The noise from the ticking clock sends me on edge. I look away from the kitchen and at the blank television screen. What am I supposed to do? Blake told me to rest, which has reduced me to sitting by and watching the rays of sunlight trickle past the window.

    As I rest on the couch, I'm left feeling bored and alone. I glance towards my phone resting on the coffee table and grin. The device lights up and a new message appears on the screen. As my eyes sweep over the dulling screen, I realise it's not the answer from Kyle I was hoping for.

'Busy today with studies, maybe another time?' - Kylie Boo.

Groaning with annoyance, I reach for the phone and pout. It's been a few days since I'd initially overhead Charlotte's love confession. Since then, well, Kyle has used every excuse under the sun to avoid hanging out together.

I don't understand it, what is he so afraid of? I know he doesn't want a relationship with Charlotte, heck the whole planet should know that by now. But why is he choosing to ignore me? Aren't I the one he should be confiding in, maybe asking for help? We've been best friends forever and I want to be there for him. Yet to figure out how I'm going to help.

    "Whatever, you do you, Kyle and I'll just, hm," I grumble. "I'll sit here and just be me."'

    I open the message app and reply to Kyle.

    'Okay then, another day.' - Ava.

    Locking the phone screen, I toss it onto the other couch and get up. I stretch out my legs and go for a walk to the kitchen for a glass of water. I hear the front door open and then the sound of Angela's voice calling out.

    "Ava, are you home?"

"Yeah, I'm in the kitchen," I reply.

    "Ah, there you are," says Angela as she submerges from the hallway.

    "Yup." I grin. "Is there something wrong?"

    "No, I just wanted to check on you since." Angela eyes off my stomach.

I wonder if Blake's left her hidden instructions or if she's genuinely worried. I know Angela would be worried, but I also know that Blake is rather sneaky and worried ever since the accident.

    "Welps, I'm great," I reply. "Coffee? Tea?"

    "Don't stress yourself over a coffee. How about you come to mine? I'll make you a healthy smoothie," says Angela.

    Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out what's worse; the bubble wrap Blake practically wrapped around me or being overly mothered by Angela, which is most likely Blake's doing.

"Oh, sure, that sounds nice." I suppose it beats being stuck in the house by myself. It becomes rather boring without the giggling laughter and the pattering of feet.

Closing the cupboard, I follow Angela down the hallway and into their house. I easily take a seat on the couch while she disappears down the hallway and into the kitchen. I hear the kettle boil and shortly later the blender goes off.

    Angela soon returns with a fruit smoothie and a coffee for herself. It sucks watching her drink the coffee because I know I can't have it. Ice coffees are the best, especially in the summer months.

    "So, how is the baby shower planning coming along?" she asks.

    "Really good." I nod my head. "Mum and I have just finished the plans and she's going shopping today to get everything for it." I was going to go shopping but because of the close call with the bub, I'm supposed to be resting.

"That sounds exciting."

    "Thank you." I smile.

    I was pretty against the baby shower until Mum managed to convince me. We looked at a few party games online and it sort of spiraled out of control there. I'm really excited for it and it means I get to socialise with people instead of talking to myself.

    "Is there anything I can help with?" she asks.

    "Uh, sure," I say. "Mum probably needs help with food or something." I shrug my shoulder.

    "Great, I'll have a chat and organise things with her. Do you have much left to plan?"

    "Hm, just a few more games and such, but I think everything should be covered. The guest list is on the small side because . . ." I frown. "I think it'll be fun."

I hate admitting that I don't have a lot of friends or the fact the people at the party are of awkward meetings - like Blake's ex-girlfriend. But hey, it's not always about how people meet, or the number that comes or the gifts you receive. It's about the people who are there and what they mean to you.

Sappy, but I think people secretly worries about themselves and their lives, even if they don't care, you know? You worry about being alone, you worry about falling off the face of the earth, and how people wouldn't notice you. Maybe I just worry about it? I happen to think it's a rather human thing. We live to be social, we care about others thoughts . . . even if you're the kind to deny it. Freedom is bittersweet, enchanting, exciting, most importantly, unobtainable.

    "I'm sure it'll be fun Ava," encourages Angela. "We'll play some games, get the music going . . ." Her eyes light up with excitement. Once you get the music going and people enjoy themselves, there's no stopping the amazing party that could be. The music is the foundation of a good party.

"Are you prepared for the birth?" Her question catches me completely off guard. I'm left gaping like an awkward fish.

