Page 73 of Tailwhip
Oh yeah, I pushed that to the back of my mind. “Oh! That would be so fun. I have never been to any other type of competition besides snowboarding.” Cora says.
Neha can see my reluctance in going to that, but maybe that would be a good excuse to “run” into Anthony. “Yeah, we can all do that. Besides, Mateo did tell me about it and I don’t want to miss one of his first big riding events!”
We all agree that we will meet back up in San Francisco at the start of June.
After sitting in the hot tub for a few, we head inside for some dinner and sit in the living room in front of the fire and talk about anything and everything. Nothing has really been off limits.
“So, Ashlynn, what happened with you and Avan?” Neha finally asks., I was wondering when that would come out since she is drinking wine.
“I am certain Cora doesn’t want to know what happened between her brother and me.”
Neha and Cora give each other a look when Cora says, “We know what happened, we kind of heard some of it and then left the house for a drive.”
I drop my face in my hands, and I can feel how red I am getting. “Well, okay then. We slept together. We told each other it would be only that one night together.”
Neha looks puzzled at this. “So, he was okay with just a one-night thing and that’s it? Wait, did you and Avan not do that in high school? I always thought Anthony was yours first, but if Avan was there first…”
I shake my head at Neha, “Avan was my boyfriend before Anthony, but he would not have sex with me until I was 18, he didn’t want to because of our age gap. To answer your question, Anthony was my first.”
She looks satisfied with that response.
After we finish up a second bottle of wine, we end up making some hot chocolate and Kahlua. I bring it back out to the girls, when I walk in on Neha telling Cora, “Ask her yourself about him.”
I look over at Cora, “Ask me what?”
She tilts her head back and sighs. “I sound like the worst friend, but what is Anthony like? I’ve seen a few pictures from high school, but I am sure he has changed.”
A bit confused by her question, I ask. “What do you mean, what is he like?”
Throwing her hands up, she says, “Looks, how does he treat you, everything. I want to know what makes you so crazy for him.”
This is going to be tricky; should I tell them now about what he did in the hotel room, then try to focus on all the good that outweighs the bad? I close my eyes and take a deep breath and tell them everything from the accident to the police station. I don’t think both of their eyes could get any wider once I am done. That’s also when I realize I didn’t shed a single tear while telling them all of this. I felt okay recalling it all.
“I am going to kick his ass next time I see him.” Neha says.
“I don’t even really know what to say.” Cora says next.
“It’s okay, you guys; I’m not even upset about it anymore. I forgive him.”
“You forgive him, just like that?” Neha snaps her fingers when she says this.
“Yes, Neha, just like that. He has so much good in him that it outweighs the bad and what he said and did. Yeah, in ways it does hurt still thinking about what he said, but I want him back and I am going to get him back. At least I want to try!”
Cora starts to bite on her bottom lip, really thinking before she speaks. “I think if that’s how you feel, then he must be worth it for you to want him back.” I look over at Cora and just give her a small smile. “Okay, now that we know you want him back, tell me what he looks like now and how he treats you. Don’t you dare leave anything out,” Cora says.
I let out a small laugh because talking about Anthony Ville is one of my favorite things to talk about. His ears are probably burning from this conversation! “We need refills for this, Cora, because the things he does for Ashlynn and how he treats her are going to make you swoon, like it gets me to swoon when she tells me sweet things he does.”
I get up and go make more drinks for all of us and once back in the front room, I sit down and get comfortable.
I start with how he treats me, telling Cora and Neha (even though she has seen it firsthand) “When we are together, he gives me all his attention, like whatever I have to say is the most interesting thing in the world and he only wants to hear my voice. We can be in a room full of people, and he makes it feel like we are the only ones in that room, because he gives me all of him.” I smile while thinking of everything. “It’s so hard to put everything into the right words, because it could never be good enough to describe how he treats me. He doesn’t care who is around, he is not afraid to show affection. He is always holding my hand, has his arm around me whether it’s my shoulder or my waist; it’s like he has to always make sure he is touching me. Every morning, when we have been together, he always pulls me into his body and kisses me awake, whispering ‘Good Morning’ to me.” I have to stop for a minute because I start to get choked up a bit, because–dammit–I miss those mornings. I look over at both Cora and Neha, and each of them has tears in their eyes. “I didn’t mean to make you all cry as well.” We all start laughing at how ridiculous we all are right now. If I cry, it’s one thing, but I am making them cry as well.
“How is it you were able to find not one, but two guys who are so sweet with you?” Neha asks. I just shrug my shoulders with a smile because I did get lucky.
I continue with Anthony’s looks, “I don’t even know where to start on the looks department. Cora he is just...”
“Gorgeous!” Neha says.
“Yeah, gorgeous. He has hazel eyes, dark brown hair, and olive complexion. His smile is enough to make me go weak, dammit. He has this crooked smile that I just melt with. He’s muscular, and I don’t just mean from riding, but he spends time in the gym. Any movement he does it’s like all his muscles just automatically flex with it. He has both arms sleeves tattooed. I don’t know what else to say really, but look at him.”