Chapter 27: 24 | lean on me

"No!" Callie launches a heavily textured throw pillow across the room, narrowly missing the screen of her TV as it lands on the fuzzy cream rug. "Don't ask him on a two-on-one. He's a psychopath!"

With an amused curve to her mouth, Lea picks the pillow up before rounding the coffee table where she drops into a seat between Avery and Callie on the U-shaped couch with a pint of chocolate ice cream in her hand. She flickers her eyes between Callie's ever growing expression of frustration and the fourth episode of the latest season of 'The Bachelorette' playing on the wide screen as she props her feet up on the coffee table, showing off her teddy slippers.

Sinking back in her seat, Avery pulls one of her knees to her chest as Lea passes along the condensed pint of ice cream. It's the season that ran this summer but considering the three of them were apart for most of that time they're making do now, catching up on the fan favorite's journey to love together.

Lea glances up from the screen of her phone as both her friends let out agonized groans, holding her hand out for the ice cream as she asks, "What happened?"

Callie tilts her head back, dropping a fist of Cheetos into her mouth. "Are you even watching?"

Lea grimaces at the sound of her friend's chews but simply looks away, running the spoon along the rim of the pint of ice cream. "I already know how it ends."

Avery straightens up in her seat, running a smoothing hand over her plaid pajama pants. "Excuse me, what?"

"Did you already watch it?" Callie asks, popping another few Cheetos into her mouth. "We said we were going to watch it together!"

"No I didn't watch it," Lea says hotly, jabbing the spoon into the ice cream – all three of them having taken their eyes off of the hiking-date happening on the screen in this very moment. She gently taps her fingers against her leg, offering up a shrug of nonchalance. "I follow her on Instagram. She ends up choosing the quarterback."

"Leandra Camila!"

Avery sighs, twirling the end of the satin ribbon tying her pajama pants together around her finger. "Well thanks for that."

Callie sets the bowl of Cheetos down between them on the cushion, leaning forward to grab the remote to rewind what they've missed – which according to the dramatic exchange happening in the midst of the woods on the screen seems to be a lot . "I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear you."

"Sorry," A sheepish smile slips onto Lea's lips and she tucks an errant strand of dark hair having fallen out of her bun before reaching into the front pocket of her hoodie, pulling out a fist of peanut butter cups. "Want one?"

♡♡♡

Despite their own grievances Sarah has always given Robert the benefit of the doubt, especially when it comes to his chance of a relationship with their daughter. Avery's never truly heard her mother badmouth the man who broke her heart. The same cannot be said for her father.

Avery kicks her runner shoes off now, sinking down onto her bed as she listens with half an ear to her father as he's – once again – midway through putting blame on Sarah for the lack of contact, or quite frankly a relationship, between him and Avery. Changing phone holding hand she casts a quick glance at the time, a restless tapping of her fingers against the device. Robert had called just as she returned from her run along the beach trail and if she doesn't get ready for the annual Homecoming BBQ soon she won't be able to meet up with Nic on time.

Biting down on her lip, she makes a non-committal humming sound to assure her dad she's still listening while trying to find an opening to tell him she has somewhere else to be. Born and raised in Acebridge, her father – if anyone – will understand upholding one of the town's many traditions but with his rambles beginning take the shape of a monologue she's not left with much space to cut in with her own say. He's far too busy making sure she's aware nothing that goes wrong in this world is ever his fault to even notice she's fallen silent completely now – her mind caught on the string of few words he just spoke into her ear.

The wheels in her brain spin at a much faster pace than the beat of the Shania Twain song traveling through the floor from the record player in the living room, trying to make sense of the words. Turning them inside out to find an explanation – any explanation – that isn't a confirmation of what she's feared ever since that Friday back in July.

The beat of her heart slows as she swallows back the wave of nausea washing over her, having to gather her breath through the heaviness enwrapping her before she dares to cut in.

"Disney World?" She croaks out, clearing her throat at the sound of her own voice as she pulls one of her heels towards her. "As in Orlando?"

"Of course Amelia never got to make it there," Her father continues and she can't help the small flare of irritation in her chest over the response which isn't a response at all, her tongue pressing to the roof of her mouth. "Caught some stomach bug the poor thing. The rest of us went along while Eva stayed back with her at the hotel. Too bad. The boys had fun but I think she would have appreciated it more, considering she's older."

"Yeah. I... yeah."

"It's a bummer it didn't work out so you could come with us," Robert says now and her free hand balls into a fist, nails pressing into the clammy skin of her palm. "But we'll figure it out next time, yeah?"

She hears an echo of her own voice agreeing to his words as she gets to her feet, letting him rattle off another of his run-on sentences as she moves across the room to her closet. With the phone balanced between her shoulder and ear she pulls the drawers out – grabbing a denim mini skirt and a light knitted sweater, dropping them onto her desk before leaning back against it.

They're on the phone another eight minutes before she finally gets to hang up, forcing herself to draw a deep breath into her lungs – needing just as much force to properly exhale it all before she gets her messages open to let Nic know she'll be late.

She plugs her phone into it's charger, her father having talked away most of her battery before she gathers herself once more, pushing the tangled mess of thoughts to the back of her mind as she attempts to shrug it off. She gives herself another second before she heads for the shower.

