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What? A chapter update? Two updates in one week? Say it isn't so!

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Drew's POV:

"Have you spoken to her?" His voice echoed from behind me. I shook my head as I rolled my eyes at my dad's question. Closing my eyes I mentally counted to ten. The only question he seems to be asking me lately. Not, how was work? How was your day? No, it was always a question of some form relating back to Avery. I know he means well but he's hovering and I know that would only scare Avery away if I messaged her every time he asked me to. I may not know her for that long but I already know for a fact that being persistent would not help the situation we are currently in, but he's a stubborn old man who won't listen to me.

I tightened the towel around my waist before turning to face my dad who was leaning on the doorframe of my room with his arms crossed over his chest.

'What's the point of having a door if your parents open it whenever they feel like it?'

"No boundaries dad. Seriously?!" I said, with both hands pointing down towards the towel.

"Nothing I haven't seen before, son." He chuckled before walking to sit on the edge of my bed, leaving my door wide open which only aggravated me more.

I let out a chuckle as I shook my head at him before turning back, grabbing my clothes and walking into my bathroom to get dressed.

"I messaged her already now three times, right in front of you as well. Let me wait on her response before I message again okay? I don't wanna freak her out." I yelled out, so that he could hear me from behind the closed door. I was surprised at the silence, maybe he was finally comprehending what I've been trying to say.

"Your phone beeped! Check if it's her." His voice muffled through from the bedroom. I cursed the moment I forgot to bring my phone with me, instead of leaving it on my desk.

I let out a sigh as I walked back into my room, "Dad, you really need to chill."

"I am chill."

"Yeah, right." I stated, letting out a laugh. Grabbing my phone I checked to see who the message was from, sure enough it was Avery. My eyes widened at her response, I almost let out a laugh because I didn't expect anything less from her.

Tue, Mar 29, 10:00 PM
Avery: Tell Adrian to go to hell

"Was that Avery? What did she say? Has she agreed to meet up? Let me see."

I looked between my phone and my dad as I tried to figure out a way to tell him. I bit my inner cheek as I contemplated my words.

"She uh- said she'll think about it." I forced the words out, quickly locking my phone. I could see the disappointment in his eyes as he let out a sigh before nodding.

"That's all I can ask for I guess. Thanks son."

"No worries dad."

I watched as he slowly made his way out of my room. I let out a sad sigh as I threw my phone on my bed. I don't blame her at all but it's so hard not to beg her when I see my dad upset like that. I just wanted to grovel in front of her, beg her to give him a chance. I knew he was a great father but she didn't, I understood why she was reserved. I personally don't think it's necessary but then again, I haven't gone eight years without my father. I let out a frustrated growl at the entire situation.

This might either make or break my dad. If this broke him, I don't think he would be able to recover from this kind of heartbreak.

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"Ask her Drew."

I literally just walked into our house, no "Hi" or "How was your day?" I know he means well, but I'm becoming impatient, extremely impatient with him. I'm either talking about Avery with Jaxon or avoiding the topic of Avery with my dad. I can't catch a break.

"I've tried ok! You kind of ruined it back at the gym. Let her be for a few days." I responded with annoyance in my tone, I didn't mean to sound rude but he was killing me. Without saying anything else I walked into the kitchen, greeting Ashley who was preparing dinner.

"Honey, you need to give her space. She hasn't seen you in over eight years." She calmly spoke as she continued to cook.

"I know honey. I just want to make up for the missed time. I've wasted enough time as it is."

"Well, maybe you should have started by visiting her in hospital." I spat the words out in anger before I could stop them.

"Drew Elijah Hunter." Ashley warned. You know she meant business when she referred to your full name. I let out a frustrated sigh as I grabbed my water bottle before storming upstairs to my room, slamming the door shut. I don't regret what I said because I stood by it, if he cared so much he should have gone to see her in the hospital. He should have reached out somehow, even pay for her fucking hospital bill!

I remember when this conversation first began, I was rarely home and every time I'd come home, I'd see his curious eyes follow my movements. Out of curiosity he would ask where I went, not expecting me to say Avery's name. I knew it was coming after Avery had checked out of the hospital, I spent almost every day with the girls. So, it came as no surprise when a few days later my dad sat me down to talk about them. However, I was only expecting him to just ask questions about them, I never expected him to literally say the words "Will you help me meet my daughters?" To say I was stunned was an understatement, I reluctantly agreed but made no promises.

