Ava stepped off the bus, her hood up to hide the bruises that covered her face, and looked around. Summer Bay didn't seem like the sort of place that her brothers would live in, but it had been three years since she had even spoken to them, and she knew better than anyone that a lot can change in that time.
Walking along the beach a little, Ava spotted a diner and headed inside, taking a seat in the far corner, and pulling out her phone. Reaching into her bag, she grabbed the piece of paper with her brothers number on it, and dialed, hitting the call button. It seemed to ring forever, before it went to voicemail, and Ava listened waiting for the beep so that she could leave a message.
"Brax, it's Ava... I'm in Summer Bay at some diner... can you just come and get me please?" Ava said hanging up, and putting the phone back into her pocket.
"Can I get you anything darl?" A lady asked as she approached the table, making Ava jump a little, "I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's fine," Ava replied her voice quiet as she reached into her pocket for her money, "Could I just get a black coffee please?"
"Sure thing," The lady said walking away, and returning five minutes later with her coffee, "Here you go, is there anything I can help you with... I've not seen you around here before?"
"I'm just waiting for someone," Ava mumbled keeping her eyes on the table, and her head bowed so that the woman couldn't see her face.
"That's okay, if you need anything else just give me a shout."
Ava drank her coffee, glancing up at the door every now and again, hoping to see Brax walk in but so far he hadn't. She had been sitting staring into her empty cup for half an hour, when a familiar voice caught her attention, and she looked up to see her brother Casey walking in with a group of people. She watched him approach the counter, before standing up and leaving the diner, bumping into someone as she did.
"I'm sorry," Ava stated not looking up until a pair of strong hands grabbed her arms, making her flinch and look up at the person holding her, "Brax."
Brax stared at her for a few minutes, shock clear on his face, and Ava couldn't help but turn her gaze down to the floor. After a few minutes, he pulled her into a hug, and Ava couldn't hold back the tears anymore allowing them to fall down her face.
"Come on, lets get you out of here," Brax whispered guiding Ava away from the diner, and down onto the beach. They didn't walk for long, before sitting down on the sand, and staring out at the ocean which stretched out before them. The sea breeze made Ava shiver, pulling her out of her stupor, and only then did she realize that Brax was watching her, "What happened?"
"I said some things that I should have kept to myself, and I got punished for it," Ava stated noticing the anger flash in Brax's eyes.
"Do they know you left?" Brax asked.
"They probably do by now, and it won't take them long to figure out where I am, so I won't stick around long... I just really wanted to see you, Heath and Casey."
"Why didn't you come before or call?"
"I've run away loads of times, but because I didn't know where you were, I had nowhere to go. I had help this time...," Ava explained.
"From who?"
"Someone I met in the city, she's done business with Rex a few times."
Brax nodded, turning when he heard his name being called, and stood up when they were approached by a brunette woman, who eyed Ava suspiciously. Ava wasn't very good around strangers, since she rarely got to go out in the city, and if she did it would be to somewhere she had been numerous times... a drugs delivery or a money collection of some sort.
"Who's this?" The brunette asked as Ava stepped closer to Brax.
"Charlie, this is Ava my little sister... Ava this is Charlie my girlfriend."
"Sister?" Charlie repeated.
"It's a long story, but I'll explain everything later... I really need to get her back to the house."
Charlie was still staring at Ava, who was starting to feel extremely uncomfortable, and was playing with her bag strap to distract herself. After what seemed like hours, Charlie kissed Brax's cheek, and walked away, glancing over a few time before leaving the beach.
Brax didn't say anything, instead he slipped his arm around her shoulders, and guided her towards a truck. The drive was silent, although Ava could feel Brax watching her out the corner of his eye, and kept her gaze on the scenery that rushed by.
Ava soon found herself in a kitchen, with Brax cleaning up the cut above her eye, and getting rid of the blood that she had missed. He hadn't spoken since they left the beach, apart from a few muttered 'sorrys' when she flinched as he dabbed the cut, and she was starting to think that she had made him angry.
"Why don't you go take a shower... I'll get you a towel and then we can talk some more?" Brax suggested when he was satisfied with his clean up job.
"Okay."
Ava waited for a towel, then locked the bathroom door, undressing and stepping under the shower. The water washed over her, as she laid her head against the tiled wall, and allowed the tears to fall down her face... the mixture of emotions that she was feeling too much to handle.
