I wondered if he still thought about me. It has been 10 years since I left him and Avalon was now 9. She has asked who her father is and I've told her bits and pieces here and there. She knows what color his eyes are, as they are the same as her piercing blue ones. She has the same dark hair as him too, and every time I look at her, all I see is him. It's like there is no escaping him now that I have Avalon. She has my stature and big eyes, but everything else is all him. Everything. I thought maybe I should contact him when my family moved away, but how was I supposed to do that while I was in another country and my phone was no longer activated? My parents made me change my email and lose all contact with him. I know it hurt him because it KILLED me. My parents knew who the father was as soon as I told them I was pregnant, and my dad made us pack up everything and move to Iceland right when I told them. All sweet romances must come to a tragic end one day; I just didn't think mine would be so soon. I was 27 now, and I could have gone back to the states a long time ago, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. My parents have encouraged me to stay here as they love the place and don't want to leave. It's not like I'm bad off or anything. I finished high school, went to college and now teach high school AP English. Maybe it is a little ironic that I teach the same thing as him, but English was always a subject I loved and it was my favorite. I dated a guy a few years back and we almost married but he broke it off saying he couldn't be with me because of Avalon and he knew I still had feelings for her father. What can I say? Feelings don't always go away and mine for him were too strong to ever fade away.
"Mom!" I heard from the door, "I'm home!" I walked out of the kitchen to find Avalon standing with her suitcase and pillow in the foyer. "Did you have a good time at Kat's?" I asked her. "I always have a good time at her house, mom!" she said with a smile. I smiled at her and grabbed her suitcase. "Well, I have a little surprise for you sweetie," I told her as we walked up the stairs. She smiled at me with the same smile her father has, "Yes?" she asked. "We are going to the states in a few days to spend the summer there. Grandma and grandpa don't know yet, so please don't tell them when they get here later for dinner. I have some old friends who have wanted to see me and meet you for a while now." "Why are we going now? Why haven't we gone a long time ago if they have wanted you to go for a while?" she asked me. "Okay, I can't keep this from you any longer Avalon. I know I told you we were just visiting for the summer, but we are moving to the states. I need to get away from Iceland and just get back to where I grew up. It isn't the same here and I promise you will love it in Rosewood." "Rosewood?" I heard as my front door shut. "Damn," I cursed under my breath. "Hey daddy! Hey mom! How are you? You're a little early! I haven't even finished dinner yet!" I said with a big smile. "We thought we would stop by early and spend some quality time with Avalon for al ittle while before supper. So what is it I heard about Rosewood?" My father asked. I didn't want to answer him because I knew he would be infuriated. "Well, mom, dad, Avalon and I are moving back there in a few days. I just don't feel at home here even though I've lived here for the past ten years. It just doesn't feel like home. There isn't the book worm Spencer, a fashionista Hanna, or a sweet swimmer Emily. I miss being away from them and I miss home. Our old home: Rosewood. The small town where nothing stays hidden and nothing goes unnoticed. I miss that, mom and dad." They looked at me sympathetically and then my dad finally spoke, "you're going back because of him aren't you?" I looked between him and my mother and gave a shy nod. "Well, I suppose If that is what you truly want we can't stop you. When will we get to see Av?" My mom asked. "I'll send her back here for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a month and a half of summer. I promise I won't keep her away from you. I'll be coming with her for each trip except for summer. I'll visit a couple of weeks though," I replied. They gave me a nod each and I put the casserole I had been making in the oven. "So what made you decide to go back?" my dad asked. "The girls miss me so much and I miss them and there is no one here to confide in when I need help except for Isla but it just isn't the same talking to her like it is to the others. I understand that this will be a big change for Av, but I think it will be a good change for her. She has very few friends here and Kat is her best friend and even she isn't there for her all the time. I know I went to school here and the teaching is good, but nothing compares to the way everything is taught in Rosewood and I just feel that the school there is better. Am I hoping I'll run into him? Maybe. I'm not sure yet. All I know is that I have always loved him and that love has never faded and I miss him more and more every day of my life," I said with tear filled eyes. I quietly excused myself from the kitchen and went upstairs to my bedroom and sat down on the bed. I reached over to my bedside table and opened the drawer and pulled out a photo of us. I missed him. His eyes, hair, voice, scent, and touch. Everything about him. I heard someone coming up the stairs and I quickly stuffed the picture back into the drawer. "Mommy?" I heard. I wiped my face and replied, "I'm in here sweet pea!" She walking in and came and sat down beside me on the bed. "Were they talking about y dad?" she asked with a strained voice. I looked t her and shook my head yes. I couldn't lie to my beautiful little girl. "Why doesn't grandpa like him?" "That is quite a long story, honey. But I tell you what, when grandpa and grandma leave tonight, I'll tell you all about it. I promise. You need to know the story sooner or later. Especially before we go back to Rosewood." I said to her. "Okay, deal!" she said as she gave me a hug. I took her hand and got up and walked back downstairs with her. My parents were witting at the table discussing something but stopped talking as soon as we walked back into the room. "We are sorry about earlier," said my dad. "It's fine," I said with a curt smile. I walked over to the oven and pulled out the casserole and set it on the counter. I grabbed four plates out of the cabinet and Av grabbed the napkins and silverware and set the table. I made everyone's plate and then sat down at the table. We ate in silence except for the small talk every now and then. After dinner my mom helped me clean up a little and then her and dad left. After they left I took Avalon upstairs to tell her the story as promised.
