Page 16 of Reaching Avery
Wait… romance? Why did I think that?
“Avery Kinkead?” Mrs. Brown asked, scanning the faces of the students in front of her before focusing on me. “Ah, there you are. You’ll be partnered with Ben Benson.”
I had to contain a grimace. Someone actually named their kid Ben Benson? Poor kid. I had no idea what the guy even looked like, so I studied the other rows of students, trying to see if I could spot him.
When I made eye contact with an equally confused face, I shyly smiled, as did he. He had red hair that was stuck-up in the front, and his smile was kind. Definitely not the face of some douchebag.
Maybe the partner thing wouldn’t be so bad.
I didn’t get a chance to talk to him or even introduce myself—not like I would’ve initiated such a thing anyway.
Class ended, and I went to my Study of Fine Arts class, which was actually awesome. In it, we learned about artists from history and also about the history of art itself, going into a rundown of all types of art and the eras in which they came into being.
Wanting to be an architect, I loved art. When it came to drawing people, I sucked. I mean, I could barely even draw stick people. But I loved drawing buildings and landscapes. Just something about creating something from nothing called to me.
At lunch, I sat by myself again. Not because I didn’twantfriends, but because I had a hard time making them.
“Hi,” a quiet voice said, and I looked up to see Ben Benson from biology. His cheeks were bright pink and his nervous expression was all too relatable. His brown eyes darted around the cafeteria before settling back on me. “Is it okay if I sit with you?”
“Sure,” I answered, motioning to the seat in front of me. “I’m Avery. You’re Ben, right?” I knew who he was, but I asked it anyway just to make conversation.
He nodded and placed his tray down before sitting.
Looks like I didn’t have to worry about initiating our meeting anymore at least, which would make the project next week less stressful.
We didn’t talk much over lunch, but it was a comfortable silence; one of two people who preferred the silence, and who enjoyed such a thing with a like-minded person. The little bit wedidtalk, I discovered he was also a senior and had lived in Port Haven all of his life. I didn’t tell him much about my own life, other than I had a younger brother and had moved here over the summer.
Once lunch was over, I said bye to Ben before walking to the performing arts building.
It was the one class I dreaded most every day. Mr. Lee was nice and everything, and so were the other students, but I hated talking in front of people. Sometimes the exercises Mr. Lee had us do were crazy things like going around in a circle and having each person act something out. They were called ice-breaker challenges or something weird like that—basically a way to loosen us up before each class.
I loathed it.
I entered the auditorium, and my stomach was queasy with nerves as it always was when I approached the stage where everyone was sitting.
“Good afternoon, Avery,” Mr. Lee said with a smile. He was the only teacher who had learned every person’s name in their class. He greeted all of us that way, and it was sort of awesome that he cared enough to make us all feel welcome.
I gave a slight wave before sitting in the farthest chair from everyone. Fiddling with my thumbs, I kept my head lowered and refrained from making eye contact. People talked around me, and I sunk lower.
That’s when I heard a deep laugh behind me, followed by a girl giggling. I hated that I knew who it was before I even looked up.
“Mav, Sarah,” Mr. Lee greeted them with the same smile he’d given me.
Maverick sat only a few chairs away from me, and we locked gazes for a fraction of a second. He smiled and I looked away, hugging my arms closer to my torso.
I’d never felt so…strangebefore. I wasn’t sure what it was about him that drew me in, but I wanted it to stop.
A voice in the back of my head gave me an answer—that I had a crush on the tall, muscular jock with Superman good looks—but I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head, refusing to go there.
I’d never admitted to myself that I was gay. I didn’t even know if I was, honestly. Mainly because I didn’t really show interest in anyone—guy or girl. The few times Ihadfelt something close to a crush, it’d been around a guy, but girls were still pretty, I guess.
Trying to figure it all out was confusing.
“I have some exciting news,” Mr. Lee started once everyone else had arrived. “The announcement for which production we’ll be putting on this fall.”
“Oh! Is itWizard of Oz?” Sarah asked, unable to contain her squeals. “I’ve always wanted to play Dorothy. And Mav, here, can be Toto!”
The class laughed, including Maverick, and I caught myself staring again.
