Every Storm That Comes Also Comes to an End

I slowly hung up the phone. I wasn’t sure what made me call Alex. I still hated him for ruining my sister’s and my life, but it was obvious he was trying to mend things. Which was very uncharacteristic for him. Alex never dealt with the consequences of his action, let along trying to fix his mistakes.

But he’d basically risked his life by trying to talk to Caitlyn, who had been set on destroying Alex for the past year according to dad, and explained what really happened on that road trip. Caitlyn had come over not to long after her talk with Alex, crushing me in a hug and kept going on about how sorry she was about blaming it all on me. We’d talked for a while and it turned out that Caitlyn hadn’t been angry at me, but at herself.

“I blamed you Ave and I’m sorry for that, but I was just so very hurt.” She sniffled. “Caty, it’s alright.” I tried to comfort her. “You didn’t know. You two were gonna get married, I never meant to come between that.” But Caitlyn shook her head. “You already had.” I was confused, but she smiled weakly at me. “Alex never stopped loving you Ave, or looking for you for that matter, you were always the one he wanted, the only one. I guess I was the closest thing to that. I’m so angry at myself for thinking I actually had a shot.” She shook her head in disbelieve. “He never belonged to me Ave, he was always yours, just like you’ll always be the only one for him.”

I jumped up. “But I don’t want him!” I hissed. “And I don’t want him to want me! He’s just a no-good, cheating, lying son of a bit….” “He did it because he loves you Ave.” Caitlyn said calmly. “Well if that’s love then I sure as hell don’t want to know what it’s like to be hated by him!” I snapped. “And why are you defending him!? He broke your heart Caitlyn. Just like he broke mine, more than once.” Caitlyn pulled me down on the couch next to her. “Calm down would ya. I’m not defending him Ave, I’m just saying that I get why he did what he did and I’m ready to forgive him, maybe you should too. “ I shook my head furiously. “No way, I’m not gonna let him hurt me again.”

Caitlyn smiled softly at me. “He isn’t gonna hurt you if you don’t give him a change to Ave. But you need to find a way to forgive him. It’s obvious Alex can’t live without you in his life…. Just like you can’t without him…...”

She left shortly after that, leaving me to call Alex. I only did it because it was the right thing to do, not because I wanted to make peace. After the phone call Caitlyn’s word kept repeating in my head. It was non-sense of course, I could live without Alex and Alex was just being dramatic when he said he needed me in his life. I’m over thinking this! I need a drink. So I grabbed my coat and headed to my favorite bar downtown.

I took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink. That one drink turned into two, which turned into three, which turned into four, until I lost count. I sat there for god knows how long until my phone rang. Apparently it wasn’t the first time that night, because I had several missed calls from dad, Caitlyn, Jack and Alex. I sighed and picked it up. “Hello?” I mumbled. “Ave? Thank god you picked up! Where the hell are you?” It was Alex, he sounded worried almost panicky. He paused for a moment. “Ave? Are you drunk?” “None of your business.” I snapped. “It’s my life Alex, I make my own decisions and I can life without you!” I yelled and hung up. I stumbled out of the bar and sat down against the wall in the opening of a small alley.

I stared at the phone in my hand. With shaking hand I called a number. “Hello?” “Jacky?” I said in a small voice. “AVERY!” He nearly screamed. “Thank god you called. We’ve been trying to contact you for hours, when you didn’t show up at my place for dinner I got worried and called your dad and Caitlyn, but neither one knew where you were. We were worried sick about you, we thought something had happened to you!” I’s started crying softly during his rant. “Jacky, please come pick me up?” I sniffled. “I will.” He said instantly. “Where are you?” I looked around, but nothing looked familiar. “I-I don’t know.” Jack sighed again. “You’re drunk aren’t you?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “I think I have a pretty good idea where you are, don’t move.” And he hung up.

Not very long after that a car stopped in front of me. A tall, lanky figure got out, took one look at e and shook his head. “I already have a day job keeping Alex from popping a bottle of painkillers every hour and now I also have to pick his drunken ex-fiancée of the pavement.” He said and picked me up bridal style. “Hey Jack.” I slurred. He placed me in the passenger seat before getting back behind the wheel himself. “Ave, what are you doing?” I shrugged. “Forgetting.” I mumbled.

Jack shook his head. “Let’s get you home.” I panicked, I didn’t want my dad to see me like this. “NO!” I shouted. “Please Jack don’t take me home. Dad’s gonna kill me!” He gave me a weird look. “Avery you’re a grown woman, not a teenager. You’re dad isn’t gonna ground you for come home drunk.” He chuckled. I shook my head. “But he’s gonna be so disappointed in me and don’t wanna disappoint him anymore.” I tried my best to explain and apparently Jack understood. “Alright, you can crash at my place.” I smiled. “Thanks Jack.”

