Between the Lines.

Title: Two Girls in the City
Chapter: Ten
A/N: Time for the sadface.

Chapter Ten


“Ava.”

Josh caught Ava’s arm as she passed him in the hallway, and she spun around and stumbled back to him.

“Josh.”

“You seem like you’re in a hurry. Do you have a minute?”

Ava glanced down the hallway to Elin’s dressing room, which was hers for the next two nights, then shrugged.

“I was, kind of. There was a tear in my first costume, but they’re supposed to be fixing it. I’m supposed to try it on before the show. But I can spare some time for you.”

“Thanks. I’ll just take a minute of your time.”

Ava followed Josh into his dressing room, raising her eyebrow as he shut the door behind her.

“Well,” she said, perching on the arm of the couch, “I may be able to let you have more than a minute. What’s up?”

Josh put his hands on his hips, then dropped them to his sides. He smoothed the front of his jeans, then cuffed his shirt sleeves. Ava had never seen him so nervous.

“Josh?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”

Josh pulled over the chair that was in front of his vanity and sat on it backwards, leaning over the back of it towards Ava.

“Your friend Lucy is dating Isaak, right?”

“Right,” confirmed Ava. “But if you’ve decided that you don’t want Rebecca anymore, I’m sure Lucy would consider –”

“Rebecca and I have broken up,” said Josh shortly. “But that isn’t the point.”

“What is the point?” asked Ava curiously, tilting her head to one side. She skillfully kept her pleasure over the news about Rebecca hidden; she wanted to know what Josh had to say about Lucy. He was probably in love with Lucy. It seemed like everybody was falling for her these days.

“I just-” began Josh.

“Josh,” scolded Ava. “Tell me. Whatever it is, just blurt it out, or I may throttle you.”

Josh leaned even closer to Ava and spoke quickly. “I saw Isaak at a club last night, and he was with a woman who I don’t think was Lucy.”

“It wasn’t Lucy,” confirmed Ava. “Lucy was out with me.”

“Right. So, he was with another woman.”

Ava blinked in confusion. “All right. He has other female friends. I’m sure it was nothing.”

Josh reached out and took Ava’s hand gently.

“A, I don’t think you understand. He and this other woman weren’t being friendly. They were making out.”

Ava blinked rapidly. “Oh.”

Josh squeezed Ava’s fingers, and she shook her head slightly.

“Well, maybe they were just having a quick hook up.”

“I don’t think so. They left together and got into a cab.”

Ava looked up at Josh pleadingly.

“Josh,” she said softly.

“I know, A. I didn’t want to tell you, but it’s not the first time I’ve seen him doing this. How long have he and Lucy been dating?”

“A few weeks?” said Ava vaguely, swiping her hair back from her face in her distress. “I’m not too clear on when it started. Lucy and I, um, didn’t talk much for a while.”

“Over the past two weeks, I’ve seen him out with other women three times, including last night.”

“No,” said Ava.

“Yes,” said Josh gently.

Ava fell off of the couch arm and landed on the cushions, pulling her legs up to her chest. Josh immediately stood and went to her, smoothing her hair down soothingly.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he whispered.

“It’s not your fault,” murmured Ava, staring at the wall. “I suspected it myself; I just hoped my suspicions were wrong. Normally I’m totally off about people.”

“Well, it looks like you were right about Isaak.”

Ava chewed the corner of her lip. “But what do I tell Lucy?”

“The truth?”

Ava frowned at Josh, and he squeezed her shoulder.

“You can do it, Ava. It will hurt her, but she needs to know.”

“I know,” said Ava dejectedly. How would she tell Lucy that the man that she was dating, who was one of Ava’s close friends, wasn’t being faithful to her? What if Lucy got mad at her?

“I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you,” offered Josh.

Ava stood up and edged to the door, looking a little bit lost.

“Thank you for telling me, though. I, um, should go.”

“Yeah, your dress fitting,” said Josh.

Ava reached for the door, and Josh stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

“You can do it, A,” Josh assured her.

Ava rested her head on Josh’s chest for a second and let him support the burden he had given her. When he released her, she backed into the hall and lifted her hand to wave goodbye.

“Thank you again for telling me,” she said softly. Then she turned around and disappeared down the corridor as if the past five minutes hadn’t happened.

*/*/*

The apartment was dark and quiet, and the first word that came to Ava’s mind was “foreboding.” The light was off in Lucy’s room, and her door was partially open. Ava peeked her head in and saw the lump in the middle of the bed that she knew was Lucy’s body.

“I can’t,” whispered Ava to herself, backing away from the doorway. Lucy was sleeping so peacefully. Maybe she could wait until tomorrow to tell her. Maybe she wouldn’t tell her at all; she would just allow Lucy to remain blissfully ignorant. After all, what she didn’t know couldn’t hurt her, right?

