“What has she done to him?” Jade asked, breaking the silence, making my parents struggle to hide their laughter.
That was the question, what had she done to me?
Chapter
XXVII
We had specific orders from my father not to drive anywhere without checking our surroundings first to see if we were being followed, we didn’t want to lead any undesirables home, after all. It was weird, waiting downstairs on Avery, it was weird too to be taking her to school and not simply seeing her there. But I was glad she was here in this space, regardless of however reluctant she was to accept the fact that I’d constantly try to protect her. After waiting around for five minutes, Avery strolled down the stairs, her hair slicked back and her face looking tense.
I had learned that Avery preferred telling you something was wrong instead of you bugging her about it. She pulled her bag further up on her shoulder, the one we had to recover from the café she had left it, and looked at me expectantly. Making a rash decision, I grabbed her hand and pulled her close to me, smiling at her surprise. She was not going to be mad at me for something so stupid.
“You can’t seriously be mad at me,” I whispered to her, acutely aware of how close her lips were to mine.
Avery sucked in a breath and shook her head infinitesimally. “I’m not. I’m more upset with myself,” she said quietly.
I let my eyes travel to her lips and I smiled again, shrugged. I pulled away from her casually. “Fine,” I said, checking my watch and noting her disappointment with a grin.
“W-What?”
“What is it?” I asked, making an attempt to look oblivious.
Avery narrowed her eyes at me and smoothed her hair down, looking annoyed. “Nothing, can we leave already?” she snapped, her pout very visible.
I bellowed, unable to contain my amusement at how she was acting. I slapped my knees while doubling over with laughter, she stood to the side glaring at me. I heaved a few breaths before heading over to her and giving her a kiss on the forehead despite her attempts to slap me. She grimaced and regarded me in irritated silence.
I smirked and shook my head momentarily. “Will you stop being so hormonal for a moment?”
Avery raised a brow, obviously not liking my attempts to tease her. She lifted her chin and headed to the front door, her arms folded tightly across her chest. I followed briskly, unable to properly stifle my laughter. I decided not to push her anymore, one jibe was enough for Avery. The air outside was still a little cool but Avery ignored it, tapping her foot impatiently by the van.
I paid her no mind and opened the door for her, if anything I was still a gentleman and chivalry certainly wasn’t dead for me. The van chortled, filling the air with fuzzy sounds. I backed out of the driveway cautiously, checking to see if Elijah had tracked us down some way or another but as usual, the roads were deserted. I exhaled deeply and tried to focus on driving. The radio buzzed eagerly in the background and filled the otherwise comfortable silence.
After a moment of pointless turns toward the long route to school, Avery spoke, barely audible above the radio. “Jason, what are people going to say when… both of us get to school together?”
I hadn’t thought about that in the least, but it was definitely an issue, unlike the other time Avery had driven with me so long ago, people were going to be milling around the parking lot when we arrived. The thing is, I wasn’t ashamed of having any dealings with Avery, but the circumstances weren’t exactly ideal—she was still officially with Dylan after all. Besides, people had already begun making assumptions that I spoke to her out of pity or to make Dylan jealous.
“Oh,” Avery said quietly, obviously misreading my silence. “You can leave me a street down if you want.”
I raised a brow at her and shook my head. “Stop being stupid, I wouldn’t do that.” It took me a moment to realize how what I said sounded. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
Instead of looking irritated, Avery looked thoughtful, staring out the window distantly and tapping her chin. I took another hard glance in the rearview mirror before looking at her once more, willing her to speak.
“There’s one thing we’re positive will happen though,” Avery muttered dejectedly. “There’ll be about three separate rumors by lunch.”
All I wanted today was obscurity, despite how often my wish wasn’t granted. It was funny that I could hardly remember how it felt to be obscure, you know, comfortable to walk around without faces turning in recognition. Something that Elijah had said so long ago had stuck with me, it was easy to stand out but easy to blend in at the same time. Maybe the only reason it seemed as if everyone noticed when I approached was because I expected it, I wanted it unknowingly.
We pulled into the already full parking lot and I struggled not to check if anyone was staring. I found a parking spot close to the entrance of the school before shutting the van off. The silence was deafening as if everyone held their breaths to see what absolutely intriguing thing I was bound to do next. I stepped out first, keeping my eyes on the ground—so far so good. No one seemed to notice me yet. I took a few confident steps, happy that I was finally obscure.
“Jason,” someone to my left called. I turned and noted an ordinarily pretty girl smiling at me.
I exhaled roughly and muttered to myself, “Guess obscurity takes a little more practice.”
The girl blinked but smiled anyway, completely unaware of what I was saying. And that was when I heard it; a few whispers floating in and out of hearing range.
“Why’s she with him?”
“Did Jason take her to school?”
“What is she wearing?”
I heard Avery’s irritated huff when someone pushed a phone in her face, showing her the ‘romantic’ picture we took Saturday. I could barely hear the mocking remarks demanding if she knew. I sighed; I had forgotten all about that.