Once we got to his house he helped my inside, seeing I could barely stand straight. “Come on, upstairs.” He said, but I shook my head. “Can I sleep on the couch? I’m tired.” “Couch it is!” Jack said an carefully sat me down on it. “I’ll get you a blanket and a pillow.” He said and disappear for a few minutes. “Thanks Jack.” I said as he handed me the blanket and pillow. “Could you call my dad, please?” I asked softly. “And Caitlyn?” He added. I nodded. “You also want me to call Al...” “No. It’s none of his business.” I said stubbornly. “Alright.” He kissed the top of my head. “Go to sleep Ave, I’ll take care of everything.” “Thanks Jacky.” I mumbled and quickly drifted off to sleep.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning however I was awakened by loud noises booming through the house. I blinked a few times and inspected my surroundings. I quickly realized I was laying on Jack’s couch and that the loud noises was in fact yelling. It seemed to come out of the kitchen and the person who was yelling sounded angry. I decided to stay on the couch so I could listen to what was going on.

“Stop yelling would ya! You might wake her up.” A second voice said, softer than the first, that I recognized as Jack’s. The first person apparently hadn’t heard him, cause he kept yelling. “WHY THE HELL DIDN’T YOU CALL!? I was worried sick about her all night. I thought something had happened to her! I thought she was dead or something, but instead she asleep on your fucking couch! Do you have any idea what I went through last night!?” It was Alex and he sounded furious.

“What you went through? Let me guess, two bottles of jack and a bottle of painkillers.” Jack said bitterly. I expected Alex to start shouting again, but he stayed strangely quiet. “And the reason I didn’t call you is because she asked me too.” “W-what?” I could hear Alex almost choke on the word. “She told me it’s none of your business and, quite frankly, I agree with her.” Jack said and I knew Alex was close to exploding. “You’re not her boyfriend anymore Alex, or even her friend for that matter. She’d been living a perfectly happy life until you came along last year. And then she actually gave you another chance which you fucked up big time.” “What are you trying to say?” Alex voice was soft, but had a dangerous edge.

“I’m saying that maybe it’s better if you leave her alone!” Jack said, his voice a lot louder than before. “I mean look at what it’s doing to you! You’re this close to turning into a fucking drug addicted. You’re ruining your life man! And the worst thing is you’re dragging her down with you!” “But I love her…” Alex sounded defeated. “Really Alex, because this ‘love’ is starting to look very much like an obsession. If you really love her than maybe it’s time to let her go.”

I almost expected Alex to give in, but a loud bang told me I was wrong. “So you can have her, right!?” He screamed. “You’re telling me to give up on her so you can have her to yourself!” “WHAT!?” Jack sounded more than surprised. “Honestly Alex, how many pills did you take this morning? Have you completely lost your mind? You know I don’t have feeling like that for Avery. She’s my friend, that’s all.” “But you still had sex with her!” I knew that would come and bite me in the ass someday. “Dammit Alex, we were drunk, she was hurt and I was the closest thing she had to you at that moment.” Jack tried to explain, but Alex was beyond reason. “You’re lying! You want her, you always wanted her. But you can’t have her, she’s mind!” “She’s nobody’s fucking property Alex!” Jack snapped. There were a couple of loud bangs and more yelling from Jack (“Get the fuck out you idiot! Come back when you’re sober.”) before an furious and slightly insane looking Alex stormed past me out of the front door, with what looked like a split lip.

Only seconds later Jack came into the living room, mumbling to himself. “Great, just great, my best friend is turning into a crazy drug addict and my other best friend is drinking herself into oblivion. And who’s there to clean up the mess, me of course.” I suddenly felt very guilty for dragging Jack into the drama between me and Alex. I sat up. “I’m sorry.” I said and Jack turned around. “Oh hey Ave, hoe did you sleep? Sorry? What do you mean.” He sat down next to me. “For dragging you into this.” I whispered, afraid he might be angry at me too. “It’s alright honey. I’m just in a bad mood and Alex is being a dick…” He snapped his mouth shut, thinking I didn’t know Alex had been here. “It’s okay Jack, I heard you two, it was kinda hard not to, and I’m sorry about all this. I never wanted you and Alex to fight, he’s your best friend.”

“But so are you and since Alex is acting like a complete douchebag I’m on your side right now.” He smiled and hugged me. “Thanks.” I chuckled. “Did you mean it by the way? What you said about Alex and me?” “You mean that he should leave you alone? Yeah I did, it doesn’t help either one of you, in fact it’s only making things worse. I mean look at you two! You were having a drunken mini-break down on the sidewalk last night and Alex has been….” He stumbled over the last part and stopped talking. “Alex has been what Jack?” I demanded. “Nothing, nothing.” He said quickly, but I could see something was wrong. “Jack…..” But he kept dodging the subject. “It’s nothing Ave, don’t worry.”

I sighed. “How bad is it?” Jack looked at me for a second. “It’s bad, very bad. And the worst part is we’re supposed to be leaving for tour in a week. And as happy I am for you not having to be around Alex for the next three months I’m afraid being away from you is the worst thing that could happen to Alex right now….”