The Chaos of Ava

10

Ethan’s POV

The moment the door clicked shut behind Riley, I let out a long breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. For a split second, the apartment felt eerily quiet, save for the faint buzz of the TV Ava had barely pretended to watch all night.

I turned to face her, and there she was—sprawled on the couch like she owned the place, her legs crossed, a smirk plastered across her face. She was crunching on a chip with the kind of casual defiance that made my blood boil.

“Ava,” I said through gritted teeth, crossing my arms.

“What?” she replied innocently, tossing another chip into her mouth. “Did I embarrass you, lover boy?”

“Embarrass me?” I barked, my voice rising before I caught myself. “You were relentless! You didn’t stop talking about how ‘hot’ Riley is, and you didn’t even try to tone it down. Do you know how awkward you made this for me?”

Ava shrugged, clearly unfazed. “Awkward for you, maybe. Riley didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he looked like he was having fun.”

I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the room. “That’s not the point, Ava. I asked him for a favor. This isn’t supposed to be fun for him. It’s serious. I just—” I stopped pacing and turned to her, jabbing a finger in her direction. “You don’t get it. I needed tonight to go smoothly. Now I’m terrified Riley’s going to back out because you couldn’t stop acting like a walking Tinder bio.”

Ava gasped, clutching her chest theatrically. “Oh no, Ethan’s mad. What a tragedy.” She dropped the act and gave me a pointed look. “Come on, you’re overreacting. Riley’s still in. I can tell. That guy’s got your back, and honestly? He’s into this more than you think.”

I froze, narrowing my eyes at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She smirked, leaning back on the couch. “I saw the way he looked at you. The hand on your knee? The little glances? Trust me, he’s not just doing this out of pity. He actually cares.”

I felt my face flush, and I turned away, rubbing the back of my neck. “You’re imagining things.”

“Am I?” she teased, her voice sing-song.

“Yes!” I snapped, spinning back to face her. “And even if you’re not, that doesn’t give you the right to treat him like some object for your entertainment!”

Ava’s smirk faltered, and she sat up straighter, her expression softening. “Ethan… I wasn’t trying to make fun of him. Or you. I swear.”

''Riley didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he looked like he was having fun.”

I threw my hands up in frustration. “That’s not the point, Ava! I invited him over so we could actually practice, but thanks to you showing up uninvited, we didn’t get anything done! Do you have any idea how important this is to me?”

She snorted, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. “Relax, Ethan. Riley didn’t look too upset about the lack of practice. Besides, you know I always make things more fun.”

“Fun?” I repeated incredulously. “This isn’t supposed to be fun for him—it’s serious. I asked him for a favor, and you turned it into a circus. What am I supposed to tell him now?”

“Tell him you’re welcome for my sparkling company,” she quipped, grinning.

"Ava what were you really trying to do?” I demanded, my voice still sharp.

She hesitated, then sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I was trying to lighten the mood. You’ve been so stressed about this whole Liam situation, and I thought—” She paused, meeting my gaze. “I thought maybe if Riley saw how much we’re rooting for you, it’d take some of the pressure off. But I guess I went too far.”

I let her words sink in, my anger ebbing slightly. Ava wasn’t wrong—I’d been spiraling for weeks, and Riley’s agreement to help me had been the first glimmer of hope I’d felt in ages. But her antics tonight had only added to my anxiety, not eased it.

“I get it,” I said finally, my tone softening. “But you’ve got to be careful, Ava. Riley’s doing me a favor, and I don’t want to scare him off. I can’t afford to lose him right now.”

Ava gave me a small, apologetic smile. “Noted. I’ll tone it down. But Ethan… don’t sell yourself short, okay? You’re not just some sad guy trying to get back at his ex. You’re worth fighting for, and Riley sees that. Whether you believe it or not.”

Her words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I didn’t know how to respond. Finally, I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Thanks, Ava.”

“Anytime,” she said, flopping back onto the couch. “Now, go get some sleep. Remember your meeting of tomorrow." 

I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling slowly. “Ava, are you even planning to leave, or are you just camping out here for the night?”

She tilted her head, considering. “Actually, I’ll stay. My boss isn’t at the bar tonight, so I took the night off. Figured I’d hang out here, crash on your couch, and enjoy some peace and quiet.”

“Peace and quiet,” I muttered, shaking my head. “Sure, let’s call it that.”

She grinned cheekily, raising her bag of chips in a mock toast. “You know you love me.”

I sighed, too drained to argue. “Fine. Just… don’t destroy my apartment while I sleep.”

“Scout’s honor,” she said, holding up two fingers solemnly.

I rolled my eyes, retreating to my room. Tomorrow would be busy, and I needed to get some rest. Between the early meeting with Samantha, my boss, and the growing mountain of stress, I was already hanging by a thread.

Once I was in bed, my phone buzzed. I picked it up and saw Riley’s name flash across the screen.

Riley: So… no practice tonight, huh? Guess we were too busy entertaining Ava, the star of the show.

I chuckled despite myself, shaking my head. Of course, he’d find a way to make light of the chaos.

Riley: By the way, she’s hilarious. Gotta admit, I like her.

I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head again. Of course, everyone liked Ava. She had that magnetic energy that drew people in, even when she was driving me up the wall.

Me: Everyone likes Ava. Glad she didn’t scare you off completely.

He replied with a laughing emoji and a thumbs-up. I smiled, tossing my phone onto the bedside table. Riley’s text had helped ease the lingering tension from the evening.

With a

final sigh, I closed my eyes. Tomorrow would be a long day, but for now, sleep called.