Now I was almost regretting the decision to help. I inhaled deeply before letting it out, sighing in the process. I cracked my neck to release the pressure building up.

I looked around my room until my eyes landed on the photo Avery gave me, which was now framed sitting on my bed side table. I remember that feeling when she first showed me the photos. It was different seeing them from Avery rather than our dad, it made it so much more real. It almost made me tear up when I first saw that photo of Avery and Alena, both kissing the sides of my face while I playfully looked disgusted by the act. It was still my favourite photo of us, I just wish I had the memories of those days as well. I felt like a stranger looking into someone else's life.

Every time I think about what Avery has gone through, this anger builds up from within. I think it's guilt more than anything. Guilt because I wasn't there to help her when I needed to be there, that's what big brothers were for, to protect his sisters from the evil in the world. And, from ex-boyfriends who need a few minutes alone with someone like me.

I was always happy to learn as much as I could about my sisters. It still haunts me how little I truly know about them, I know I have a lot of time to make up for. It killed me when I learnt just how toxic Avery's relationship had gotten with this ex-boyfriend of hers and the worst part, I wasn't there to save my best friend. She refuses to give me his name which is rather frustrating but we both know that if I knew who he was, it wouldn't take me too long to find him.

"What I would do just to have a few minutes alone with that asshole, maybe I should carve my name into his forehead. Fuckface." I mumbled angrily to myself. I let out a growl before shaking my head. I hated thinking about that situation of hers because it made me crazy.

Mon, Apr 4, 3:45PM
Jaxon: I'm hitting up the gym, pick you up?

Mon, Apr 4, 3:46PM
Me: Is that even a question? I'll be ready in 5.

I looked through my phone until my eyes landed on my messages with Avery. I reread the message she had sent a few days ago,

Sat, Apr 2, 7:30 PM
Avery: Tell him, I'm willing to meet up for a chat.

I'm yet to tell my dad, I just need him to calm down a bit before telling him about this. I remember just scheduling in a week with her to meet up but not actually confirming it with my dad. Truth be told though, he can get over it. If he wanted to meet his daughters then he was going to make this work, cancelled meetings and all. This would be his first test to see if he actually did give a shit. My dad never cancelled work for anyone.

Mon, Apr 4, 4:05PM
Jaxon: I'm outside asshole

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That training session couldn't have come at a better time. We trained hard for a good hour, alternating between weights and cardio. As much as we hated cardio, we both knew it was essential for our fitness so we had to grin and bear it.

I remember when I first met Jaxon through school, I was sixteen when I tried out for the school's soccer team. I was already on the team for a year when Jaxon showed up for tryouts. In order to see who had potential we did a test run and from that point I could tell he had potential, he had speed and good foot work. So, I trained him, helped him prepare for the official try outs. We pretty much became close friends quick, that was three years ago. Now he is captain of the team, and I almost feel proud of that because together we helped him get there. I was glad that he was the one I could pass down the torch to.

Jaxon has always been open and honest with me but I knew there was something going on with him and Avery, something he wasn't telling me. I saw the way he crumbled at the hospital when she got shot and we thought she wasn't going to make it. Something changed him after that and he's yet to tell me. I wasn't going to push, at the end of the day I was her brother so I could only imagine how awkward it would be to discuss why they broke it off.

I had opened up about the problems I was facing with my dad and how he wanted to meet Avery. He was even more surprised that I hadn't told my dad, I felt guilty at the end of our conversation so I ended up telling my dad the truth about how Avery was willing to meet up with him. I just happened to leave out the part about her sending the message a while ago. I've never seen my dad cancel meetings as fast as he did when he found out this was going to happen.

Now I was a bundle of nerves because today was the day this was going to happen. This has been eight years in the making and I don't know what to expect, I don't know who is going to crack under the pressure first. I'm just hoping that we can work past this and move forward as a family.

"Did you message your sister?" My dads voice rang through the car, interrupting my thoughts. I looked at him before shaking my head.

"I'll message her now to let her know." I tried to respond calmly but you could hear the nerves in my voice.

Fri, Apr 8, 1:30 PM
Drew: On our way

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Next Chapter: We all know what's about to go down.