not a good look on you. I thought I warned you earlier. You don't know what you're dealing with," he threatened. "Where's Noah?"
"I-I don't know," she stuttered.
"Noah would never let you come alone to see me; I saw the look on his eye the last time we saw each other. It's like you're keeping me away from my house..."
Ava vigorously shook her head and tried to convince him that his conclusion wasn't true, but she couldn't do anything, and he left. She rapidly pulled out her phone and texted Noah, informing him that Matt was on his way there and he had to leave as soon as possible, but she received no reply.
She placed some money on the table and ran towards Matt's house, trying to reach there before him. The streets were swarmed with people, which made it harder for her to reach sooner, but that meant that her Matt wouldn't be able to get there as soon, giving Noah some time to leave. She couldn't believe she put him in that much danger. She stood at the end of the street where her father's house was, waiting for Noah to appear, but he was nowhere to be found. She checked her phone again, but he hadn't read the message yet. Some leaves were ruffling on the far side of the side. She looked around but her father wasn't near yet, so she ran towards the house and glimpsed Noah trying to leave from the back with his crutches in his hand.
She ran around the house to the back and helped him get to the nearest bus station. They entered a bus and tried regaining their breath as they were headed towards the abandoned house. Ava helped Noah out of the bus, and they went inside, resting their exhausted bodies on the grimy sofa.
"Noah, are you okay? You're not hurt, right?"
"Ava, calm down. I'm fine," He said with a cheesy smile on his face.
"Why are you smiling?"
"This is the most fun I've had in years, it felt like we were on a runaway," he answered.
"Yea, that was a bit fun, but it was way too close."
"At least I managed to get the cameras up around the house. Inside and outside."
"I think Matt knows what we're up to," Ava breathed.
"That can't be possible."
"Maybe it is," Ava said doubtful.
"I didn't see any place where Noah could be held on the outside so he must be kept inside."
"Okay. We should probably make a room with a bunch of TVs for the surveillance cameras," Ava suggested.
"Yes. We could buy used TVs. But for now, we can check the cameras through our phones at any time."
Noah brought out his phone and showed her Matt's front door being recorded. They could see him turning around to see if anyone was looking at him and then he slowly entered the house, closing the door behind him.
"Who are you really, Matt?"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
therealSkywolf202
therealSkywolf202 “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
― Toni Morrison
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