Everything That Glitters Ain't Gold, Danielle Martin [best books to read all time .TXT] 📗

and Ava wasted no time running in the opposite direction. She ran fast, creating a good distance between the two so he could not catch her again. Ava looked over her shoulder as she jetted down the hallway. Surprisingly, this time Blake did not run after her. He had sunken to the floor helplessly watching her run away from him. She ran fast but felt she were running in slow motion. Leaving him behind hurt so much more than she wanted it to. But he left her with no other choice. Ava dashed across the living room and swung open the door, hurrying out into the hallway and slamming it shut behind her.

 

 

Chapter 22.

Chapter 22.

 

Knock Knock Knock

“Ava… Ava, baby please let me in… I just want to talk to you… Baby please.”

Knock Knock Knock

The knocking sounded off throughout the living room.  “Baby, just give me 10 minutes. Just hear me out. If you don’t like what I have to say, I will leave you alone forever…”

Forever… The word sounded a lot longer than it actually was. Calmly, Ava sat in the living room of the new house positioned on the large love seat sofa with her feet kicked up on the middle table. She had been up all night, absolutely dreading the thought of falling asleep in this place. This place reminded her so much of the future she had planned with Blake. But she had nowhere else to go. Ava stared directly at the front door watching it as if she were watching an intriguing T.V show. Blake had been sitting outside knocking close to 3 hours now. Surprisingly, after being drenched by the home sprinkler system and also scorched by the hot beaming sun, he continued to sit on the front porch knocking every 30 minutes, begging for her to talk. Ava on the other hand had been listening to him knock with a glass of red wine rested in the palm of her hand. Truth be told, drinking was the only thing keeping her sane. The bitter taste of the red wine put her mind at ease and now she was feeling a little tipsy.

Knock Knock Knock

“Ava… Please don’t let it end like this… I know you are listening.” he continued to beg on the other side of the door. He was right. She was listening.

“We’ve been through so much together, babe. I need you now more than ever Ava. I need you to help me quit... I can’t let this shit kill me….”

Ava winced. He was hitting a soft spot against her will. She hated his irresistibility now more than ever. The thought of something bad happening to Blake tore her to pieces and secretly, she wandered whether this was all a lie or a genuine cry for help. What does it matter??? I’m done… I can’t be with a man who shoots up heroin!!! Ava clamped her eyes shut and continued to resist the urge to open the door.

“I fucked up, Ava… I thought I was doing everything right… I brought this big house in hopes of starting a new life together… But I guess there’s no more hope for that…I can’t believe you and I are really over…”

Over…. We are really over…

Ava looked up, her eyes scanning the inside of the large living room that Blake had decorated for her. For the life of her, she had no idea what she was going to do with a house this big. It had only been two days since moving in and she still could not comprehend how fast the tables had turned. The man that she loved was sitting desperately on the side of that door while she sat on the other end refusing to let him in. But she wanted to. Badly. Everything felt so out of place in her heart. Everything felt so wrong.

 “Okay, Ava… I will go…” Blake called out to her. Finally he had given up. Ava could hear shuffling on the other side of the door, which indicated he had stood to his feet. “The rent is paid up for the next 6 months… If you decide to stay here long term, just give me a call and I will extend the lease…”

Ava clenched her jaw as she listened.

“I love you Ava.” He spoke one last time before leaving. “I fucked up and I realize that now… If I never see you again, I will be okay. I would have rather loved and lost you than to have never loved you at all. This past week has been the happiest week of my life… I just want you to know that…”

Her gut wrenched. Her entire soul ached. He was leaving and for some reason, just the thought of him walking away scared her to death. No matter what, Blake had always been in her corner. Even when she desperately tried to push him away, he would not budge. Apart of her knew it was best that he leaves now. But another part knew how much it would break her in the inside to look over her shoulder and see he was not standing there. She swallowed the large lump in her throat, feeling all of the emotions that she swallowed resurfacing. Abruptly, Ava hopped up, placed the half empty glass on the middle table and dashed across the living room towards the front door. She had to hurry before he got away. Ava had a lot to say. A lot that she held back initially. She could not allow him to leave without telling him exactly what was on her mind. One last time. Approaching the front door, Ava quickly snatched off the latch, twisted the top and bottom lock and swung open the door. Her eyes landed on Blake whose back was turned heading down the walk way towards his truck.
"HOW COULD YOU???!!!" Ava jumped right into it. She screamed loudly outside of the open door. Immediately upon hearing her voice, Blake stopped in his tracks and whipped his body around to face her. His eyes were widened in surprise to see she had finally opened the door. She stepped off the porch and charged right towards him. "How could you, Blake??!! How could you lie to meeeeeee??!!" she quickly approached, drew her arms back and forcefully shoved him in the chest as hard as she could. She had been wanting to do that since yesterday and finally mustered up the strength. Blake’s manly figure barely budged after being pushed.

