Chapter Thirty-Eight: Your last Chance

My feet hit the floor in a continuous beat as I sprinted trying to catch up with Gavin. When I noticed his messy brown hair just a few feet away from me I called out his name, he turned around looking at me in confusion.

“Gavin!” I said, breathlessly as I slowed down trying to catch my breath.

“Ali?” He replied, confused.

“J-just give me a minute to catch my breath,” I huffed, grabbing Gavin’s arm for support as I tried to get my heart rate to go back to its normal beat.

“Wow,” He said, after a while. “You are seriously unfit.”

When I finally caught my breath I gave him a glare. “Excuse me, but I am fit.” I argued, “I have abs.”

“Where? Under your stomach fat?” Gavin asked, a smirk on his face.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re an asshole you know that?”

“Yeah, I am asshole that you are out of breath for.”

I breathed in deeply trying to stop the urge from strangling him. “I am out of breath because I might be a little out of shape…”

“So you admit it?”

I groaned, “Look, me being unfit is not the point.”

“Then what is the point?” He asked, his brown eyes narrowing.

“If you shut up and let me explain maybe I will tell you.” I spat, he kept quiet, staring at me with a blank look on his face. “I’m sorry, I know there is a chance you might never forgive me. But, at least I realize what I said was wrong.”

Gavin stared at me, looking at me thoughtfully. “Give me one good reason why I should accept it?”

“Because I am adorable and your best friend?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood. Gavin just stared at me, his expression of a blank look, didn’t change. I let out a sigh, “You should forgive me because I am not a heartless bitch.”

“You could’ve fooled me,” Gavin muttered, under his breath. I clenched my jaw ignoring him. I never expected him from all people to say that to my face, but I should’ve known. “If you are done with your pity apology, I will go. Because if you haven’t forgotten, I am mad at you.” Gavin spat.

“You don’t look that mad.”

Gavin’s expressionless face was quickly replaced with a scowl that seemed to be permanently etched onto his face. “Okay you are mad. Look, I get it. And I am sorry but I want to fix whatever this is.”

“Fine, you got one minute to say what you want,” He stated.

“What? That’s not fair!”

“Fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven…” He began counting down.

I raised my hands in surrender, “Okay! Okay! Look, as I mentioned before, I am sorry about what I said back in health class… You know that! I could apologize a million times, but I know that you don’t want to forgive me. Which I totally understand, but under all those scowls and scariness, you are a really great guy.”

“Forty-six, forty-five…”

I ran my hands through my hair, frustrated. “Look! Yes, I know what happened to your mother. I found an article that was dated five years ago, I knew from the start that I shouldn’t have pried but I had too! You are a closed book, all you ever do is push people away! Like what am I supposed to do?”

Gavin looked at me in shock, “Um… Ask? Like any normal person would have.”

“I did!” I yelled, “And I got the same response, nothing.”

“Well what the heck am I supposed to do?”

“Tell me!”

“It’s not that easy!” He argued, back.

“Why? I didn’t think it was so hard since all you ever are is cold hearted.” I shrieked, becoming furious with him.

Gavin raised his eyebrows at me, “Cold hearted? How the fuck am I cold hearted?”

“You called me a bitch!” I yelled.

“It is because you are one!” Gavin roared, his eyes narrowing at me.

I felt my face drop, as well as my heart. The first time he said it, I shrugged it off. Now it really began to sting, “Well I am sorry, that this bitch cared so much.” I muttered, turning around and beginning to walk away.

“Wait! Ali.” He yelled, calling out to me grabbing my arm and pulling me back to him. “I-I didn’t mean it like-"

I narrowed my eyes at him, “Like what, Gavin? You called me a bitch, so what? We all have opinions,” I said, ripping my arm out of his grip.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” He said, looking frustrated as he ran his hands through his brown hair. “Look, Ali. I was just frustrated I never meant to call you a bitch, it slipped out.”

“So it slipped out twice?” I spat, at him.

He shook his head, “No, Ali. Wait!” He called out, as I began to walk away.

Yes it was wrong for me to ask about his mother like that. But, I never meant for it to turn out like this and escalate this far.

“Ali,” Gavin whispered, into my ear. I felt his arms wrap around my waist from behind me as I froze from his touch. “Can we work this out? Please?” He asked, begging.

