Page 76 of Sorry, We're Closed

“No, never, Avory. I’m yours. You’re mine. I need to explain everything.”

Thirty-Three

Sawyer

The previous day

Walking away from Avory, from Pick and Strings, from the most incredible and honest night I’ve ever experienced is near impossible. An invisible string ties us together, chest to chest, and it tugs, tightens, sears through every barrier I have ever erected and makes it painfully difficult to leave him behind.

His words,“Please come with us,”repeat in my mind continuously, overlapping each other until the entirety of my thoughts are buried in Avory’s voice.

His words. The chance to spend a life with him, because I can see that becoming our reality. I had to muzzle my mouth when he said those fated four words. I could’ve shouted, screamed in acceptance, and then never have left his side, but even after taking so many steps forward, and having finally accepted so much of myself which I had forgotten about,shecontinues to linger in the furthest parts of my mind.

Without her, I have no family. None by blood. She is the only chance I have left with the family tree, yet she has always been so ready to sever my branch solely because of my identity. Not only her, but Tetherton itself, Gwen and Xander, these are all the aspects of my life which raised me. Am I even proud of the person I’ve become? Do I even know who Sawyer Sombre is anymore?

I am, and I do when I’m with him.

I snap my mind back into my reality as I turn the handle of the Sweet’s front door. As I appear, already mentally preparing myself for a barrage of excitement since I’m wearing Avory’s clothes and returning from an unplanned night at his, Gwen and Xander instantly pause their delicious show and peer around to the front door. I’m surprised Gwen’s coffee mug doesn’t smash with the force she places it with as she squeals her way to me, wrapping her arms around me and complimenting how I—Avory, smells. He always smells delicious.

Xander appears behind Gwen, his arms wrapping around the both of us briefly before sliding by and into the kitchen, the whistling of the kettle serving a battle to Gwen when it comes to screaming.

Xander slowly begins to slide over mugs of coffee and a selection of Gwen’s syrups as her voice sings, “Tell. Us. Everything! Did you guys talk? Want to tell us what you did, or should I say,whoyou did?”

In unison, Xander and I cough into our coffees, Xander drenching his white vest shirt in dark brown drips while I manage to avoid ruining Avory’s scent.

“Gwen! Give the boy a minute, will you?” he laughs as he strips his shirt, throws it into their machine and leaves for his bedroom momentarily.

Bread making must be the new gym routine judging by how sculpted Xander has gotten.

“Answer my questions, hun! I must know!”

Gwen tucks her legs to her chest, sinks her body into the sofa and her eyes, filled with anticipation, never leave mine. Xander sits himself on a small ottoman opposite us, coffee in hand, and between my head in my hands and hiding in Avory’s hoodie by tightening the hood around my head, Gwen and Xander learn everything up until Avory’s question.

Well, not everything. I did not feel it necessary to tell them how Avory made me feel overwhelmingly amazing while also turning me into an absolute mess which he had to clean up.

“You know what’s really sweet?” Xander’s voice perks up from the silence he maintained throughout my rambling, unlike his sister. “You haven’t stopped smiling the entire time that you’ve spoken about Avory, or anything to do with him for that matter.”

Xander sips his coffee with a grin hiding behind the rim of his mug, and Gwen’s giggling heightens once again, her legs now kicked out over mine. I can’t help that he makes my heart boom from my chest like the first load of fireworks on New Year’s Eve, my mind now sparks with once forbidden thoughts as bright as the first strike of a sparkler at midnight, my body positively melts to his touch like sorbet on the hottest summer’s day.

“So, is that it? I love that for you guys, but you got busy and then just, accepted to go separate ways?”

I struggle to hold back my grin as those four words continue to play in my mind.Please, come with us. As the bliss of the past twenty-four hours washes over my body, that same distant fear that my mother installed in me begins to slowly creep back into my chest, turning his comforting warmth into an uncomfortable burning.

Gwen shuffles herself closer to me, grasping my hand in hers while Xander sits himself forward, his eyes swiping between myself and Gwen, searching for an answer to the sudden panic rushing across my face.

“Hey hun, what’s wrong? What happened? Just breathe, count with me.”

We count my freckles dotting the back of my hand, we breathe in together, hold it together, breathe out together. We repeat this over and over until I can breathe on my own.

The Sweet siblings remain silent while my eyes close, and with one last exhale, my voice trembles out the words, “Please, come with us. That’s what he asked me.”

Silence remains in the flat as my eyes slowly peel open, Gwen’s painted eyes and Xander’s dark chocolate eyes both widen, darting between themselves.

“Sawyer? Are we okay to be loud?”

I nod to them both as Gwen leaps off the sofa and throws herself into Xander’s arms, Xander spinning her once around the room before she bounces back onto the sofa next to me.

“Babe, that’s amazing! You can finally go and start a life which you were meant for, which is truly yours.”

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