"Okay, are you ready?" I asked her. She nodded her head as she laid back on the bed. "Well, when I was sixteen, we moved back to Rosewood after being away for a year. We were here actually. We arrived home and I had to take your Uncle Mike to a lacrosse tryout and after I dropped him off I went to a little place called "The Grille". I was sitting there staring at a missing sing of one of my best friends Allison. I ordered a cheeseburger and there was this guy sitting down from me. We started talking and hit it off. We kissed and then I left. I got up the next morning and got ready for my first day back at school. When I got there, I walked into my first period class and found a seat and waited for the teacher to begin. Well it turns out that teacher was the guy that I had kissed the night before. We exchanged glances and I stayed after class. We tried to stop seeing each other but we couldn't and I tried to get transferred out of his class but the request ot declined. So I was stuck in his class. He quit and went to teach at Hollis, a college where your grandpa used to work at, and he became an English professor there. It was risky for us to still date but not as risky as it was when he was my teacher. We dated for a year and then I conceived you one night. Your grandpa found out and moved us back here. He doesn't like your daddy very much but you shouldn't worry about that. What you should know is that I love your daddy so so much. I think about him every day and no one can replace him. Not even Dan, who I thought I loved and I knew you liked him, but he didn't love me and he didn't want to be with me because of you and because he knew I still love your father. And when we get back to Rosewood, if we run into your dad, promise me that no matter if he is married or has other kids, that you won't get mad and that you will be polite to him. Try to form some sort of relationship with him. I promise you baby, he is a very good guy and he will love you." She looked at me and then began to speak, "Why didn't you try to contact him mommy? If you love him so much you should have contacted him and told him about me!" I looked at her and saw the hurt in her eyes. "I couldn't have any contact with him honey. I had to change my email and your grandpa checked everything I sent out and every phone call and text message I sent was monitored on the computer by him. I couldn't mail out any letters either or I would have. I promise I would have contacted him if I could. I could have contacted him as soon as I turned 21, but I figured by then it was too late and I shouldn't bother. I should have contacted him and told him about you though, Av. I guess I just thought that it would be better for him. I'm sorry," I replied. "It's okay, mom," she said with a smile and then she gave me a hug. She fell asleep about five minutes later and I drifted off not soon after.
"How much longer until we reach Rosewood?" She asked me. "We have another three hours," I said with a smile. "I can't wait to meet Aunt Spencer, Aunt Hannah, and Aunt Emily! And their kids!" she said with excitement. I smiled to myself thinking about their kids. I had pictures of them and I had shown them to Avalon. Spencer was married to Toby and they had a daughter named Fiona. Hanna was married to Caleb and together they had a son named Ricky. Emily was married to Paige and they had adopted a set of twins, a boy and a girl, whose names were Trinity and Parker. The next three hours flew by and before I knew it, we had arrived in Rosewood. We stepped off the train and we were greeted by a smiling Spencer and Fiona. We hugged each other and then I introduced myself to Fiona and Spencer introduced herself to Av. "Spence! I missed you so so so so so so much! Where are the others?" I asked her. "I missed you too! And they are all at work; I had to beg them to let me pick you up! They finally agreed knowing that you and I were always closest," she said with a smile. We grabbed mine and Av's bags and headed towards the car. "So, when is the rest of your things arriving?" she asked me. "Everything should be here by now. We went ahead and shipped everything out four days ago and put a two day rush on everything. I've already got an apartment and everything. Would you mind driving me by there real quick to see if everything has arrived?" I asked her. "Of course! Where is the apartment?" "It is the building right down from the high school. Where, you know, Ezra lives," I said while whispering the last part so Avalon wouldn't hear. "Aria! Are you serious?!" she asked me. "I checked everywhere, Spence. It was the only building with open apartments. And I am going in for an interview at the high school tomorrow to teach English. It works out. I can't help where I ended up. It is somewhere to live for now until I can look for a house," I responded. We drove to the building talking the entire time. Once we got there, we went up to where my apartment was and everything had made it inside. "It's a big place. I thought it would be smaller since his was tiny," said Spencer. "Every floor has different size apartments. This is one of the biggest ones," I replied. "It's nice. I like it," said Spencer. I gave her a smile and then we headed out the door down the hall. We got into the elevator and when we arrived at the main floor, I grabbed Avalon's hand and started out of the elevator doors. That was when I stopped dead in my tracks and my breath caught. "What's wrong mom?" asked Avalon. She followed my gaze and then her hand slipped from my grasp. "It's him isn't it?" she spoke again. "Aria! Why'd you stop.." Spencer stopped speaking and followed my gaze as well. With the mention of my name, he turned his head and his eyes locked with mine.