He slowly turned me around, as I faced him. I looked into his brown eyes as I saw it held regret, “Shit. Are you crying?” He asked, shocked.

“N-no,” I muttered, my fingers feeling my cheeks for the wetness of my tears. When I felt them, I knew I was crying but I didn’t mean to.

“If my mom was here and she found out I made a girl cry, I would be where she is now.” Gavin said, softly. As his thumb stroked away my tears.

“So your mother is really dead?” I asked, softly. I didn’t want him snapping at me once more.

He nodded his head sadly, as his eyes looked away from mines. I wiped all my tears away that were flowing down my cheeks as I grabbed the bottom of Gavin’s chin, making him look directly at me.

We stared at each other for a while before Gavin spoke, “Why didn’t you say I am sorry for your loss?”

“Because I’ve read enough cheesy romance books to know that you will reply back with it’s not your fault.”

A small chuckle escaped Gavin’s lips. “You are really something, Ali.”

I smiled, Gavin still had his arms wrapped around my waist but I made no movement to remove it. “D-do you want to talk about it?” I asked, hesitantly.

He shook his head, “No. It’s too long of a story.”

“I’ve got time.”

Gavin rolled his eyes, “I don’t. I have to pick up Garrett from school, it’s a fifteen minute walk. I would have gotten there sooner if that bastard Ben didn’t slash my tires.”

“You know about that?”

Gavin let out a snort, “I saw him leaving my driveway this morning.”

I chuckled, Ben isn’t the most careful or thought out guy out there. “Do you mind if I come with?”

Gavin nodded his head, “Sure. Garrett will be happy to see you.”

I smiled, “I will be pretty happy to see him too. He’s just so darn cute.”

“Just like someone else you know, right?”

I raised my eyebrows, “Sorry. Who are you referring to?”

Gavin scowled, “Ha-ha you are too funny!”

I kept quiet, this was the Gavin I liked. The Gavin who loved playing with his brother, the Gavin whose eyes lightened up whenever he talked about something he enjoyed, the Gavin who could make you laugh after you just got into a fight, the Gavin who could make you feel like your own the moon just by a simple touch. Because, believe it or not, I did have feelings for Gavin and I didn’t regret it one bit.

“So… Are we good?” I asked, looking at Gavin who was staring straight ahead.

He nodded his head, turning to me. “Yeah we are good.”

*

“After we picked up his brother he wanted to walk me home, but I refused and then he asked me if we I wanted to go out for ice cream or something, I wanted to say yes. But, I couldn’t cause-"

“Alice?” Holly called out, interrupting me.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think this is a good idea?” She asked, thoughtfully.

“Think what, is a good idea?”

“The whole you liking Gavin thing.” She replied.

I clutched the phone in my hand, speaking into it. “I never said I liked him.”

“You’ve been blabbering about him for the last ten minutes, anyone with a brain can see you like him.”

“Oh,” I muttered, not realizing I was rambling. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, but be careful okay?” Holly whispered, from the other end.

I nodded my head even though she couldn’t see me, “Okay. So how are you?” I questioned, changing the topic.

“Okay.” She said, “Dad moved out a week ago,” She muttered, sadly.

My eyes widened, I had no idea he moved out. “I am so sorry, Holls.”

I could imagine her smiling sadly, “It’s okay. It was for the best, before dad moved out he and mom were fighting nonstop. So it was the best, besides the whole divorce papers and the trial on who has custody of me will be coming up in a few weeks, so It was a good thing my dad moved out. Even if I wasn’t on board the whole thing.”

“Holls?” I spoke, into the phone.

“Yeah?”

“I know I haven’t really been there for you the last couple of weeks, with the whole shooting and now Gavin. But, I promise you, when the trial does come up. I will be there with you through every single step of the way.”

I could imagine her smiling on the other side, “Thanks. Alice, I am sorry for you know being kind of distant the last few days too.”

“It’s fine.” I said, smiling. Glad that we resolved this issue. “So do you want to-“ I was cut off when I heard beeping coming from my phone. I removed my phone from my ear to notice an unknown caller flashing on my screen. “Hey, Holls? I will call you back, someone is on the other line.”

“Yeah sure, it’s getting late anyways. So I will just see you tomorrow!” She told me.

I nodded, “Thanks! Bye!” I hung up the phone with Holly, answering the other call waiting for me on the other line.

