Status: Currently updating biweekly/monthly! :)
How To Ruin A Friendship
Introduction
June 2012.
8 months earlier..
The clock ticked 5pm, and Ava was ready to clock out. She took off her apron and waved goodbye to her coworkers. Just as she turned her attention to the door, she saw a man standing between the frames.
Her lips twitched slightly, her body still getting butterflies at the simple sight of him.
"My love," James van Riemsdyk walked towards her confidently, and pulled her into a warm hug.
"Hey," she murmured into his chest, knowing her coworkers were watching, and always asked her about her charming boyfriend. She sensed some nervousness from him. "What are you doing here?"
He pulled back and sighed. He pulled her hand and gently kissed it. James thought about the ring he'd bought, and why he hadn't proposed yet, and was now overwhelmed with what his agent had just informed him of.
"I have some news."
She looked at him with worry.
James looked around the coffee shop. "Can we talk somewhere else? Can we go to my place?"
"Yes," she replied. She grabbed her keys and purse. She had driven on her own to work, so she followed behind him on the road.
When they both arrived into the driveway, and sat down in the living room, Ava spoke first.
"What's going on, baby?" she sat next to him.
"I got traded today," he said, putting his hand on her thigh.
She was quiet for a few seconds. "Where?"
"Toronto."
"Oh."
He touched her cheek softly. She looked down.
"What's wrong?" he asked her, suddenly all of his worries creeping before him.
She swallowed a lump in her throat. "You know I got that job offer.. in Jersey."
"I know," he nodded quickly. "I know. But you can work in Toronto, we can have a new life there. It's Canada, you can be--"
She stood up and put her hands on her hips, walking in front of the T.V.
"Ava," James sighed. "I don't.. understand. Do you not want to be with me, long term?"
She shuttered at his question. She was twenty-five, but hadn't finished school yet. She loved him, but asking to move to a new city--country, was a big ask. She hadn't known anything outside of Philadelphia. She was still in med-school. She was offered work at the general hospital in the next year. It was a big first step in her professional career.
"Ava," he repeated, standing up also, his black tie handing down his white dress shirt. "You can work there. They would take you right away. I know this is sudden. You can transfer universities--"
"I think you should go," she whispered. "Without me."
He felt sick to his stomach instantly. Her back was turned to him, and he did not want to show how upset he really was. When he saw she was about to look back, he turned the other way, and walked a few steps to the kitchen.
There was silence in the house for several minutes.
Ava grabbed her purse and wiped at the silent tears. "I'm going to leave, now."
He swallowed a lump in his throat, his eyes turning red, tears threatening to come out. He did not face her. He was both angry and heartbroken. He heard the front door open.
"Good luck, James. I'll always be cheering for you."
---
8 months earlier..
The clock ticked 5pm, and Ava was ready to clock out. She took off her apron and waved goodbye to her coworkers. Just as she turned her attention to the door, she saw a man standing between the frames.
Her lips twitched slightly, her body still getting butterflies at the simple sight of him.
"My love," James van Riemsdyk walked towards her confidently, and pulled her into a warm hug.
"Hey," she murmured into his chest, knowing her coworkers were watching, and always asked her about her charming boyfriend. She sensed some nervousness from him. "What are you doing here?"
He pulled back and sighed. He pulled her hand and gently kissed it. James thought about the ring he'd bought, and why he hadn't proposed yet, and was now overwhelmed with what his agent had just informed him of.
"I have some news."
She looked at him with worry.
James looked around the coffee shop. "Can we talk somewhere else? Can we go to my place?"
"Yes," she replied. She grabbed her keys and purse. She had driven on her own to work, so she followed behind him on the road.
When they both arrived into the driveway, and sat down in the living room, Ava spoke first.
"What's going on, baby?" she sat next to him.
"I got traded today," he said, putting his hand on her thigh.
She was quiet for a few seconds. "Where?"
"Toronto."
"Oh."
He touched her cheek softly. She looked down.
"What's wrong?" he asked her, suddenly all of his worries creeping before him.
She swallowed a lump in her throat. "You know I got that job offer.. in Jersey."
"I know," he nodded quickly. "I know. But you can work in Toronto, we can have a new life there. It's Canada, you can be--"
She stood up and put her hands on her hips, walking in front of the T.V.
"Ava," James sighed. "I don't.. understand. Do you not want to be with me, long term?"
She shuttered at his question. She was twenty-five, but hadn't finished school yet. She loved him, but asking to move to a new city--country, was a big ask. She hadn't known anything outside of Philadelphia. She was still in med-school. She was offered work at the general hospital in the next year. It was a big first step in her professional career.
"Ava," he repeated, standing up also, his black tie handing down his white dress shirt. "You can work there. They would take you right away. I know this is sudden. You can transfer universities--"
"I think you should go," she whispered. "Without me."
He felt sick to his stomach instantly. Her back was turned to him, and he did not want to show how upset he really was. When he saw she was about to look back, he turned the other way, and walked a few steps to the kitchen.
There was silence in the house for several minutes.
Ava grabbed her purse and wiped at the silent tears. "I'm going to leave, now."
He swallowed a lump in his throat, his eyes turning red, tears threatening to come out. He did not face her. He was both angry and heartbroken. He heard the front door open.
"Good luck, James. I'll always be cheering for you."
---
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Hey guys :) To those of you that loved Inevitable and want to see what this new version is about, welcome back. To my new readers, hello and I hope you stick around!Not too much is changing with the plot, just adding on some more drama ;) I have re-written most parts though. And Matt Frattin is not one of the main characters anymore, he is still going to be in it, but playing a different role.
Inevitable readers: This chapter I changed Claire's name to Ava. It is just to explain how she and JvR knew each other, because it wasn't as clear and as well described in my other story.