Tongue-tied

As far as Ava was concerned, she had to be the most confused female on God's green planet. There was no other explanation for her behavior and whatever the hell it was that went on in her mind and made her act the way that she did after Derek confessed his feelings to her.

"I love you, Ava. I just thought that you should know that." Derek had told her.

From the hopeful expression on his face, it was clear that he would have liked a reply from her, but there wasn't one to be had.

How could it be that all this while, she had longed for Derek to say those three magic words that she had never heard from him, and then when he finally did say them, all she could do was freeze and stare at him like a deer caught in headlights?

He was a good man … she knew he was, and for him to open his mouth and actually say those words, then he most probably meant them, so why was she still afraid to accept him back and tell him how much she loved him too?

Apparently, the tables had turned and whereas Dere