Avery
Needing the incessant ringing to stop, I hadn’t even checked to see who was calling.
“What?” I snarled.
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Mom.” I took a slow breath, trying to lose the tone still clinging to my tongue from my blowup with Liam. “It’s nothing. I’m tired—that’s all.”
“You seem to be tired a lot lately. Is there something I should know about?”
I fell back onto my bed. “I’m in med school, Mom. If you’re not tired, you’re doing something wrong.”
“I see.” I could imagine her pursing her lips on the other end. “Well, if you follow the schedule and guidelines we came up with together, you shouldn’t be struggling this much. It’s not Zayn that’s keeping you up, is it?” she asked, as if she wasn’t calling me late at night to talk about one of her surgeries.
“No.” I sighed. “I can promise you, he has nothing to do with it.”
“Okay, okay. Fine then. If this becomes an issue though, I have plenty of room at the house.”
I was moments away from screaming at her as I had to Liam moments ago.
“I know it’s a long drive, but it’s quiet, and I’m hardly ever there. I can help with—”
“Thanks, but I’ve got it handled. Really.” My words were even but clipped.
There was silence on the phone for a moment longer than I was comfortable with, and I readied myself for the reprimand coming. I wasn’t sure what for, but she could find a hidden message if I said a single syllable the wrong way.
“I guess I raised you well enough to know who and what is best for you.” My mother was so talented that she could give a compliment and then take credit for it. “I was going to tell you about the transplant I did today, but seeing as how you’re so tired, I’ll save it for another day. I don’t want to keep you.”
“I’m glad it went well,” I said, itching for a moment alone.
“Avery? Don’t make me regret what I just said. You do know what is best for you, right?”
I swallowed back sour words and pinched my mouth shut. “Mmhmm.”
“All right. I love you, sweetheart. Talk soon.”
The moment she hung up, there was a knock on my door.
“Are you kidding me?” I erupted.
“Avery, it’s me.”
I growled to myself. “Not now, Lexie.”
“Please,” she begged. “It’s…important.”
Strands of red hair danced across her face when I threw the door open.
“What is it?”
“Liam asked me to get his jacket from your room earlier today.” Lexie’s vibrant bubble of confidence was gone. She could barely look me in the eyes. “He didn’t feel comfortable coming in here without asking you first…”
It took me longer than it should’ve to calm my mind enough to understand what she was telling me, but my stomach twisted into a knot when I did.
Liam hadn’t stolen from me. Lexie had.
“Avery?”
