Page 9 of Be Your Somebody
Avery has always been gorgeous, even as a teenager. Her auburn hair cascades in soft waves past her breasts, resting just above her waist. The emerald green of her eyes cast their spell upon anyone who glances her way. She’d make the perfect Merida if they made it into a live-action movie. Her cream-colored skin looks baby-soft, and all across her cheeks and nose sits a smattering of gold-dusted freckles. She glows like a goddess beneath the sunlight, causing an electrical current to zip down my spine. Her lips are all full and pouty, and I want to grab her to see if they taste as sweet as they look. Her once slim, girlish figure is now curvy in all the right places. My fingers twitch with the impulse to trace my hands over her body, but I barely resist.
I can't help but smile because she's genuinely breathtaking and always has been. My gaze returns to her face and my smile drops, unable to figure out what she's feeling. All I know is that she doesn’t seem all that happy to see me.
My throat feels like I inhaled sand dust. “Hey, freckles.” Avery’s eyes flash momentarily with anger before she slams the door in my face.
Chapter 7
Avery
He can’t be serious
Early Spring, 2023
WhenIopenthedoor, the last thing I expect to see is Cas standing on the other side. It's been months since he’s been home. I take a minute to assess the man before me and instantly frown. He looks good. Healwayslooks good.
The tall, lanky boy in high school is now all man with a broad chest and the sexiest forearms I have ever seen. His eyes are still piercingas ever, reminding me of a wolf, all gray and intense. His jawline is so sharp it could cut glass. My fingers yearn to touch him, but I restrain myself. Fuck, he’s sexy. The last time I saw him, his skin was gray and sunken, but now it’s healthy and glowing. Cas has naturally tan skin and it looks like he’s stepped out of a tanning bed. My eyes land on his lips and my mouth waters, thinking about what they’d taste like. Then he opens his mouth.
“Hey, freckles.”
Freckles?How dare Cas use my childhood nickname. I’m so pissed off, the only thing I could think to do was slam the door in his face. Howdarehe call me that? What gives him the right to use that name? I stand against the door, praying he’ll go away.
“I know you're leaning against the door right now, Aves. I'm not leaving until we talk,” Cas says, irritation coating his voice. Of course,he’sfrustrated. The nerve of this man to be frustrated withmeafter all he has put me through. I grab my jacket, open the door, and slam it behind me.
“You don't get to use my nickname anymore, Cas. We aren't friends anymore.” My voice shakes angrily.
“Since when? I know I fucked up but—” he responds.
“You did fuck up. You fucked up when you chose drugs over me, for like, the millionth time. You fucked up when you had me in a constant state of anxiety thinking you wouldn't wake up one morning because you took too much. You fucked up when you shut me out of your life again. So yea Cas, you fucked up. And I'm done playing second fiddle to your addictions.” I shout. Goddamn my therapist will be proud of me.
Anger and hurt flicker like flames behind his eyes. I should have considered his feelings, but then again, he never cared about mine. I feel myself begin to over analyze everything I’m saying in my head, but I reel it back and repeat the mantras my therapist taught me.I’m deserving of love. I am allowed to put myself first. I am a strong, independent woman. I am not selfish in prioritizing my own needs.
“I-I’m sorry, Avery. I never meant to hu—”
“Never meant to?Then why hurt me repeatedly if you never meant to? It's like you never stopped to think how your actions would affect me. You were more obsessed with being high to give a damn about me.” My voice cracks at the last word. I know the last part wasn’t fair, but I am too angry tocare.
“You know that's not true. I've always cared, Aves. I still fucking do. How can you just stand there and not know how much you mean to me? I'm better now. So excuse me for being upset when you're standing there throwing my past in my face. That’s a low blow, even for you,” he scoffs. My hands curl into fists at my sides.
“Don't tell me it's a low blow. Yes, you may have gotten help and I'm so happy for you. But don't you don't get to stand there and come at me. You have no clue how hard it was to watch you destroy your life. I'm still picking up the pieces you demolished with your carelessness. And you want me to just forgive and forget? Unbelievable. You're seriously unbelievable.” I start heading back into the house, but he grabs my arm and stops me.
“You wrote me a goddamn letter, Avery. Are we not gonna mention the fact you took my heart and smashed it to pieces? Forgive me if I'm upset that you decided to end years of friendship with a goddamn piece of paper. I have every right to be pissed off. I can't put words in your mouth, but you can put them in mine? Real nice, Ave!" He shouts.
I yank my arm out of his grip and spin around so fast I'm surprised I didn't get whiplash. I push at his chest a couple of times while yelling at him. “Howdareinsult me right now. You hurt me, Cas. I couldn't take the pain of being second best anymore. Drugs were always your priority, and you threw me to the side like I was trash." Hot, angry tears cascade down my face and my body shakes with emotion.
“I never tossed you aside. You're my best friend, Aves. Well, at least Ithoughtyou were. Now, I'm not so sure. Avery, can we just start over?"
I let out a slow, shaky breath. Years of therapy have taught me not to say anything in the heat of the moment. I said some hurtful things in retaliation, so I need to step back to maintain my peace.
“I don't think we can, Cas."
"But I—," Cas stops midsentence when I place my hand in front of his face.
"I think you should leave now. We're talking in circles, and I don’t want to keep fighting with you. We are grown-ass adults, not teenagers. Yet here we are, fighting like we did in high school. Please, just go home.”
“I’m not leaving until we fix this. I’m sorry—" Cas pleads.
“Sorry?Cas, do yourself a favor and look up that word in the dictionary. If you were actually sorry, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.I deserve to be treated with respect and love and right now you aren't understanding where I'm coming from. If you really want to fix things then you need to leave before you hurt me any further.”
“Avery. We can't just throw away our friendship. Can we just forget—" he pleads again.
