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After the porch incident they migrated back to Ava's room. "Maybe you guys should catch up. It has been a year, ya know?" Coralie insisted. So Zarin and Ava headed back to her room, which probably wasn't the best idea. Ava sure as hell knew that, yet she closed the door behind her and watched as Zarin's fingers traced the pictures and trinkets that sat on her desk.

There was so much stuff that was running through her mind. For one; she was pissed. Pissed at her mom, sister, and best friend for putting her through this situation. Pissed at Zarin for thinking it was okay to just waltz back into her life looking so irresistible. And most of all, pissed at herself for feeling so weak and unrestrained. The only thing she wanted to do was grab Zarin and kiss him till they couldn't breathe. After all this time of telling herself he was just a high school crush, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was the drug she was addicted to. Was she crazy? She had to get her mind off him.

"You're hair is different. I only saw normal color hair in pictures." Zarin broke the silence. He sat on Ava's bed, patting the spot next to him.

"Yeah, well normal hair is good. The only place that would hire me with crazy hair was Chilly Scoop." She restrained herself from sitting next to him for as long as she could.

"What's so wrong with Chilly Scoop? Best place to take first dates."

"I just wouldn't want to work there for the rest of my life." You didn't think that for ours.

"Well black hair doesn't suit you. You don't seem nearly as happy." Zarin said and pulled Ava over, forcing her to sit next to him. She could feel the heat come off him, smell the light hint of cologne.

"W-who said I was happy at all?" She stuttered lightly. Their bodies were so close. Zarin's breath was so warm on Ava's skin. Their faces just inches apart. Her breath deepened and her lips parted. She wanted him, more than anything is this world. He leaned in, pressing his lips against her in heated lust. It was like an instant rush of passion. Zarin climbed on top of her, and began to rip off her tights. Ava tugged at his shorts, wanting more.

His lips trailed down her neck, pushing up her dress with his hands. He kissed her stomach, going down and down. She shook her head, out of breath. "We can't. I'm sorry." She told Zarin and pushed her dress down.

Ava loved him. There was no denying it now. She wanted him so badly that her body was shaking. But she couldn't just sleep with him. Not now, not here. "What's the matter lone star? Are you going to leave me too?"

"You left me, remember?" She couldn't take it. The tears fell from her eyes, and she let them. There was no stopping it this time.

"Lone star, please." He said in a soothing voice. He was trying. He didn't want her to cry.

"No, just go back to where ever you were hiding." Ava walked out of the room to find Cora and hopefully wake up from this awful dream.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What kind of cake do you want? Vanilla? Chocolate with butter creme icing?" Coralie asked as her and Ava sat in Chilly Scoop. Ava looked over at the girl with a do-you-seriously-have-to-ask-me-that-question look. "You're right. Chocolate with butter creme it is!"

Ava shook her head and took a bite of her mint chocolate chip ice cream. It was defiantly the best ice cream at Chilly Scoop. Although Cora would argue that their peanut butter ice cream was better. To Ava it was great that they had something else to fight over in her life. For the past couple days it was always about Zarin. How she didn't want him there, he was an asshole, she nearly slept with him after five minutes. It was a complete mess.

To be completely honest, Ava didn't know exactly how she felt. She hated him for thinking that he could just pop up and things would be easy. But she loved him even after all this time. Coralie wasn't shocked when Ava came crying because of Zarin. She expected they would have a moment. They needed to find themselves again, they needed to know each other again. Zarin was a good guy. He was perfect for Ava. They leveled each other out. And they needed to recognize that.

"Are you seriously going through with this party?"

"Of course I am! You're my best friend. You deserve this," Coralie said finishing off her ice cream, "Besides, I've already paid for everything. "

"Please don't tell me this cost a lot. You know how I feel about money." Ava told her as she too finished her ice cream.

"Babe, this is your day. It doesn't matter."

"You are so stubborn. Lets go."

Ava and Coralie exited Chilly Scoop and continued down the street. They were going dress shopping. Coralie said the birthday girl should be wearing something everyone would be jealous of. Of course for Ava that was ridiculous. She was fine with a simple dress that she already had. But Cora insisted, being the fashion queen she is. So they set out to Ms. Daisy's Dresses, the towns thrift store. It was a lot more than just a thrift store. Not only could you donate your clothes, the money earned went to a charity. Ms. Daisy was the sweetest old lady around. She was only five feet tall with long red hair with streaks of silver from age. She always wore it twisted up with one of those big teeth clips. She came to all the town events, graduation parties, and school plays. Even after her husband of 52 years died. She always came with a smile on her face.

Ava praised her for that. To loose someone so dear to you and still be the same person was a hard thing. She was one of the strongest woman she had even had the pleasure of meeting. Coralie and Ava walking into the shop, a tiny bell ringing as they entered.

"Hello dearies! Can I help you today?" Ms. Daisy greeted them.

"Hi Ms. Daisy. We are in need of a hot dress for Ava's eighteenth birthday party."

"I knew you two would be coming. So I've set aside some choices for you. Follow me."

They followed the elder woman into the back of the shop, where the dressing rooms were. To be honest, the shop was a little creepy. It had deep red walls, which had pictures and other trinkets handing on them. The ceiling had black tulle scarfs hanging down just slightly. Racks of clothes positioned in all the right places. At the cash register hung earrings and necklaces. It smelt like old lady perfume. It was sort of like a voodoo shop yet it wasn't.

"Ms. Daisy, you are the best." Ava thanked the woman for setting dresses aside. Now she just had to try them on and her and Cora had to agree on one. After about 45 minutes of trying on dresses the girls were about to give up. They had found a dress for Cora that wasn't right for Ava, but no luck for the birthday girl. That was until Ms. Daisy came out with the last dress. It was perfect. An all white dress with a lace over lay, a corset waist and upper bust, and it was the perfect length just stopping a few inches above her knees.

"That's the dress. You look like a lovely young lady." Ms. Daisy smiled.

"Thank you so much. It's perfect." Ava said, admiring herself in the mirror. Who knew she could look so hot?

"Who knew you could look so hot?!" Coralie spoke, reading Ava's mind.

"Me," Zarin spoke, leaning against a rack of clothes. "I knew she could look hot."

Ava rolled her eyes and closed the velvet curtain closed. She took off the dress and put on her clothes. Exiting the dressing room, she was hoping that Zarin had left, but there stood the man. He was talking to Ms. Daisy about god knows what. Ava sighed. She didn't want to deal with him today. She didn't want to deal with him forever. She would be completely content with her life if she never had to confront the boy. "You have to talk to him sooner or later."

"Well, I'll choose later." she replied to Coralie as they walked to the counter to pay for the dress. "Now don't you forget, the party is this Saturday. I sent you an invitation didn't I?"

"Yes love. I will be there." Ms. Daisy replied, waving goodbye as they left the store.

The three of them walked in silence, heading back to Chilly Scoop where Coralie's car was parked. It was extremely awkward. None of them wanted to be the first one to talk. None of them dared to make the mistake of ruining the silence. It was precious; like a small child sitting in front of the flaming birthday cake. If one of them spoke it could be like a knife. Cutting one of them up, maybe even all three. What were they going to do?

They arrived at Cora's navy blue jeep. Cora got into the drivers side as Ava and Zarin went around to the passengers side. As Ava opened the door, Zarin closed it.

"I need you." he whispered. He looked ill, heavy bags under his eyes.

"You need to heal." He didn't need Ava. He needed to fix the hole that was inside of him. She got into the car and they drove away.