“No, sorry,” Avery said in an awfully sweet voice, I had to do a double-take. “But move out of my face before I break your nose.” She regarded each of them with a smile before sauntering off toward the school entrance. No one said anything to contest what she said because there was no doubt that she would follow through.
I sighed and pushed my way through the growing crowd while a tumult of theories flowed in and out of hearing range, they didn’t even seem affected by the fact that I was able to hear them. I exhaled heavily and made my way into the school corridors. I could tell that this would be a long day.
I made it through my first few classes without much incident, pretending to immerse myself in note-taking and assignments so no one would be courageous enough to interrupt me. My façade lasted long enough through my first few classes but not through lunch. Lunch was like a feeding frenzy, everyone eager to get their two cents in and match theories. I stayed in the hallway a bit longer, idly by the water fountain, willing the hordes of rumors away. Someone snuck behind me and placed their fingers over my eyes, blocking my view of the hallway in front of me.
I pried the person’s fingers from my eyes and faced them. My eyes widened at the sight of Gina, who was smiling brightly at me. I raised a brow and tentatively pulled my hand from her grasp. I had assumed from the science fair that we’d be parting ways, not bothering with the false hope of being friends.
“Uh, hey Gina?” I asked, looking down quizzically at her smiling face.
Gina placed her hand on my arm casually, I flinched though, ready to recoil. “Hey stranger.”
I gaped at her in astonishment, slightly amused. “What’s up?” I asked, subconsciously looking around to see if anyone was coming our way. The few people milling about didn’t seem affected by our conversation. I sighed, relieved.
“Nothing, I’m just here,” she lilted, snaking her hands around my neck.
Before I could react from my initial surprise, she pulled my head down to her level and planted her lips on mine, despite my obvious refusal to respond. By the time I managed to gently push her away, I heard Avery’s voi
ce.
“I can’t believe you!” she exclaimed.
“It’s not what you think,” I said hurriedly, turning around.
The thing was, she wasn’t looking at me, she was a few feet away and staring at Dylan and an unrecognizable girl, her face looked about ready to implode. “All this started from a bet?” I heard her ask, her voice twisting with anger.
Dylan scratched his neck uncomfortably. “It did but then we actually had so much in common that—”
“Save it,” Avery muttered, placing her palm in front of his face and sidestepping him. “You’re pathetic.”
As she was walking by, her eyes met mine, but she didn’t look particularly relieved, she actually looked hurt. I sighed and turned to face Gina who was watching me, her hands across her chest self-consciously. I didn’t want to hurt her, in fact that was the last thing I wanted to do. I didn’t want her to have the same devastated look Avery had.
“Gina, I’m so sorry—”
“It’s okay,” she said interrupting me and smiling sadly. “I guess I set myself up for that one.”
I smiled helpfully at her while I felt a persistent itch to go check on Avery but I had to do the right thing and be the good guy for once and ensure she was okay first.
“You can go, you know. It’s fine, I get it,” she said, with a small smile.
I nodded and bent to give her a hug, one that reeked of finality and placation. This seemed like a closed chapter, but I knew there was always room for an epilogue. I called a brief ‘see you later’ to Gina before heading in the direction Avery had gone, down the staircase and toward where the gym was located, where the pool was. For some reason, I knew she would’ve been in there. If it was me in the situation I would’ve chosen here as well, I think it offered some rare solitude. Of course, that would be exactly what I was taking from her but I couldn’t convince myself not to go.
Inside, she faced the water and was frowning, no one else had swimming class at this time so we were completely alone. There was the possibility of getting in trouble because the pool was a restricted area floating around in my mind. I took a good look at Avery, she didn’t seem thoroughly upset, just a little miffed, as if her ego took some bruising.
She broke the long silence first. “A bet, can you believe it?”
I shrugged. “No, I assumed he was prince charming.”
Avery snorted and turned to me with a small smile. “You’re confused. I guess I’m just surprised he didn’t actually like me.”
“I’m sure he did after getting to know you.”
Avery sighed and hiked her bag further up her shoulder, looking deflated. “You’re the only idiot that actually likes me.”
“Hey!” I exclaimed, feigning hurt. “I’m no idiot. Besides your infatuation was becoming a bit overwhelming so I decided to humor you.”
Avery rolled her eyes but chuckled all the same, strolling by me to the exit. “Your ego is almost as big as your head and that’s saying a lot.”
It was nice, just joking around and making fun of each other. For a moment I felt normal, free from everyone’s microscopic gaze until Avery spoke suddenly, her hand stalled on the door. “Some fan girl of yours actually threatened me today.”
My smile melted away instantaneously as I tried to decipher if she was being serious or not, her face was quite impassive. “I—”
“This really hard for me,” she declared. “And no one knows about this—” awkward hand gesture— “whatever this is. This adoration is scary.”
I swallowed, scary was limiting how it actually felt, it was downright terrifying sometimes, but I didn’t let on. I could handle it, I had to. “Don’t worry about her,” I said nonchalantly. “They’re just jealous.”
