Page 71 of Reaching Avery
Chapter Nineteen
Maverick
The best things in life were sometimes the ones you least expected. Avery had certainly been a surprise ever since the day I’d smacked into him in the hallway, but I hadn’t known how much he’d actually come to mean to me.
No, it wasn’t love. I didn’t know him on that level yet.
But what Ididknow? I’d never felt such a strong connection with anyone before. The kind of connection where it felt like my heart was literally reaching out to him when he was near, and aching when he wasn’t. The type where I got those freaking butterflies when I looked into his pale blue eyes, or when he teased me for something. Just that carefree, weightless feeling when he was with me and then constantly thinking about him when we were apart.
It was slightly addicting, the connection.
As Avery and I left the restaurant and got back into my car, our conversation over dinner played in my head. It’d been going great at first, and we’d both talked about ourselves in ways that we hadn’t at school. We’d laughed and discovered odd things about the other, like my love for comic books and his for trains. I’d known the train fascination already, but he’d gone into more detail.
But then it had turned.
When Avery had started telling me about his family struggling so much, it had felt like a punch to the chest. Especially when I didn’t have to struggle at all. I wanted to help them. I had the means to do it, but I doubted they’d take handouts.
His mom had been nice, if not a little defensive, but now that I knew about their situation—and about Avery’s dad being a bad guy—I understood her behavior toward me. She was only protecting her kids.
Questions were on the tip of my tongue as I drove toward the movie theater, but I clenched my jaw so I wouldn’t ask them.
“Are we okay?” Avery asked from the passenger seat. He wasn’t looking at me, but I could tell he was still watching my movements from the corner of his eye. “I didn’t mean to say all of that.”
“I’m glad you did,” I said, glancing at him before focusing on the road. Since it was Friday night, a lot of people were out. Some walked on the sidewalks down Main Street, probably going to the club or the bars on the strip. “It’s the first time you’ve ever been so open.”
Avery finally looked at me.
“It wasn’t the first time,” he said in a softer tone. “I’ve told you things I’ve never told anyone. Like my reason for going to the tracks and all the crazy feelings behind it.”
I smiled as my heart fluttered, almost as if there was a hummingbird inside my chest.
“Yeah, I’ve done the same with you,” I said, staring at the back of the car in front of us. “You’re easy to talk to, and I feel like I can really be myself. So many freaking people want something from me, either my skills on the field, using me for my popularity, or just wanting me ‘cuz I’m pretty.”
I was referring to Chris on that last part, and it stung. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that’s all I’d ever been to him: a trophy boyfriend to prance around and show off for a while.
“But you’re not like that,” I continued, turning my head to study him. He watched me with a guarded expression, and I got the impression it was his defense mechanism in moments when talk became too real. “You’ve never wanted any of that from me. You’ve just wanted me.”
Something flashed in his eyes right before he gave a playful grin. “Well… youarepretty, Mav. But that’s not the reason I like you.”
He’s flirting with me.
I felt so damn giddy right then, like a child whose mom just said he could go into a candy store.
“You’re pretty too,” I said with a wink, laying the flirtation on pretty thick.
He scoffed, and it was hard to miss the legendary eye roll he gave me.
The thing was: I hadn’t been joking. He just didn’t believe me. That told me a lot about him without him having to say a word.
He didn’t see himself clearly. At least, not in the way I saw him.
Arriving at the theater, I snagged a spot near the front and parked. The place wasn’t as busy as I thought it’d be on a Friday. There weren’t too many highly anticipated movies out, so maybe that factored into it.
We got out of my car and began walking toward the entrance. I loved fall. There was just something about the air that made me happy to be alive. A slight chill touched my skin, but it wasn’t too bad. Even from outside the theater, I could smell the popcorn, and I fully intended on getting one of those huge buckets with layers and layers of butter.
As we walked, Avery stared at the ground, his dark hair hanging in his face.
I wanted to brush the dark strands aside so I could see him better, but I’d learned my lesson about touching him without warning. So, I moved closer to him and pressed my hand to his. I didn’t join them, wanting him to make the next move.
