Chapter 30
Chapter thirty
She lay there dazed, her body still humming with the aftershocks of what had just happened.
Naked and still spread against the bed, she closed her eyes at the memory.
The way his biceps flexed as he lifted her to his feasting mouth.
His deep groans of satisfaction. Or his eyes.
Ebony turned over into the covers and screamed.
Dear God, his eyes. Those electric blue eyes just staring up at her as his tongue tortured her so.
The silence in the room felt heavy. Gavin’s words circled in her head, a loop she couldn’t break: little coward…make a choice.
Her hand fumbled for her phone, her fingers clumsy until she found it somewhere in the covers. She pressed Jade’s number, desperate for her best friend’s voice. She would be the only person who could understand.
The call went straight to voicemail. Her heart dropped.
Frustration burned the back of her eyes. For a moment she stared at the blank screen, thumb hovering, pulse thrashing in her throat. If Jade wasn’t there, then she needed someone else.
She tapped Beryl’s name and started typing.
Me: Do you think I'm being stupid.
Beryl: …
Beryl: Well, you can't be talking about literally since you and that knucklehead were both in the running for Valedictorian. So that means you must be talking about…Gavin?
She held her breath before replying.
Me: Yes.
Beryl's text came in rapid fire, one after the other.
Beryl: Oh my god, is this actually happening? Are you…hold on one fucking second.
Within seconds a group chat was formed between her, Beryl, and Taylor.
Taylor: Ebony!! Holy shit, what's happening?
She could almost imagine his voice out of breath as he typed.
Me: @Beryl I should not have texted you.
Taylor: No wait please. Just talk to us.
Beryl: Yes, just say what you were going to say. Please.
Ebony bit her lip; she wasn’t sure if she had ever heard Beryl say please. Hesitantly she typed a reply.
Me: I…I know I shouldn’t but I think I'm in love with Gavin.
And he loved her too, she added deep in her heart.
Taylor: Oh thank God! I've waited for you to say that for years.
Me: What?! Years?
Beryl: That's not the point. The point is that you finally realized how you feel and I'm just guessing Gavin has told you how he feels, right?
"Yes," Ebony said aloud, staring at the screen, before typing the word, her voice sounding small even to her.
Beryl: Then what is the issue?
Me: What do you mean what is the issue? What would people think? What would my parents even-
She didn’t get to finish typing it all before Taylor replied.
Taylor: Ebbs, your parents already know Gavin is in love with you.
Beryl: And the whole town.
Ebony could imagine Beryl's dry voice saying that.
Taylor: Just call them. I promise you'll see I'm right.
So many thoughts were running through her head. Her parents would not approve! And why did they think they would? How did the whole town know when she practically just found out? But one question, albeit a random one, stuck out from the rest.
Me: If you knew this, why didn’t you tell me?
Taylor: And risk Gavin killing me in my sleep? Sorry no thanks. And besides, no one including Gavin ever wanted to say anything. We all just wanted to know how you felt. Because if you didn’t love him in return what good would it have done.
Ebony didn’t reply back; she got up and got dressed. She needed to move, to go out, to do something other than sit here on this bed where Gavin had just shattered her entire world moments ago.
Opening her door, she stopped at the sight of his closed door. Since they had come back from the trip he hadn't shut his door. An ache formed in her chest followed by the unbearable need to open it and see him. Her hand was reaching for the door knob when she stopped.
"Will I spend my life at your side, or walk away to save what’s left of me? Because I’m done pretending."
His words rang in her head.
No, he was right. She had to stop lying to him and to herself. What he wanted was written all over him, and hers—was clawing just underneath her skin.
Tiptoeing down the hall, she went downstairs and out the back door. Within seconds Duke was bounding at her side ready to go on whatever adventure she was. It didn’t matter that it was late, he was ready.
Walking down the path past the pool and basketball court she made it to the gazebo. The dark red roses smothered the round structure. Stepping inside, she sat on the bench and inhaled the cool night air.
There was so much inside of her it felt as if she was bursting at the seams. Anxiety whirled and spun in her gut, growing bigger by the second with thoughts of doubt and fear.
Tipping her head back over the bench, Ebony stared out into the sky.
There was one emotion that stuck out, though.
One that shone golden and bright like a beacon in a storm.
She loved Gavin and Gavin loved her. Not just the love she was used to but the unwavering kind that made her soul sing with happiness. It was like a secret dream coming true. Now the only thing standing in the way of it was her of all people.
Sitting up straight, she didn’t give herself a chance to second guess herself; she dialed the number.
It rang twice before the voice she was expecting answered.
"Darling?! What's wrong?" The worry in her father's voice made her frown.
What…
Sensing her confusion he continued. "I'm assuming you accidentally called your mother and meant to call me. What is it, sweetheart?"
If this were any other time, she would've laughed. Especially since she could hear her mother's sharp tone saying something to him.
Ebony shook her head. "No…it wasn’t a mistake. I really did want to talk to mom."
She bit her lip at the soft almost vulnerable sound of her voice. That would only make him less likely to give up the phone.
Grant's voice became serious. "Sweetheart, if something is wrong you can just-"
"Grant," the cool sound of her mother's edged voice hushed him and she heard a rustle before her mother came on the line. "Hello, darling."
"Hi, momma. Can I talk to you…in private?" she added.
Ebony told herself if she was going to do this she would much rather talk to her mother. Disappointment or anger, while they would still gut her, she could handle from her mother, but never from her father. Ever.
In the background she heard her father saying something but she heard a door shut and her mother sigh. "Just so you know he may cry for being left out." There was no sympathy in her mother's tone.
"Umm…" Now her heart was beating like crazy. She was glad she was seated or she would've passed out.
Just how the hell was she supposed to say this? Hey mom, you know Gavin, my brother, right? Well guess what?
Ebony felt sick. "I…umm…"
She couldn't do it. She couldn’t make herself say the words. Maybe she could just text her or-
Whitney’s voice was so soft Ebony almost doubted it was her mother. "Is this about Gavin?"
Ebony's fist clenched into her shorts. "Yes."
Whitney didn’t say anything for several seconds and Ebony was sure some of her soul left her body.
"Do you remember when Grant nearly sent Gavin up to that all boys boarding school he and his brothers attended growing up?"
Ebony blinked. That was a long time ago but it was still a memory she could never forget.
It was around the time when their parents first got married.
Gavin had been acting out at school and at home.
He was like a demon child, unpredictable and angry.
Ebony could vividly remember his father looking as if he was going to kill him.
"Yeah," she answered.
"Grant had told him he had one last chance and one more tantrum, or fight at school, fight with you, or anything he was going to that academy.
But I figured I would have my own conversation with Gavin as well.
While you were outside playing, I called him to me and sat him down.
I simply told him that he could do what he was told and keep his life here in his house and we can live together as one family or he could get himself sent away… and you as well."
Ebony didn’t say anything. She wasn’t shocked by the news.
She had overheard her mom talking with Grant about the all-girls academy next door to the boys’ school.
A child-free life with her rich and powerful husband, that would be very on-brand for her mother.
What had shocked her was Whitney never acted on it.
"I still remember the look on Gavin's face when I said that. The threat of the academy was not something new, it was a threat Grant had thrown around before. But what Gavin didn’t expect was the very real threat to you.
Ebony darling he has loved you for a very long time.
I've watched it grow from a friendship into the…
slightly unhealthy obsession it is now. I'm quite positive you two would never be happy apart.
I love you darling and if I've never taught you anything, I have taught you to go after what you want in life.”