When His Eyes Opened

Chapter 17

The car sped past Avery, leaving a trail of dust.

She lifted her head and saw the blurry tail lights of the Rolls-Roice in the darkness.

Was that Elliot’s car?

She wiped the tears off her face, calmed herself down, and walked toward the house.

She saw the car parked in the courtyard when she arrived.

She waited outside in hopes of going in after Elliot had gone to his room.

Her eyes stung. She looked up at the stars shining brightly in the night sky.

It was a beautiful spring night.

Before she knew it, she had been standing outside for an hour.

The driver had already moved the car into the garage.

The lights in the living room were still on, but there was nobody in sight.

Avery felt normal, so she walked slowly into the house.

On the veranda on the second floor, Elliot, dressed in a grey robe, was sitting in his wheelchair. The last dregs of wine sat at the bottom of his wine glass.

He had watched Avery the entire hour that she had stood outside in the cold.

He could not figure out the thoughts that would lead her to spend an entire hour out in the cold. She was so still that she could have easily blended in with the trees that stood next to her.

Elliot had met countless intelligent minds in his lifetime because they were the only people worthy enough to stand by his side.

However, Avery was an exception.

He did not consider her bright because she had provoked him despite knowing what kind of man he was.

She was an extremely foolish woman.

Seeing her miserable, however, affected his mood in a peculiar way.

It was a feeling that he had never felt before.

……

was because of the cold wind, but Avery’s head felt heavy by the time she got to

the closet, wrapped herself in it, and fell into a

sweated all night, ridding herself of the chill from the

next morning, aside from feeling

changed into clean clothes, and

to the dining room,

he had breakfast?”

Elliot hasn’t

this, Avery picked up her glass of milk and a piece of toast, then began to

was done eating

of him, Madam?”

don’t want to see him,” Avery said, then

after spending a little more time together,” said Mrs. Cooper. “Will you be coming home for

have something to do on campus today, so I won’t

Mrs. Cooper said. She left, intending to inform the

I’ll just take a cab. He can

Elliot and one for the odd jobs. I’ll

not

driver and said, “Thank you. You can head

to Avery, tapped her on the shoulder,

in her best friend

you,” Avery said as they walked into campus together. “Tammy, I don’t think I can go to

her tracks and said, “Is it because of your family? I heard about your

and said, “Actually, I never really wanted to go to

marrying your boyfriend after graduation, right?” Tammy said. “When are you going to introduce me

Avery was taken aback.

had only told her mother of what had happened with

classmates only knew that she was dating someone but had

She then took a deep breath and said, “Do you know what it feels like to have someone completely

said, “Forget about that, Avery. We’re still young. Just think of it as a lesson learned.

myself than a

grow,” Tammy sighed. “You were completely love-struck before summer

shook her head and said, “I just hope I can take care of myself

at top of the class in both majors. The sky’s the limit for someone like you!”

cheeks flushed at the

Tammy left the campus together. They had planned to have

gates, Tammy instantly

Isn’t that the Mr. Portia who dropped you off this

still remembered