"Um, yeah?"

I'm not sure how prepared you can be for it. Hiccups happen, babies are born and then they send you home like nothing has changed.

"I'm nervous as hell, but I don't think I can be any more organised about it."

"I read stories and researched birthing so that I knew every detail. It sort of help." Shrugs Angela. "Nothing could prepare me for Blake's birth." She rolls her eyes, her body shivering from the memories.

"That bad?" I ask.

"With Jude, he just about flipped out. Blake didn't wanna come out. The doctors had me pacing up and down the hallway until the bugger finally decided to come out. Painful labour that went on forever. Not to mention hearing other people screaming. Shit might as well have been in a horror film."

    "Shit, that doesn't sound good."

    "Have you ever watched a birthing video?" asks Angela.

    "No?"

    "Ava!" Angela shouts. "You should, that way you know what to expect."

    "Horror film just about covers it for me."

    "Come on, we'll watch one together." Angela places her coffee cup on the table and jumps out of the chair. She grabs her iPad off the television cabinet and then connects it to the television. I watch as she searches YouTube for something to watch. A numerous amount of videos pop on the screen from the search results.

    "Which one should we watch?" asks Angela.

    "Uh, we don't have to."

    "What about this one?" Angela clicks on the third video and settles back.

The video takes a couple of seconds to load and then the screaming mother appears on the screen. Someone is filming from down low seconds before the head begins to appear.

    "Oh my god, do we have to?" I gulp.

    "It's not that bad."

    There's a ton more screaming as the baby continues to slide out. As this happens, the woman poops herself and I almost gag.

    "I can't watch this." My heart pounds in my chest and I feel dizzy. The thought of childbirth loops in my mind along with all the horrible things that can happen. If I poop myself, I'd rather they not tell me about it. That would make me feel worse.

    Angela pauses the video and then comes over to hug me.

    "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." She wraps an arm around my shoulder and tugs me to her side. "If it helps, I never pooped with Jude and Blake."

    "Oddly, that kind of does."

    "Birthing sucks but you can do it. Afterwards, you have this beautiful baby and you hardly remember what it was like to be in pain. Plus, they come with painkillers and it's not always so bad. Tori's birth was pretty short. All those young muscles to push the baby out."

    "That also makes me feel better."

    "Research has its negatives and positives. It's better to know than to find out by experience."

    There's a knock at the door and we both jump. Blake walks through the sliding door and over to me.

    "What are you - ew - is that a birthing video?" Blake cringes at the image displayed on their large television screen.

    "We're researching," replies Angela.

    "Ava baby, it's okay." Blake takes a seat beside me and snaffles me off his mother. He wraps his around and holds me tight. "You shouldn't have done that," grumbles Blake.

    "What? I was helping."

    "No, now she's even more stressed about it,"

    "It's fine. Angela is right, I need to know these things."

    "Still, I don't want you to worry about it."

    "Okay." Angela turns off the television and takes a seat.

    "How's the baby shower coming along? I'm sure Mum's volunteered to run the show." Blake laughs, which earns a pouty look from Angela.

    "She agreed to cook and I like that, thank you very much!" I smile.

    "I might have to crash this party so that I can eat the food," says Blake.

    "You could come to the party." I smile. "Always good to have more people."

    "I've got some things planned with the boys, I think?" From the corner of my eye, I see Angela nod her head. This leaves me feeling suspicious about what's actually going down at the baby shower.

    "What things are you planning with the boys?" I ask.

    "Stuff." He shrugs his shoulders.

    "What stuff?"

    "Just a bit of fun, like a last weekend before the baby comes."

    "Oh okay, sounds fun."

    "Should be, Ava baby," he replies. "Now, is this baby video really helping?"

    "Hm, kind of. Did you want to watch it?" I ask.

    "Sure. If it helps you, then we'll do it together." With a giggle, Angela clicks play on the video and we go back to watching the baby emerge into the world. Blake's hand tenses around my arm and I hear him gag from the sight.

    "Is that?"

    "Poop," answers Angela.

    "And that." He cocks his head to the side and shivers. "This can't be helping anything."

    "It's . . ." I laugh.

    I cuddle into Blake's body and watch the video. He kisses the top of my head and reassures me that things will be okay. I guess if I hear it enough, I'll actually believe it. There's no denying the inevitable, I understand that. However, I can look forward to other things like the baby shower and the ideas that are being secretly planned behind my back.

    Here's to one last exciting adventure before my life changes forever.