Page 118 of Reaching Avery
“I will,” I said, hoping it wasn’t a lie. I’d try to stop: if not for myself than for my little brother. “Sorry you had to see me like that. You know… that night.”
Declan looked away. “It’s in the past.”
If only everything could be so simple.
***
Clackity. Clickety. Clack.I tuned into the rhythm of the train on the rail. The rhythmic sound stopped only briefly before finding another gap in the track and continuing its beat. And then the whistle—three short wails in the air.
I sat back from my usual place on the grass as the train passed. No, it wasn’t justmyspot anymore; it was Mav’s too. Maybe that’s why I’d gone out there that night.
I missed him.
Not to be melodramatic, but I hadn’t talked to him much since all of that crap happened Wednesday. On Thursday, I’d reverted back to my aloof self and had barely said two words to him that morning. He’d walked me to biology, and we’d taken our exam—which IthinkI passed. At lunch, we had made small talk, but weneverbrought up what happened with that David guy. Even Ricky and Travis stayed quiet about it, and by the looks they got from Maverick, I assumed that was why.
I didn’t go to school Friday. Since it was a free day in basically all the classes, I didn’t see a point… and I might’ve been avoiding everyone.
Maverick had more shows forBeauty and the BeastFriday and Saturday night, which I had attended because there was no way I was missing them. But apart from me helping him a bit between scenes and the—sort of awkward—kiss on the cheek when he dropped me off at home, not much was said between us.
Now it’s Monday night, and I haven’t seen him in days.
We were on Thanksgiving break so we didn’t have school for a week.
I audibly exhaled and stretched out my legs. The train had passed, and not even its horn could be heard in the distance anymore. Everything was silent, as it normally was that time of night. My eyes had mostly adjusted to the dark, but I couldn’t see too far ahead of me due to the lack of light.
Just dark shapes and the tree line. The opening above me allowed some of the moon’s light to shine down, but clouds drifting across the sky occasionally blocked that too.
Snuggling more into my hoodie, I tried to block out the chill of late fall. The ground was cold under my butt, and I shifted around. The lack of meat on my bones was a huge downfall in those situations. It was probably a bad idea to keep coming out there so late, now that the colder weather was coming in, but I couldn’t stay away for long.
Snap.
I flipped around at the sound, searching the darkness for whatever had caused it. Something was ambling toward me—clumsily. I smiled, knowing exactly who it was.
“Avery?” Maverick called. “If you’re over there, please say something. I can’t see well, and I see a black mass sitting near your spot, and if it’snotyou, then I’m gonna run like hell back to my car.”
I hadn’t even heard him drive up—or seen his headlights. I must’ve been zoning way more than I realized.
“Oh look, Vladimir,” I said in my best vampiric accent. “Fresh vlood has vandered into our den.”
Maverick’s steps halted. “Um, what?”
“Hear his heartbeat?” I continued like the evil spawn of evil I was. “The vlood that runs through his veins.”
I picked up a stick and tossed it his way, and the scream of horror that followed had me laughing so hard, I cried.
“Dammit, Avery! I almost pissed myself.”
And that, of course, made me laugh harder until I was on my side on the ground with tears streaming down my face.
He slipped his arms under mine and brought me to a sitting position as he plopped down on the grass. As his warmth enclosed me, the giggles stopped, and I turned my face into his neck. God, he smelled good.
I hadn’t realized how much I needed his arms around me until that moment. It was as if all the stress and anxiety fled at his embrace, like light chasing away the dark.
“Did I do something to push you away?” he asked against my ear.
“No,” I answered, looking up at him. It was hard to see his expression, but by the sadness in his voice, I had a good picture of what it probably looked like. “I’m not sure why I’ve been acting so weird. I think a big part of it is I’m ashamed.”
“Of what?” he asked, tightening his hold on me as if he were afraid I was about to bolt. Taking into consideration my history of doing such things, I couldn’t blame him. “So what if your mom works at a strip club. I mean, she deserves way better than that and I’m sure it upsets you that she does. But I don’t think badly of her for doing what she needs to do to get by.” He pressed his cheek to mine. “I love you, Avery, and I’m not going anywhere.”
I didn’t know whether to smile or cry. It was the first time he’d actually come out and said the words, instead of skirting around it.
“You can’t love me, Mav,” I said, despising myself for bringing down the mood. “You don’t even know the real me.”
“Then, show me the real you.” His arms were like barricades around me. “Please.”
Maybe it was because it was dark and I couldn’t fully see his face, but I decided it was now or never. I just hoped he still wanted me when it was over.
