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You became an alcoholic

"I’ "Besides, the nighthtmare, at least nottoo hard about soulp of milk "Just some person I met at Habitat for Humanity who I’uy?"

"What? No" I clear uys"

"I don’t"

"You sure about that?" He studies me meticulously fro brother dee you if you did It’s been a long time, and you have to be super hor--"

"Do not finish that sentence" I stride across the kitchen and shove hirins but does what he’s told and heads for his bedroom "Yes, Mother"

Moments later, I’m alone in the kitchen I check the back door to make sure it’s locked then finish off hts instantly drifting to Tristan again Things would be so much easier if I just had his number so I could text hi him?

There wouldn’t be one unless it was to breakso co how h situations were always easier when I was intoxicated Of course, the simplicity was all an illusion that ended in flames

As the alcoholic side of my brain momentarily takes over, an epiphany slaps me across the face

Hard

Three months

Tristan has been clean for only three months

And now he’s disappeared

And Nova isaddicts can be Whether it has anything to do with how hurt he looked when he walked away or not, I decide that I need to check up on hi what’s right If only I could convince myself that was the only reason

But there’s more to it than that

Way too much more

More than I fully understand

Chapter 16

The irrevocable decision

Avery

The nextwhen I show up at the Habitat for Humanity home, I embark on a mission that is driven by determination and an unseen force and i a bottle of water and standing in the shade fro out at the dry field behind the property, looking about as upset as she has been for the last three days

"Hey," I say as I approach her, drawinglances at ?"

"Good" I join her in the shade and recline against one of the boards A gap of silence goes by while I try to figure out the best way to hat I need to ask "So… Is everything okay?"

She nods, twisting the lid back on the bottle "Yeah, I was just taking a little break from the heat Where I come from, it probably peaks to about sixty in Septeets really hot here" I pause, itching atif everything was all right with… with Tristan"

"Yeah… he’s just taking a little break fro what?"

She shrugs, staring at the dry, crisp field again "I don’t know"

I don’t want to cross a line, but I need to know "Is he okay? I aze confrontsabout exactly?"

I shrug "Recovery stuff"

She clutches the bottle and her expression is anything but friendly I don’t kno to respond to it because she always seeht?" she asks

"Tristan didn’t tell you?"

"No He doesn’t tell s"

I fiddle with a loop onabout ive up the infors before they got too far"

"Aw, shit," Nova sighs in diss the rest of the water "I knew so and that’s why…" She wipes a few drops of water from her lips, crunches the bottle with her hand, then hurries over to a trashcan near the corner of the property

I skid down the sloped backyard, chasing after her "And that’s hat?"

"Why did you stop the kiss?" she asks accusingly

I wince at the memory of the kiss "That’s kind of a personal question"

"Yeah, but I need to know"

"Why?"

"Because I’ve been pushing hi to wonder just how badly I lasses back over my eyes "Why would you do that? You don’t even know uood vibe"

"You believe people do that?" I ask,uum into her ood judge of character, so I need to know"

"Why I stopped the kiss with Tristan?" I check to h, knowing I’h I really don’t want to "I did it for a lot of reasons, but the e of character when it comes to men" I touch the bottom of my shirt that covers the ood person," she says as she chucks the gum wrapper into the trashcan

"I think I knew--know that I just have trust issues" With men With myself With life "But I need to make sure he’s okay I want to… to be his friend And yours too" I s authentic

She contemplates what I’ve said "You promise you won’t hurt him?"

I nod "I would never hurt anyone intentionally"