Ava sighed and dropped her shoulder bag to the ground. She toed off her shoes and left them in the hallway, too, then pushed her way into Lucy’s room.

How to tell her?

Lucy’s bed looked warm and inviting, so Ava pulled back the covers and slid in. Lucy sensed the change, her nose wrinkling in her sleep, and she shifted slightly.

“If you wanna rob me, the jewels are in the safe,” she murmured from underneath her pile of hair.

“I only want to steal your happiness,” muttered Ava, stealing the pillow from on top of Lucy’s head.

“Ava?” asked Lucy, cracking one eye open. “You’re home? In my bed?”

Ava managed to smile, and Lucy opened her arms, grabbing Ava and pulling her closer.

“You’re cold,” announced Lucy. “Come warm up. And I approve of this top. I’ve missed your cleavage.”

“Lucy,” said Ava gently, easing away, “This isn’t funny.”

“You don’t want to snuggle?” asked Lucy confusedly. “Oh! Do you want to change into your pajamas first? Because I’ll wait here.”

“No, actually, I –”

Lucy froze. “Ava, what’s wrong? Did something happen? Are you hurt? Did somebody die? Did you mess up again?” Her voice sounded too alert for somebody who had been sleeping a minute before, and Ava felt the guiltiness seep into her bones.

“No,” said Ava, hugging the pillow to her chest.

Lucy sat up.

“Ava Blythe Doyle, spill or I’ll use Ticklefingers on you.”

“Please, Lucy, this isn’t funny,” protested Ava.

“So tell me!” exclaimed Lucy.

Ava reached for Lucy and pulled her until they were lying side by side. She wrapped her arms around Lucy’s waist and rested her chin on Lucy’s shoulder.

“Josh told me about something he saw last night, and um, it has to do with you.”

“Oh, really? But I was with you last night.”

Ava took a deep breath and tensed by reflex.

“Yeah, you were, but Isaak wasn’t.”

“I know. It was the first night all week that I hadn’t spent with him. I think we needed some time away from each other. Things were moving too fast.”

Ava turned her head, burying her face in Lucy’s shoulder, and Lucy gasped.

“Oh my god. Oh my god, Ava, is Isaak all right? Is he hurt?”

“No, no, he’s fine,” said Ava quickly. “Well, physically. Lucy, I have something to tell you, but I want you to know beforehand that I don’t want to. I believe that knowledge is power, though, and so . . .”

“Ava,” said Lucy sharply.

“Josh saw Isaak at a club last night and he was making out with a girl who he later left with,” said Ava rapidly.

Lucy was silent, and Ava lifted her head. When she saw Lucy’s blank face, she was more worried than she would have been if Lucy had thrown things or cried.

“Lucy, say something,” encouraged Ava.

“Okay,” said Lucy, blinking. “So Isaak was hooking up with another girl. According to Josh. But how did Josh know? I mean, why was he even looking? Why did he care? And he could have been wrong. They probably didn’t even go anywhere together. Isaak was probably just drunk. They left, parted ways, and Isaak went home to vomit alone.”

Ava shook her head, and Lucy pounced.

“What? Why are you shaking your head, Ava? What does this mean?”

“He saw Isaak out with other girls more than once. He saw Isaak leaving with other girls, getting into taxis with them.”

“No,” said Lucy.

“I’m afraid so,” said Ava.

“Then it’s over between me and him,” said Lucy flatly.

“Lucy-” began Ava.

Lucy held up one hand.

“Please, Ava, let’s just go to sleep, okay?”

“But you’re upset!”

“I’ll still be upset in the morning. Let’s just sleep now. I need time to process things.”

Ava nodded rapidly, her eyes filling with tears. She wished that Lucy would cry, or scream, or do something. But Lucy was stoic, so Ava reached out and caressed her cheek.

“Do you want me to leave?”

Lucy shook her head rapidly. “No. No, stay here. I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

“I’m sorry, Luce,” whispered Ava as she turned into Lucy’s body and splayed her hands across Lucy’s back, holding her as tightly as she could.

“It’s okay, Ava. I’ll be okay. Just sleep.”

Lucy stroked Ava’s hair until she heard Ava’s breathing even. Ava moved restlessly as she slept. Lucy didn’t sleep. Lucy didn’t move. She just listened to her heart beat and wondered if all of Manhattan could hear it breaking.

*/*/*

Lucy carefully uncurled Ava’s fingers from where they were clasped around her waist. She eased out of Ava’s arms and dropped her feet over the side of the bed, standing up slowly so that the bed didn’t shift and wake Ava up. She knew that if she alerted Ava to what she was doing, Ava would be awake and asking her questions within seconds. But Lucy didn’t want that. She just wanted peace for a little while.

The tile of the bathroom floor was cool against Lucy’s feet, and she stood still for a moment, letting the sensation flow through her body. She pulled off her pajamas and let them pool onto the ground around her, then turned on the shower. She still hadn’t turned on the light.

