Princess Sparkles Returns

Summer dropped the phone on the floor behind her and rested her head back on the arm of the couch she was lying on. She pulled the lilac mohair blanket over her body, and closed her eyes going over the conversation in her head. She was so stupid, so, so stupid. Why did she run away from Newport in the first place? She'd have to return in a year or so for Ryan and Marissa's wedding. She always knew those two would get engaged someday, they were perfect for each other. In a dysfunctional sort of way. Her thoughts drifted back to high school, the morning she found out about Theresa's pregnancy, her and Cohen were standing outside the coffee cart and she had basically the same conversation with him as she was thinking about in her head.

Summer rolled off the couch and walked into the kitchen, she grabbed an expensive wine glass and filled it with red wine.

"Ava, do you have to have the TV on so loud next time I'm on the phone?"

Summer took a sip of the red swirling liquid and walked into the living room

"Sorry mommy, who's Marissa?"

"Someone from my old life"

Ava looked at her quizzically but turned back to the cartoons and finished off her now cold noodles.

Summer took another couple of sips "Hun, you got to get to bed"

"Mommy, please just till the cartoon finishes?"

Summer sighed and gave in "All right, but just till the end of this okay"

Ava, once again mesmerized by the TV nodded in agreement with her mom.

About five minutes later Summer watched her small daughter walk down the hall towards her bedroom. They had spent so long doing up her bedroom to make it how she wanted. One wall was pale pink with tiny ballet dancing mice, bordering the top and bottom. One narrow wall was taken up by a window, the opposite wall was a mural done by Ava herself and the final wall had a painting of a princess's castle in the sky, so the remaining space was blue with fluffy white clouds. The rest of the apartment was modern and looked like something out of a Lifestyle magazine, Summer loved living here, she loved her new life in New York. But she missed something in Newport, nothing she was going to face just yet.

She eventually got up from the couch and checked on Ava who was in her pajamas and standing in the bathroom on her toes brushing her teeth with her Finding Nemo toothpaste. Summer walked across the hall to her bedroom and changed out of her clothes into juicy track pants and a white racer back top. There was a sudden knocking on the door, Summer checked on Ava quickly who was arranging all her toys on her bed, "Ava stay in your bedroom"

She didn't wait for an answer, but walked towards the door and looked through the glassy eye hole. "Shit". As soon as she saw the messy blonde hair and blue eyes she knew it was him

Summer leaned back against the door, calming herself. He drummed his fingers along the door, almost where Summer's lower back was. She jumped forwards and opened the door ajar.

"Hey Summ, I thought you'd never open up"

"Jake, I've told you I don't want to speak to you"

"I just need to return something"

Summer exhaled sharply obviously annoyed "What could you possibly need to return so urgently at-"Summer checked her watch "9 o'clock?"

"This" Jake waved a faded plastic horse in front of her face "I thought Ava couldn't possibly sleep without it"

"Thank you Jake for dropping it off" Summer stuck her hand out between the door expecting the horse "The horse Jake?" Summer felt a twist in her stomach as she saw the horse that had once been hers in the hands of someone so filthy like Jake.

"Actually I think I'd like to give it to her myself"

"I'm sorry that's not possible she's asleep"

"Not without her horse she's not"

"Jake, why are you doing this? Is it simply to annoy me?"

"Oh, I'm not sure, I'm just doing a good deed" He flashed a smile that was almost villainous

"You're so immature" Summer glared at him

Suddenly the heavy wooden door shoved Summer backwards as he entered.

"Get the fuck out" Summer said under her breath

She regained her balance and stood in front of him "Your are not coming into my house" She regained her balance and stood in his way

"Oh Summer, don't be so harsh, I'm your friend'" He pushed Summer backwards, she knocked her head unexpectedly on a small table but still she stood up and tried to push him out.

"Friends don't hurt each other" Summer's voice had gotten small now "Friend's don't force their way into their friends apartments when their not welcome"

"I was given a key, I assumed I was welcome?"

He dropped the silver key on the table that had collided with Summer's head

"Well your not"

Jake raised a hand and slapped Summer's face, sending her toppling onto the hard floor

"Well I'm getting mixed messages here Summer, I have a key to your apartment but I'm not welcome here?" His voice was filled with rage

"Lower your goddamn voice, Ava is trying to sleep"

Jake kicked her stomach "Now, let me just return this and I'll be on my way"

Hot tears poured down Summer's cheeks as she clambered up, bending over in pain from her stomach. She limped slowly towards her daughter's bedroom.

Ava was organizing her soft toys on her bed still; she was looking for Princess Sparkles. Ava ambled over to her desk with all her colored pens on it, and looked in all her drawers. She checked under her bed once more and called out to her mom.

"Mommy! I can't find Princess Sparkles"

Ava sat up on her bed, waiting for an answer from her mom.

"Mommy-"

"Hello Ava"

Ava watched unsurely as Jake entered her bedroom with Princess Sparkles clasped in his hand

"Did mommy give you Princess Sparkles to bring to me?"

"No you left this at my apartment remember?"

"Um..." Ava's large brown eyes became worried "Jake I want mommy to tuck me in"

"Your mommy doesn't want to tuck you in"

"I don't believe you, she always says goodnight to me"

"Why do you need her to tuck you in when I can say goodnight to you?"

"Because your not mommy and I don't like you!"

Jakes eyes flashed with rage

He grabbed her ponytail and yanked her off the bed, Ava's high-pitched scream echoed through the house, she began beating at his chest with her small fists "Jake, let go" she wailed

Summer heard her daughter's voice and her tears began to pour faster, she hobbled into Ava's bedroom and gasped when she saw Jake pulling her by the hair.

"Get the fuck off her"

Jake laughed a little louder

Summer bit her bottom lip not knowing what to do; she shoved her foot into his back which sent him coiling to the side "Jake let go of her hair, I'm calling the police"

Jake released his grip from her hair; Ava ran to her mom and wrapped her arms around her waist, sobbing uncontrollably. "Sure, go ahead, call the Police Summer, but if you tell them or anyone, I will come back" He threw Princess Sparkles on the floor and stormed out of the apartment.

Summer tried to help Ava onto the bed but she was too sore, Ava however crawled onto her bed herself and Summer lay down beside her, wrapping a protective arm around her body and whispering comforting words into her ear. She heard Ava's breathes get steadier and the sobs fade away before she tried to get some sleep herself.

What did ya think about that chapter?!

Just to clear some stuff up, Summer hasn't told anyone from Newport about Ava yet...! Please review! i need your opinions and suggestions!

xxx