Crystal Clear

Chapter One

Ava looked at the snowflakes on the other side of the window pane, her breath clouding it slowly. It was hardly the weather for fireworks, but none the less she could see and hear a few. New Year's Eve was always hyped up to be this wondrous opportunity to do something new or change your ways. With a sigh, she went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. She looked at her dishwater blonde hair straggling around her shoulders as she dabbed her face with the hand towel. The mirror was never kind to her mind; she looked at her reflection, nice cheekbones, aquamarine coloured eyes, slight freckling over her nose. She wondered whether she'd be any prettier if she shed a few pounds. The compliments had really seemed to run dry recently. Her parents had moved down south, and her serious boyfriend had left her recently for another woman. Her friends had cared after the first few weeks but in all the holiday spirit, they’d forgotten about her. The requests for her company in a quest to keep her busy and ‘take her mind off things’ had desiccated. Ava had been too tied down to her own miserable feelings that she’d not really paid attention until the days she needed company had arrived.

She finished in the bathroom and decided to go out for a walk. Thinking she might get to see some of the fireworks she could hear earlier and figured they might cheer her up a bit before she faced her last few days of her holiday from work alone. Even though she loved her days off, work seemed like a comforting end to the days of nothingness. Ava longed to see the 9th January, when life might have some realism pumped back into it, once again.

Wrapped up warm for the elements, Ava wondered down the streets, the snow - a light dusting on the ground beneath her. She walked for about 15 minutes before her phone vibrated in her pocket. Probably a text from a friend about New Year! Taking a glove off, she reached into her pocket, brought out her phone and read the text from the unknown number.

"Hey Ava, here’s my new number. Heard you were spending New Year’s alone. Now, Now missy! No need to be anti-social tonight! Go out and have fun. D x"

At first, she was confused, then she realized who it was from; Daniel! Ava excitedly realized she was about three streets away from his house. Picking up her speed and hoping he wouldn't mind that she looked a bit crap without her make up on, she walked as fast as she could to his house.

Knocking loudly, Ava eagerly awaited him opening his front door. She looked down at her feet, throbbing slightly due to the fast-paced walk over, the cold clinging to her clothes, the soles of her brown boots had a light dusting of snow on them. She would have worn better socks had she known she was going to have to remove her boots. She looked up when she saw the door handle move and the door opened to reveal his handsome face in the gap.

"Ava, heya, what you doing here?"

"I...er... came to see you. You said I shouldn't be anti-social..."

"Yeah, but I didn't say invite yourself over, did I?"

"Geez! No need to be such a d**k about it! I'm sorry I've inconvenienced you; however, you did text me! I thought it was an invitation…"

"Fine then, come inside, but don't drop by unannounced in future!" Daniel said annoyed.

Ava could never figure out Daniel, he blew hot and cold as it pleased him. He’d never really considered her feelings as he toyed with them in the past. Ava was always cautious with him, but he had a way of charming her that she couldn’t resist. Daniel was the love of Ava’s life; they’d met in school and always kept themselves in each other’s lives…. even though sometimes, they really should have called it a day. She knew this was probably the reason he’d kept her in his life, he enjoyed knowing that she’d do anything for him, even when he knew full well that she was trying to get on with her life. He’d ring her, and she’d be there, in her best dress, full makeup and some skimpy underwear. Ava knew he loved it, so she played upon it, however, in hindsight, she knew she set herself up to fail, especially if he phoned and within the hour, she turned up dressed like a slut for him – he’d treat her like one. They’d only dated for a few months before being on and off for years, in between the partners they’d both had they ended up in each other’s arms. Ava had often thought in these times they’d get back together after, but it never happened. Unfortunately for her, it was just s*x.

Daniel invited Ava into his house; he was six foot, with dark softly spiked hair, a square jaw with a sprinkling of stubble over the bottom of his face. He knew he was handsome and played upon it. He was broad but slender. He smelt of musk and his brown eyes twinkled in the light. Time always seemed to be kind to him; no wonder Ava’s heart skipped a beat when he was near her. “Fancy a coffee?” he asked. Ava nodded, rubbing her hands together attempting to warm them up.

No sooner had Daniel got Ava in the kitchen, he closed the door and pushed her against it. His lips found hers and Ava kissed him back. His hands peeled off her scarf, exposing her neck so his beautifully soft lips could kiss their way down it.

“I’ve missed you” he mumbled as he made Ava’s knees week by kissing her just the way she liked.

“You have a funny way of showing it,” Ava said sternly, pulling her neck away from him in an attempt not to be distracted. Daniel’s hands pulled her back into his body before Ava managed to pull herself away again.

“Listen, Daniel. What was with the cold shoulder a minute ago?” Ava wanted to know the answer before he managed to charm her into his bed.

“Cecilia’s upstairs and I didn’t want her to know you were here” Daniel replied softly. Before he tried to lean in to carry on where he left off. Ava, shocked, moved away before he could.

“Cecilia, huh?! I’m leaving, now. I’m not having you play with my heart again. I’ve had 8 years of this Dan, I’m not going to be your plaything anymore! I’m fed up with it.” Ava said crossly, hurt by the thought of being his other woman for the third time.

She straightened up her outfit and opened the door. “Aren’t you going to say anything Dan?” she added opening the kitchen door.

“Stay? I’ll explain” he replied, but hearing this Ava spun around slowly and walked towards the door. Determined not to give him a reason to force feed her yet, more lies. Just as she was about to open the front door, she heard a stair creak. Quickly she turned around, to see a silhouette of a lady in a night dress stood in the dark, on the stairs.

“What’s the noise about?” the woman mumbled, confused, “Dan, where are you? Who’s this strange young lady in your house?”

Ava stood still in shock, as Dan rushed to the woman’s side, “It’s alright, she’s with me, and we just…disagreed, that’s all.” The woman seemed comforted by his words and turned around and went back up the stairs.

“Who is she?” Ava asked, curious as the woman on the stairs had never accused her of anything.

“She’s my biological mother, and she’s got terminal cancer and a few months left. Her husband had to work, and rather than let her carer look after her on New Year’s Eve, I decided to look after her” Dan replied sadly.

“I’m so sorry, I had no idea you were back in touch with her. After all, she did to you as well…” Ava apologized quickly before Dan cut her off mid-sentence.

“Just because she dumped me in care when I was two, so she could have an abusive boyfriend, it doesn’t mean I can’t look after her for a night, she is my mother after all!”

Ava hung her head in shame, feeling guilty for assuming; Dan moved closer, lifted his chin with her finger and looked her in the eyes. “Don’t look so sad” he whispered. Ava thought he looked beautiful in the light of the street light through the glass in his front door, so she leaned into kiss him, but it was this time that Dan rejected her, and he opened the door behind her.

“See you soon maybe, I need to go check on Cecilia,” Dan said, gesturing towards the semi-open door behind her. Ava looked at him, slightly confused, before hanging her head down, and following his orders. Stood outside as Dan’s door closed behind her, the tears began to fall. She’d never felt so small.

Ava’s cold cheeks streaked with tears, as she walked away thinking ‘why did she always manage to screw stuff up with him?’. She headed home slowly, to an empty house, reminding herself that Dan and she could have been in each other’s warm arms for the rest of the night, tortured her. The tears fell harder, as she read the text Dan had sent her a minute ago. “I think it’s best if we don’t see each other again. D”. Ava stepped out into the road just as a car sped past and clipped her.

Lying on the floor in agony, Ava looked up into the dark cloudy sky, and reckoned this would probably be the end for her. Dying never being with the man she loved. She felt an overwhelming pain and then blacked out.