When Lucy did finally turn on the light, it took all of her self-will to force herself to look into the mirror. She was surprised to see that, other than the darkness beneath her eyes that came with her lack of sleep, she looked the same as she had the night before. This was not the face of a woman who had been cheated on by her second boyfriend in a row. This was not the expression of a person who was about to dump said boyfriend.

Steam began to fill up the bathroom, and Lucy climbed into the shower, turning her face to the spray and letting it pelt her. She didn’t shampoo her hair or wash her body; she just stood there as the water flowed and flowed. It seared her skin, but she was glad for the pain. It gave her a reason for the tightening in her heart and the angry tears that slid down her cheeks.

The water gradually became cooler, but Lucy hardly noticed. She had slumped against the wall, and now she sat curled up on the floor of the tub, her fingers and toes pruny and covered in gooseflesh. It was the knocking on the door that jarred Lucy out of her thoughts, and she blinked rapidly, surprised to find herself staring at her razor.

“Lucy? Lucy, what are you doing?”

Ava’s voice sounded worried, and Lucy wondered what she had done to provoke that.

“Lucy, you’ve been in the shower for over an hour. What are you doing? Come out here!”

Lucy was too tired to form the words to reply to Ava. Let Ava worry. Lucy wasn’t doing anything. She wasn’t cutting herself; she wasn’t that far gone. She wasn’t beating her head against the tile wall or hanging from the showerhead. She was just sitting. Didn’t Ava understand?

Apparently not, because the doorknob twisted, and Lucy saw Ava’s shadow moving outside of the shower curtain. When had Ava gotten so skinny, or so small? She was as tiny as Lucy felt. Wasn’t it Lucy’s luck that her savior was too small to save her?

“Lucy, I’m coming in,” announced Ava, pulling back the shower curtain. Lucy turned her head away, staring at the wall, and Ava reached for the shower knob, turning off the water.

“Come on, sweetheart,” said Ava gently, grabbing a towel off of the rack and holding it out for Lucy. “Come on, it’s time to get out of the shower.”

When Lucy didn’t move, Ava bent down and wrapped her arms around Lucy’s slick hips, pulling her up to her feet. Lucy leaned forward, allowing Ava to support her weight, and obediently lifted her feet when Ava instructed. She wasn’t even embarrassed by her nudity, or by the way that she had soaked Ava’s clothes.

“I’m going to dry you off,” explained Ava, sitting Lucy on the toilet seat and toweling off her body. Then she wrapped Lucy in a towel and proceeded to brush and blow-dry her hair. That completed, she pulled Lucy up and walked her into the bedroom.

“I need to go to work,” said Lucy dully, standing next to the bed as Ava straightened the blankets and changed the pillowcase.

“No, you don’t,” contradicted Ava. “I’ll call Ryan and tell him that you’re ill. I think you just need a day to yourself.”

Lucy frowned and turned to her dresser, searching for her underwear.

“I’m going to work, Ava. It’s not like anything has happened yet. I’ll call Isaak later and tell him that we’re over. I’ll go on with my life. You don’t have to baby me. I can take care of myself.”

Ava froze where she was, the dirty pillowcase dangling from her fingertips.

“I – I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “I just thought you’d want some time to yourself, and you didn’t sleep last night. But if you want to work, go ahead. I’ll give you some space.”

Ava began to edge to the door, and Lucy lunged at her and grabbed her into a fierce hug. Ava stiffened, as if expecting Lucy to hit her, then relaxed into Lucy’s arms, rubbing her back gently.

“It’s okay, A. I’m not mad. I just want to work, you know? I can’t break it off with Isaak until I see him tonight, and there’s no point in moping around here and worrying you all day.”

“Okay,” agreed Ava, her words muffled by Lucy’s shoulder.

“Now look at you, still wearing your outfit from last night. It’s only 6 a.m.; you change and go to bed, and I’ll take a nap before I leave for work, okay? And tonight I promise to cry and let you hold me.”

Ava pulled back from Lucy and frowned. “I don’t want you to cry. I don’t want you to be hurt. But I guess that going to work will be good for you. Call me, though, if you need me?”

“I will,” said Lucy. “I promise. Now, let’s get you into your bed. Your stuffed animals told me that they missed you last night.”

Ava rolled her eyes.

“You are so ridiculous,” she muttered, obediently going to her room. She paused in her doorway, glancing back to Lucy’s room. “I mean it, Luce. Call me, and I’ll be down there in a jiff. I’m here for you.”

“You’d better be,” said Lucy as she dropped her towel and slid into bed. “You’re my tenant. I’ll evict you if you slack off.”

“Yeah, right,” called Ava as she pulled on her pajamas. “You can’t evict your best friend.”

Best friend, thought Lucy as she turned her head into the pillow. She was going to need her best friend in the days to come. She had a feeling that it was going to be an emotional break up.