Free Ava's Wishes by Karen Pokras

and talked way too much. She really wished Max would kiss her already. She pretended to be searching for her keys in her purse, even though she knew they were in her coat pocket.
    “So,” Max began, “I know we kind of got off to a weird start with you seeing me naked, and me shoving you up against a wall to kiss you, and all.”
    “Yeah, that was a bit out of the ordinary and admittedly awkward,” Ava agreed.
     “Do you think we could start over, maybe?”
     Ava smiled and nodded. “Sure.” She was already feeling more relaxed.
    “Hi, I’m Max Wallis, I’m a senior at Wolfenson College where I tutor statistics. It’s nice to meet you.” Max stuck out his hand in arm-shake fashion.
    Ava giggled, replying, “It’s very nice to meet you, Max Wallis, I’m Ava Haines. I’m also a senior at Wolfenson College, and I happen to need a statistics tutor. I heard you’re very good.” She took his hand and gently shook it.
    Max pulled Ava’s arm slightly toward him and leaned in for a kiss ... a soft, lingering kiss. While so different than their first kiss, there was no mistaking that Ava felt the same level of weakness in her knees.
    “I’d be happy to tutor you. Would tomorrow afternoon work? Two o’clock, usual spot?” Max asked, pulling away slowly.
    “Definitely,” Ava whispered, barely able to recover.
     
     
    Chapter 17
     
    “No, Carly, we’ve been through this before. You can’t come with me,” Ava said. “It’s a tutoring session.”
    Carly pulled a low cut blouse out of Ava’s closet and handed it to her friend to wear. “No,” Ava said, hanging it back in her closet, before finding and putting on a casual sweater. “I repeat, it’s a tutoring session.”
    “Do you always do your hair like that for a tutoring session?” Carly joked.
    “You don’t want me to look like a complete slob, do you?” Ava responded.
    “Well, can I at least tell you I told you so ?” Carly asked.
    “What did you tell me ?” Ava wanted to know.
    “I told you that you two would wind up together,” she stated.
    “I have no recollection of you ever saying that. I only recall you stating he was hot … so yes, I agree, he’s hot.” Ava smiled. “Totally hot.”
    “And I told you he was into you, remember?”
    “Maybe.” Ava grinned.
    “So, um, what are you going to do about Thomas?” Carly asked.
    “I don’t know,” Ava said. To be honest, she hadn’t given Thomas much thought since last night. She guessed she’d just be honest with him. It was probably a good idea to get their relationship back on a business track anyway with his exhibit coming up soon. “I’ll figure something out. Right now, I need to concentrate on studying.”
    Carly laughed. “Studying … right. Last I heard, the library’s a public place. If I want to sit and watch from across the room, you can’t stop me,” she added.
    “Carly!”
    “Oh, please. It’s not like you two are going to be able to do anything good there anyway. Besides, I don’t want to break my perfect record.”
    Ava was afraid to ask, but she knew Carly would keep talking until she did. “Record for what?”
    “I’m determined to be the first person to graduate Wolfenson without ever stepping foot in the library.” Carly smiled. “Anyway, I have to run, I’ve got studio time booked. You’ll text me all the under the table details later, right, Ava?”
    Ava looked up at Carly and rolled her eyes.
    “So the library … that’s the big building in the center of campus with the dome?” Carly asked as she skirted out the door of Ava’s apartment.
    She waited for the door to close before she fixed her hair one more time and applied some makeup.
     
    ~~~
     
    Ava looked at the clock. Two fifteen. Max did say two o’clock, didn’t he? She supposed she was a tad bit distracted. Maybe he said three, or perhaps he meant the study room and not the table where they had worked before. Usual spot could mean either now that she thought about it.