"You knew about everything I been through! Why would you want to put me through that again???" Instantly, angry tears began cascading down her cheeks. The anguish and the alcohol had finally gotten the best of her. Ava’s chest weaved up and down as she bawled crying in-between sentences. "I thought you were special, Blake! I really did! But you're not! You’re exactly like Desean! You did exactly what he did!" She let it all out, tears spilling down her cheeks reaching the tip of her nose as she cried. She was devastated. Destroyed. Completely ruined by his love.

Suddenly, Blake stepped forward. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in close to him.
"Nooooooo Blake..." Poorly, Ava attempted to fight him off. She didn’t want him to embrace her. She didn’t want to fall weak to him. But she was already weak. Unwillingly and tiringly, she collapsed into his arms and cried into his chest. Ava sobbed unattractively loud. Profusely. She buried her face deep, feeling her tears staining his t-shirt as she cried. She was shattered on the inside. Completely heartbroken. Ava pushed him away, her own vulnerability making her sick to her stomach. She took 5 steps back, feeling the need to create a distance. Blake watched her every move heavy heartedly. She could tell he was grieving and extremely remorseful for the pain he caused.

“Ava, I’m nothing like Desean…” he spoke softly proclaiming his innocence. Blake sighed deeply before continuing. “Desean didn’t care for you the way I do. He hurt you… Emotionally and physically… I would never do that to you. I love you too much…”

Ava fell silent as she listened. She wanted so badly to curse at him for being so damn beautiful and attractive. For the life of her, she didn’t understand how someone so fine could do so much damage to his own body.

Hesitantly, Blake stepped forward again. He approached slowly in fear that she would pull away. She did not this time. “Ava, I know you don’t want me to leave… I know you need me just like I need you.”

She stiffened upon hearing him speak so confidently. He spoke as if he were reading her mind. Unbeknownst to him, he was absolutely right. She didn’t want him to leave. Instead she wanted to yell, scream and shout at him then throw him back on their king sized bed and make long, hard passionate love to him. She let out another soft cry. Ava had been here before. This was all a cycle. A cycle she could not separate herself from.  “I just wanted to be happy… With you…I didn’t want any drama!”

Slyly, Blake reached forward and slipped his hand behind her neck. Ava was done resisting. It had become too hard. She sulked into his embrace. As badly as she wanted to continue fighting him off, she wanted to be inside his arms, listening to him tell her things were going to be alright.

“You will have your happily ever after baby… You will have everything that you deserve…” Blake held her tightly, running his hands up and down the nape of her back. His touch gave her so much comfort. Sadly, the person causing the pain was the only one who could band aid it. There was no denying the inevitable. Ava was head over heels in love.

She lifted her head from his chest and looked him the eyes. “Blake, you have to go to drug counseling! You need help! A kind of help that I cannot give…”

He nodded his head. Blake answered her with no hesitance. “I will.” To her surprise, he did not fight her on it at all.

“I’m serious!” she reiterated her statement. “I know someone. She’s really good. Her name is Susan Fuller… You have to go see her Blake! I will never be able to live with myself if I sit back and watch you kill yourself!”

He nodded his head again and reached for her hand. He was not combative. Clearly, he would have done whatever she asked. “I understand, Ava… and you’re right… Whatever it takes to get myself clean and make things right with you I will do.” She searched for a sign of deception in his voice. He seemed so honest and legit. Then again, he always seemed that way.

“Blake…” Ava whispered his name. “I was in a relationship with a raging alcoholic for 4 years and 7 months… He promised he was going to change almost every day. He never did…” she shuddered, just thinking about her ex bringing back painful memories. Memories that she did not want to compare. But it was hard not to. She sighed before continuing. “I genuinely believed he loved me… The same way I believed you did, Blake… But he turned on me… He switched