Page 75 of Tailwhip

Anthony: 6 unread messages

Cora is waiting for me to say something when she ends up asking, “So, how many do you have?”

I look up at her. “Six unread messages.”

She smiles at me. “I obviously don’t have a clue what they say, but if I gathered anything about Anthony this past week from what you have told us, they are probably remorseful and heartfelt. I’ll leave you alone while you read them.” She gets up to leave, but stops at the door. “Didn’t you tell him to not contact you?” I look up at her with a smile. As she leaves, Cora says, “I bet you’re glad he didn’t listen!”

43

Ashlynn

Silver Bullet (Acoustic) – Hawthorne Heights

I have been staring at my phone since Cora left and closed the door behind her. Six unread messages just wait to be opened and read. I don’t know what I am waiting for. A part of me really thought that was it in the hotel, when he said he was done with us, but this proves what I have known. He didn’t mean anything he said to me that night. It was the guilt talking, and he just pushed me away, instead of figuring the situation out together. I take a deep breath and click on his name, and they all appear on my screen. I scroll to the top one: New Year’s Day, right at midnight.

Ok, that was rude! I say out loud.

After the second message, the tears start slowly falling down my cheeks. I wipe them away. He admitted he ruined us and then proceeded to say he won’t text me again when I still have four additional messages to read.

I lay my phone down on the bed and just lose all control of my emotions with that last one. I don’t know if I can read the other three if they are like that. I can feel his remorse and his hurt with that one message, as if he is next to me confessing all of this. I wipe my eyes and blink a few times to try clearing my vision. I grab a tissue from the bathroom and go back to read the remaining ones.

I let out a shaky breath, shut my screen off, set my phone down, shut the lights off, and lay down. Just when I thought I knew Anthony, he throws a curveball with the last message, saying he loved me, and that I am his forever. That’s something he has told me since high school. Then the song lyrics to Silver Bullet by Hawthorne Heights. I turn my phone back on and play the acoustic version of it; that one has always been my favorite. Laying with my eyes closed, feeling the tears still rolling down my face, I say out loud, “I love you and I want us back, too!”

I fall asleep, no doubt from the emotions I was having after reading his messages and reading about how he feels. I can feel him tighten his arms around me, moving his left hand to caress my arm lightly, and leaving goosebumps all over me. I feel him start to kiss my neck and my shoulders, and finally I am looking into hazel eyes, as he captures my lips in a slow and passion filled kiss. I moan into his mouth while he moves between my legs. I can feel how hard he is as he rubs himself against me, which has me moving my hips up to feel more of him. He pulls his head back, looking down at me, and he says, “I just want to kiss you and make up for lost time, baby.”

I gently bite his bottom lip and pull him closer, but we're soon interrupted by knocking at the door. I glance at the door and then back to Anthony, but he's disappeared. The knocking continues and I wake up. It was all a dream, but I swear I can still feel his kiss on my lips, as I trace them with my fingers. I feel almost guilty having a dream about him in Avan’s bed, but that is short-lived because that’s the closest I have been to him since I left the hotel back in November–even though it was only a dream.

Getting up out of bed to get ready for the day to travel back home, I finish getting dressed, throw my hair up in a messy bun, and forgo my makeup, wearing my glasses for the day. Heading into the kitchen for some coffee, Cora is standing at the counter pouring herself a cup. “Hey! Would you like some coffee?” she asks me.

“Yes, I would. Thanks.”

I give her a small smile after she pours some into my mug. We both sit down at the island. I can feel her looking at me. “I read them all Cor. He wants me back.”

Her face lights up with a big smile and the same dimples that Avan has. “Ash, that’s great. I am glad you read them. Now, what are you going to do?”

I just shake my head because I don’t know where to go from here. Do I go to Greenville? Or wait until we will be in Santa Cruz? I am both happy and confused. Right then, Neha comes into the kitchen and pours herself some coffee. She looks over at me and she can tell by the way I look and my puffy eyes, that I didn’t get much sleep.

“Ash, what’s wrong? Have you been crying?” I open my phone to the messages and set it down on the island for both her and Cora to read. I walk away and stand at the windows looking out at the mountains while they read what Anthony wrote. All I hear is Neha, saying, “Holy shit!”

Then Cora, with a shaky breath, says, “Oh my god, Ashlynn. This may not be appropriate, but I think Anthony just made me swoon!” We all start laughing at Cora for her comment. “Isn’t it so strange to think you both are so far apart, but are having the same feelings? I would call that kismet for sure.” Cora says, and Neha nods her head in agreement.

After we drink our coffees, we packed up and headed down the mountain to stop for a quick breakfast and to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Hendrix; then we’re off to the airport to head back home.

I have been quiet all morning, just processing the thought of Anthony and me again. Maybe this time will truly be our second run. Lost in thought, I catch the last end of Neha’s question. “I’m sorry, Neha, what did you say?”

She rolls her eyes at me. “First, stop processing so hard. He wants you back; you don’t need to think about it anymore than that. Second, you have to be honest about this one. Who is better in the bedroom, Anthony or Avan?”

I let out a laugh at Neha; she seriously just asked me who is better in bed. “You really want to know?” She looks at me like duh, that’s why she asked. “Avan was good, but nothing compares to Anthony Ville in bed.”

Neha smirks at me, “I knew it, but I just had to ask. Who is bigger?”

I cover my face, and when I move my hands to look at Neha, I notice an older lady giving us a nasty look at our plane conversation. She just shakes her head at us. I lean into Neha. “I think you disgusted your neighbor; also, I am not answering your question. You do not need to know either of their sizes.”

She crosses her arms, “FINE!” I put my earbuds in and turn my music on as the plane takes off.

I am being shaken awake, and we have landed. I must have passed out on the plane ride; it was a deep, dreamless sleep. Which is kind of disappointing if I am being honest. I wouldn’t mind picking up where my dream left off. Neha and I gather our luggage to head outside. Heath is parked waiting for us right in front of the arrivals area. As soon as he sees us, he jumps out of his car to throw our luggage in the back. He gives us both a hug and then we are off back home to Frisco.

I love the feeling of being back home after being gone, even if it is just for a few nights or a week. It always feels good to be back in your own home. I can tell Heath has hung out at my house a few times while we were gone. As soon as we step through the front door, the smell of a cinnamon candle hit my senses. “How was the trip? You guys have fun?” Heath asks both Neha and me.