“Hello?” I spoke unsurely, into the phone.

“Alice.” The person from the other end, responded.

My eyebrows crinkled in concentration, I knew that nasally voice anywhere. “Ashley?” I asked, kind of shocked to why she was calling me. “What the heck are you doing calling me?”

“Trust me, talking to you is the last thing I wanted to do. But, it seemed that I had to,” She replied.

“So you just had to call me at ten in the evening? What you don’t enjoy hearing my voice?” I asked, sarcastically.

She scoffed, “Hearing your voice is the last thing I want. Now listen I called your pathetic little ass for a reason.”

“And what reason is this to have blessed me with this wonderful phone call?” I questioned, trying to be as sarcastic as possible.

“Look quit the sarcastic shit and listen. I saw you with Gavin today and I didn’t like it one bit.” She spat.

“You saw me? Are you stalking me?” I shrieked.

“N-no! Of course not, why would I waste time stalking someone like you?” Ashley asked, stammering a little bit in the beginning. “Look, I am going to give you one last chance stay away from Gavin or else your secret will be the top story in every news station in the country.”

I let out a snort, “I always thought you were stupid. But I never knew you were actually this stupid to blackmail the first daughter.”

I could just imagine Ashley’s blue eyes narrowing at me, “You and I both know that you will not run to your daddy.”

“How do you know?”

“I know you. You aren’t going to take that chance, now Alice. This is your final warning stay away from Gavin Storm because I am not someone you want to mess with. This is your final chance.” She seethed, not before hanging up on me.

I let out groan as I fell backwards onto my bed. Ashley was right, I didn’t want to take that chance by going to my dad to fix it. I would much rather do as she says, plus even if I did tell my dad I am pretty sure his way of fixing it would be pulling me out of school. And even though any normal person would jump at the chance to be pulled out of school, I wanted to stay and it was not just because of a certain brown haired bed-head.

I felt my phone vibrate from my hand, it was a text message from the same number Ashley called me on. I opened the text message to find a picture of Gavin and I.

It was when I was mad at Gavin for calling me a bitch, he was holding me in his arms. As he had his hand on my face, from the angle it was taken it looked like we were staring at each other lovingly in each other’s eyes.

Another message soon appeared on my phone.   

Ashley: Stay away…

I rolled my eyes, didn’t the girl understand that I knew she didn’t want me near Gavin? How many times does she have to tell me?

I shut off my phone, placing it on my side table and getting ready for bed. If staying away from Gavin was the only way for me to stay in the same school with him. Then I had no choice but to listen. And this time I was going to do whatever it takes to stay away from Gavin Storm.

*****

Hello Lovelies,

So Ashley is back in the picture? And Gavin forgave Alice, so all is right in the world… or is it? Holly is also back and will have some problems of her own!

I just wanted to say thank you so much for the six million reads it so awesome! As well as all the lovely messages you guys leave for me in the comments, PM me and on my message board. I reply to those messages and I love hearing your responses! Ps: Hope everyone had a great first day of school if you the first day was Tuesday and if not hope you do!

Now for the one-shot winners, I know a few of you guys have been waiting for this for a long time! And I am so glad to have the honour of announcing them. They were all amazing and thanks so much for entering, and even if you didn’t win thanks so much for taking the time in writing these they were all amazing and that is one of the reasons to why it took so long to decide. *cue drum roll

In third place we have… @Fight4Midnight It was amazing and it was Alice telling Holly about the kiss with Ben and I loved it, the whole thing was amazing simple and to the point.

Second place we have… @the_moonlight_love It was in the POV of the President, and the ending automatically killed me and me laugh so hard. It was different, and it was so emotional to me, I loved everything about it!

And in first place we have… @Shaky_Shake It had a scene with his mother, and with Ben at the bus stop that I loved cause it showed how close they were before the whole fall out.

Thanks so much once again and I will be PM all the winners fort here prizes, thanks once again I love you and hopefully we can do this again but maybe a graphic contest or something when the book ends!

This is dedicated to @natsand what’s she least looks forward too is breaking up with her bed, lol that was funny. Don’t worry guys I broke up with mine too, we are all good now!

Please remember: Vote, Comment, Share and Fan!

Thanks,

Xoxo_mysteriousgirl