Page 106 of Never Will I Ever

Avery pulls back, and from the way his smile falters, I can tellthere’s something he hasn’t said.

The light, playful teasing that charged the air with electricity is gone, replaced with the same gut-wrenching worry from earlier when I whisper, “What’s wrong?”

“Actually, I do need to talk to you.”

A sense of foreboding hits me, along with a wave of nausea. Any variation of “we need to talk” is anxiety inducing at best, and his face does little to assuage it from ramping up even higher.

“What did he say?”

Avery shakes his head as he drops down on the mattress beside me, his face contorted in a grimace.

“Um…in short? The plan may have already worked.” His eyes lift to mine, the blue pools swirling with mixed emotions. “Elijah must’ve told his father about me when the kids got to do their calls home earlier this week, or maybe Colin said something after he did our check-ins. I’m not sure exactly, but the dean called my father and set a meeting for us to” —he lifts his hands and forms air quotes— “‘see what we can do’ about my expulsion.”

Relief floods my bloodstream, and I smile. “Well, that’s good news, right?”

After all, getting back into Foltyn is exactly what he wanted; the main reason Avery was here at camp in the first place. And while I hated the idea in the beginning—loathedbeing the more operative description—I’ll be happy if this ends up working out in his favor.

Avery nods and murmurs, “Yeah, I guess. My dad is confident it’s a done deal anyway.”

His lack of enthusiasm, paired with the frown on his lips, causes me to take pause, but I do my best to lighten the mood. “Then what’s the look for? We should be celebrating. Naked, preferably.”

I know the reaction he’d normally have to that offer: hisexpression would perk up instantly, gaze heating to a low simmer as his mind shifts to filthy, delicious places. Instead, all I get is a deepening frown until a line creases his forehead, and two sullen, lifeless eyes staring back at me.

“He wants me to go home.”

He drops the bomb so subtly, it takes a minute for me to register the damage it causes. But once I do, it’s like the rug has been ripped out from under me at the same time a linebacker slams into my stomach.

Like all oxygen has left the atmosphere, and I’m flailing in freefall.

The look on my face must portray my every thought—all the fear and disappointment consuming me in waves—because Avery moves to take my hand in his.

I don’t let him.

His jaw tightens, eyes shining with fury or sadness or maybe even both. “Kaleb…”

“He wants you to leave. Before camp is over?”

I don’t bother to keep the incredulity from my tone, causing Avery to wince before he nods. Frustration slams into me the moment he does, and I shove off the bed to walk across the tiny room.

“Why?”

Shaking his head, he offers up the most bullshit explanation ever. “He doesn’t think there’s a reason for me to stay. I did what I came here to do, and now I should enjoy what’s left of my summer back in the city before classes start up again.”

Of fucking course.

I scoff, crossing my arms. “And you said yes.”

It’s a statement, not a question.

We wouldn’t be having this conversation at all if it were a question.

A helpless expression paints his face, his gaze imploring me tounderstand when he murmurs, “He didn’t really make it seem like I had much of a choice.”

“Of course there’s a choice!” I snap, tossing my arms out to the side. “You’re an adult, Avery. You can do whatever the hell you want. He may be your father, but you aren’t beholden to him or his commands.”

“You know it’s not that simple.”

I can’t help it; I laugh. One of those maniacal, sanity-hanging-by-a-thread laughs, because this has to be some sort of joke.

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