When Perfect Meets Crazy novel Chapter 42

I warned Ian not to show up at my school today to avoid fueling any doubts about my side of the story but I expected him to meet me at the library afterwards. I assumed he would. It was routine at this point and I was dying to tell him about the Claire drama.

But he didn’t show. All day long.

I wasn’t proud of it but I looked up, every time the library doors opened, half expecting, half hoping it would be him.

It never was.

He didn’t creep in through my window when I got back home either.

Objectively, I knew I was due for an ‘off’ day from him considering all the stalking time he had put in recently. It had been about two weeks without him bailing even once so, yeah, he was entitled to some time off. For some reason though, I felt incomplete without him around. I was already so used to his constant presence that his absence completely threw me off.

He was nowhere to be seen the following day either. I couldn’t stand it. Two ‘off’ days in a row wasn’t abnormal based on past precedent, especially at the beginning when he first started following me around. I wouldn’t have batted an eyelash then, but now, I was antsy. On edge. Reeling, even. I was used having him around all the time. Even when I didn’t want him. His sudden unexplained absence left me unsettled.

He was a no-show the day after as well. And the day after that too.

Anxiety had its claws deep in me. It didn’t help that I couldn’t shake the niggling fear the he had been made. That his cover had been blown and he was in trouble. My date with Trevor went awry because of it. I didn’t have Ian’s phone number but I figured he had mine so every time my phone buzzed, I hoped, prayed it’d be him.

It never was.

Trevor couldn’t stand the fact that I was so distracted over another guy on our first date even though I explained that I was only worried because Ian was probably in trouble.

“I’m sure his girlfriend will make sure he’s fine,” Trevor said.

“They broke up,” I informed him, anxiously checking my phone as it buzzed again after the last message from my stupid service provider. “Anyway, she doesn’t know what I know,” I added absently.

This time, it was a text from Olly informing me that our mom would be home in two weeks. The case was apparently finally wrapping up.

At my addition, Trevor frowned. He cocked his head to the side.

“You know more about him than his girlfriend?” His tone was less than ecstatic.

I glanced at him, taking in his accusatory stare.

“It’s not like that. He didn’t tell me. I figured it out. Sort of accidentally walked into it,” I explained.

“And now they’re broken up.” He fixed me with a meaningful stare.

“No.” I shook my head. “No. It’s not like that. I didn’t get between them.” I forced a laugh. “Their relationship was supposedly already falling apart.”

“Because he likes you,” he surmised flatly.

“No, because they are... were long distance. I don’t know. It’s complicated.” I gave a one shoulder shrug, my eyes narrowing in irritation. “He doesn’t like me. That’s what’s important.”

“Look, I like you, Avy. But I don’t want ‘complicated.’ Simplify it or let’s call it before we go too far.”

My eyes narrowed, annoyance clear on my features.

I wasn’t the type to take ultimatums well and while I realized that he wasn’t asking much, I couldn’t help my instinctive need to push back. I didn’t like having my decisions weighed in on, much less forced.

“Then we’ll call it.” I met his gaze squarely. “Just for the record, we’re not ending this because of Ian. I like you too. I don’t feel that way about him and he doesn’t feel that way about me. I, however, don’t like being ordered or given ultimatums. And a boy I only just met who thinks he’s in a place to do that just... feels like a boy I don’t want in my life.”

“I see the way he looks at you.” He scoffed.

“Then you need to get your eyes checked.”

“You didn’t hear him that day after the party, going on about you like that.” He shook his head. “You don’t talk about a friend like that.”

I sighed heavily, shaking my head to clear it of thoughts of my breakup that wasn’t even really a breakup.

Ian was really going to get it from me when his stupid self finally showed up. Not only did a potential boyfriend -one so cute he exchanged song lyrics with me- fall through the cracks because I was worried about him, I was actually distracted from studying because of him.

With a quiet growl, I plugged in my earphones and stubbornly forced my attention back to the book open in front of me. It had been four days. If by Saturday, he didn’t show up then I was done. I’d cut him off myself.

The door to my room swung open and Olly strutted in, making herself comfortable on my bed.

I heaved a sigh, raised my gaze to the off white ceiling and prayed for patience. Then I took off my earphones, closed the books and gave up on studying.

“What’s up?” I turned to face her.

“I heard about you and Trevor,” she said without preamble. “Why?”

I rolled my eyes at her bossy tone.

“I don’t respond to threats or ultimatums. I make them,” I answered. “You know that.”

“He threatened you?” Surprise blossomed on her face.

“No. Ultimatum,” I corrected.

“Really?” Her brows creased in a frown as she chewed on her lip. “That doesn’t sound like him.”

“Yeah, well he did it and now we’re done.” I gave a half shrug.

“What was it about?” she asked, leaning forward. “The ultimatum. What did he want?”

“He basically asked me to choose between him and Ian.”

I rolled my eyes. Even now, the thought of his request still annoyed me to pieces. More than it did the first time at that. It made me want to drive to that damn tattoo parlor and hit him over the head with a tattoo gun.

“And you chose Ian.” Olly’s eyes twinkled, a knowing smile playing across her lips.

“No, I didn’t.” I gritted, eyes hardening. “I don’t respond to ultimatums. I kicked him to the curb for issuing one.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, I did.”

“No, you didn’t,” she repeated, eyes gleaming.

“Then what would you call it?” I pursed my lips, exasperated.

“Oh, come on.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re Avyanna Johnson. You could’ve thought of at least seven better ways out of that.”

“No, I couldn’t.” I hissed.

“Yeah, you could.” She smirked. “I’m literally counting them right now and if I can come up with seven... Eight now. You can come up with at least twenty.”

Her gaze met mine.

“But you didn’t,” she stated.

“Maybe I wasn’t thinking then.” I scowled. “Maybe I didn’t feel like.”

“Oh, please. You think even in your sleep,” she countered.

“I...” I drew in a fortifying breath. “You won’t understand.”

I sighed. I couldn’t exactly tell her my brain was too busy worrying for Ian’s life. That would be breaking his trust, our contract and also putting her in danger given her inclination for the dark and dangerous, and her devil-may-care attitude.

“Please.” She scoffed, a perfected dismissive eye roll following in its wake. “I understand perfectly. You like Ian. Even if it was only subconsciously, you wanted to end things with Trevor to free yourself up for Ian.”

Her all-knowing smirk rubbed me in ways that made me want to practice darts on her face.

“Things with Trevor barely started.” I hissed. “And for your information, I was preoccupied with serious thoughts, not freeing myself up or whatever other nonsense you think.”

Exaggeratedly rolling her eyes, she got to her feet.

“I’ve seen you in action. You’re a multitasking goddess. It only takes you a few seconds to figure out the perfect solution to something like this. I don’t care if you don’t want to admit it to me.” She shrugged. “I don’t need you to. So just admit it to yourself. You let Trevor go for Ian. You like Ian.”

Her gaze was knowing in a way the made me uncomfortable.

“That way,” she continued, “when Ian comes after you, -and he will- you’ll be ready.”

“Oh, shut up.” I rolled eyes heavily.

“Remember how he talked about you that night at the party? It’s only a matter of time.”

With that parting shot, she left my room.

“Why does everybody keep referencing that night?” I hissed to my empty room. “Why did she even come in here?”

I was annoyed. No, pissed. I was royally pissed. Whenever Ian finally deigned to show up, it had better be with the best fucking excuse ever.

Huffing, I stomped downstairs to prepare dinner.