Chapter 0225 All the hope I had shrivels up and dies. Hell. Will I ever get a chance to make things right? Is it even possible to win her back?
âI doubt thatâs the only thing. We both know Ava. If she didnât want it, she wouldnât have let you. Hormones be damned,â he tries to encourage me, but Iâm not really feeling it right now.
My door opens, and Travis enters. He looks like hell. He crosses over and takes a seat next to Gabe.
âYou look like shitâ Gabe informs him.
Travis just sighs. âI know. I feel like it too.â
Things are a F***ing mess after finding out that his precious sister has a child whom she has kept a secret for eight years.
âHow are things?â I ask.
âBad. I canât stand being in the same room as Emma right now. Mom too. In fact, she gave Emma an ultimatum. Either she builds a relationship with Gunner or she cuts her off from her life.â
Both Gabe and I stare at him in shock. Never have I ever imagined that Kate would threaten to disown Emma.
Even when Ava and I messed up, she never disowned her. Sure, she and James gave her the cold shoulder, but they never cut her off.
âAre you serious?â Gabe speaks.
âAs serious as a heart attack,â he mutters before taking a deep breath. âAnyway, I donât want to talk about that, let alone think about it. What were you talking about before I came in?â he asks, changing the subject.
âAvaâ Gabe answers.
âWhat about Ava?â
He has the tortured look he usually wears every time Ava is mentioned. I know he now feels even worse after how he talked to her that day.
âI think that Rowari may have a chance of winning her.â Gabe answers.
Travis looks confused. Itâs then that I realize he has no idea about my feelings towards Ava.
âWhy? Are you pursuing her?â He looks puzzled, Like heâs trying to piece things together.
âYes,â I growl. âYou have a problem with that?â
âNo,â he sighs. Iâm guessing you have feelings for her, right? Thatâs okay. She deserves to be happy and we all know that you were her dream.â
âYouâre not angry with him?â Gabe looks at me before looking at Travis.
I wanted to hear his answer. Not that it mattered. Even if he were pissed, it wouldnât have changed a thing. If getting Ava means losing his friendship, then so be it.
âWhy would I be angry?â
âWell, because of Emma. You were the biggest supporter of their relationship.â
âYes, thatâs before I realized that he may not love her anymore. When Emma came back, he acted differently. It was like the spark between them had died. It was pretty easy to see it, though he was fighting it. His actions just spoke louder than his words.â He pauses, then continues.
âItâs time we all let go of the past. All three of themâfour if we count Calvinâhave been suffering because of the love Rowan and Emma had when they were young. I see what neither of us saw back then. That young love wasnât meant to be. Sooner or later. One way or another, it would have died. My advice for you, my friend, is to seize the present. Iâve learned that life is unpredictable and you never know what time you have left with your loved ones.â
Iâm quiet as I listen to him. There was an air of foreboding that filled the room at his words. I feel the chill all the way down to my bones.
âWhen did you get so wise?â I chuckle as I try to clear the heavy atmosphere.
They both chuckle, but itâs forced. I know they can both feel it in the air.
I donât know what it is, but I had this premonition that something bad would F***ing happen.
Travis was right. I wasnât going to waste time because you never F***ing know.
Iâm going to go on this trip and the moment I get back, Iâm going to tell Ava the truth. It was time I confessed my feelings for her.