“I get that, but what happens when jealousy turns into something more?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
I sighed and said quietly, “That’s when we fight our way out.”
Avery nodded and cast her eyes downward. She and I both knew what I meant, yes, and it was unnerving. Imagine trying to focus in school with all the things going on around us, it was a challenge but for right now it felt invigorating, as if there was a rush of adrenaline to encourage us along the way. Of course, I didn’t tell Avery this because she would have been so annoyed she would’ve stopped speaking to me. The thing was, we couldn’t afford to turn on each other right now because one wrong move and we’d be over and done with.
I think I knew and she knew that sooner or later it would be inevitable that we would have to face Elijah, I just wasn’t sure we were ready. I didn’t think we ever would be. The whole thing was so unsettling that my thoughts were muddled with plans of escape and retaliation.
There were no incriminating rumors about Avery and I, thankfully, at the end of the school day. But I still had a nagging feeling they were suspicious, but probably couldn’t put their finger on it. It was hard to not act flippant and grab her hand in the hallway without a care and shoot a look at the people who eyed us enquiringly. At the same time, though, it was easy because Avery and I only had one class together—Chemistry. We managed to keep quiet and managed to not converse more than was absolutely necessary. Although Avery did make a show of casting her eyes from one wall, to the ceiling then to the other wall and then back to the desk when someone looked around at us.
It was easy to leave undetected because no one liked lingering at school any longer than absolutely necessary on a Monday. We just had to wait roughly twenty minutes and the parking lot was completely deserted. Avery seemed happy to put aside the façade of being disinterested—I mean come on, look at me. As soon as we got into the van, she sighed, relieved.
“Today was terrible,” she said with a chuckle as I pulled out of the parking lot.
I smiled at her briefly. “I’m ready any time you are.”
Avery smiled but shook her head sadly. “Would you believe that I’m the one reluctant to tell anyone?”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Yeah, because I’m so embarrassing to be around.”
“Hard as it is to believe, I don’t like being hated,” she admitted.
“No one will hate you.”
Avery placed her hand on my arm and snorted. “Thanks for wanting people to know about… ‘us’. It’s a major confidence booster but…but I just can’t stand everyone being judgmental.”
I nodded supportively at her. “It’s hard, I get it. There are problems that come along with it that’s for sure.”
Avery released her seat belt and leaned over to kiss me next to my mouth. I smiled in response but gently eased her away. “Ah, kissing and driving, isn’t exactly safe. I may drive into a ditch.”
She pouted at me but settled into the seat, pulling the seatbelt over her torso. “I’m starving,” she muttered, pulling the glove compartment and rifling through it.
I spared her a glance and smiled knowingly. “When are you so talkative? I’m accustomed to you sulking.”
“I know, but I’m just so happy, I’m not sure why but today’s the nicest I’ve had in a while.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Where everyone was indirectly staring at you?”
Avery ducked her head in response. “It wasn’t that, it’s just that being here with you, going through all this… it’s different, nicer…”
My brows rose significantly as I considered her words. I played it off with a grin. “Avery, I’d never thought I’d see the day you get soft on me.”
She rolled her eyes as we pulled into the driveway, I sighed seeing my father’s car already parked there. It shouldn’t have surprised me he was taking this seriously; I was actually glad he was. But there was something about him being there that felt eerie. I parked and we got out, our expressions no longer cheery, this was dangerous, we knew. We headed inside together, ready to make a game plan, Elijah would strike soon.
Elijah came at 10. And it was all my fault.
Chapter
XXVIII
Inside, my father was on the phone and he seeme
d more than a bit perturbed. I sighed inaudibly and let my bag fall where I stood. It was horrible that I was causing my family this much stress, especially over a girl. Avery was silent beside me, fingering the vase that stood off to the side—not seeming as if she was even present. I was the only one in the room who was fidgety, I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting everywhere with every sharp intake of breath my father took.
He finally hung up the phone and gave both of us a long, impassive stare. “I called the authorities where you lived, Avery. Apparently, they’ve been watching Elijah for some time.”
Was it weird to not where someone important to you actually lived? “Where did you live Avery?” I quipped up.
Avery stiffened and my father cast his gaze downward, wherever it was, it couldn’t be worse than Aspiration Park that’s for sure. Besides, why did my father know and I didn’t? It just felt a little pointless to me because, if anything, I wasn’t judgmental. But despite my expectant looks Avery kept her gaze firmly on the ground. I gave up, it made absolutely no sense.
After it was obvious that neither of them were going to speak, I exhaled in irritation. “So, what are they going to do?” I queried, looking at my father.
“Well, it’s outside their jurisdiction and so far, they only have petty charges against him. Nothing that can help us to nab him before—before something happens.”
I swallowed audibly. It seemed clearer now than before, especially since my father was so quick to want to fix things. “Thanks for your help,” I managed to get out over my apprehension.
Avery looked up and pressed her palm to her forehead, while using her other hand to cup her elbow. “I know what I have to do,” she mumbled, making my father stop in his tracks. “I have to go home and tell them everything.”
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