♡♡♡

For a town so adamant on nurturing the rivalry between it's two high schools, it is surely just as resolute on finding ways to bring the students together and the tradition of a joint Homecoming Week is no exception. On this Tuesday night the schedule reads annual BBQ, attended by students and faculty alike and while not mandatory to do so, not showing up at all is highly frowned upon.

Avery's hair is still damp from her shower – having opted to use the few minutes she had to get ready to apply concealer and mascara rather than engaging in a blow-dry – as she and Nic arrive at the park located in the heart of town. They steer they steps towards it's south end where the spectacle meant to work as an ice breaker, a settling of peace before the unofficial Homecoming game is played this weekend, is already in full swing.

This end is far more crowded than it's upper counterpart, bustling with noise. A game of Rounders is being played on the lawn stretching out before the huddle of low-hanging trees. Students, faculty, various alumni and parent-volunteers are crowding the space – stood around the grill, perched atop picnic tables or scattered around the lawns in smaller and bigger groups.

Avery spots Lea sat on one of the swings in the nearby playground, one of her friends from volleyball sat on the other while Callie's leant against the wooden railing separating them from the rest of the park. Luke's nowhere to be seen but if she were to guess she'd say he's somewhere among the group of cavemen sounding Westers heading for the ridiculously long L-shaped table of food and snacks. Which is apparently where she and Nic are headed too, her friend hooking his arm in hers to steer her across the lawn towards it.

They've barely grabbed their paper plates and begun their trek along the weirdly arranged assortment as Avery's lips twitches into a faint smile, hinting of her dimple as Ethan sidles up next to her.

Keeping her eyes glued to the different platters, she moves some things around on her plate to make space for more and drags her lip between her teeth to stop her smile from pulling back further.

Attempting feigned nonchalance, she takes a step to the side – following the stream of people along the table. "Taylor."

"Waters,"

She shoots him a sideway glance as his hand brushes against her – a tingling warmth flushing her skin as a chortled breath leaves her lips. His eyes follow her movements as she reaches across him to grab a spoon of sour candies, his lips quirking up as she purses her lips.

"Nice nutrition circle you've got going on there."

Avery holds her plate up – the closest thing to actual food being the few grapes scattered around the various sorts of candy as her lips threaten to break into a smile again from his mere presence. "Yeah I think I did a pretty good job."

Luke turns around just then and Avery doesn't miss the exaggerated roll of his eyes as he realizes who's distracted her in their quest to get some food on their plates – several people having rounded the pair and now making up the space between Avery and her two friends. Catching Luke's gaze she raises her brows to show he's got her attention and he nods towards the grill being manned by no other than Coach Owens. Nic's already headed in it's direction.

"We're getting burgers," He says. "You want one?"

"Uh yeah. Coming," She turns sideways to angle her way out of the line to join her friends just as Ethan moves too, another chortled breath escaping her as her cheeks warm only from having her gaze locked with his. "I should probably–"

"Yeah."

Refraining from reaching up to push a few errant short curls away from his forehead, she presses her lips together – cheeks tightening with the smile wanting to crack them open. Briefly placing her palm on his arm in a goodbye, she side steps him and steers her ballerina clad feet towards her friends.

♡♡♡

Avery picks at the candies scattered on the paper plate sat between her and Callie where they're perched in cross legged seats on the table top of a picnic table, the sound of her friends' voices nothing more than background noise to the words playing on a loop inside her head. Drawing a hand through her hair, she gathers it up and twists it into a bun before letting it fall back out over her shoulders. As if willing herself to shrug the bad feelings off, she straightens up in her seat but the tension remains.

Not even the sight of the late evening sky, the setting sun beating down through the clouds and tree crowns creating a whirl of pink and orange melting together on the grayish blue canvas does much to soothe her heavy heart. Anger and sadness melt together like the colors in the sky, prickling her skin as a spike of unwelcome warmth floods her veins. It's nothing like the warmth of Ethan's light touch had brought out of her but rather a boiling sensation threatening to build up until she has no other choice than to release it through sobs.

Swallowing, she tries to put her focus elsewhere and internally reprimands herself for letting it get to her. She's not sure which one clouds her mind most – the anger simmering in the pool of her own reaction to the situation or the one that comes in a bad taste of disappointment in her father's actions.

Whichever one, it's slowly draining her of the small ounce of good spirit she has been able to uphold ever since she climbed into the passenger seat of Nic's car – turning her into a self-pitying shell of a person. And she doesn't like it.

"Look, there are your teammates. Go annoy them instead."

She's nudged out of her spiral of sadness as Lea drops into a seat below her and thankful for the interruption she claws at the moment of normalcy, trying to find her way back to the girl who had managed to feign enough enthusiasm for tonight to actually begin believing in it.

She lifts her cup of soda to her lips as her eyes flicker to Nic, his lips twitching dangerously in response to the piercing glare Lea shoots his way – dimples on full display.

"Haven't you heard?" He muses, lightly nudging his glasses into place with the tip of his finger and Avery doesn't miss the way Lea's eyes narrow. "They go by The Leandra Camila Vaz Cabral Dumped Me Club now. Poor dudes."

"Poor dudes indeed," Callie offers up, leaning back on her elbow before flashing Lea a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

Lea crosses one of her legs over the other, swinging her sneaker glad foot in the air. "You're so funny Nicolas."

"One of my greater qualities, I admit."

The next line of conversation is completely lost on Avery – Lea mumbling a short string of words in Portuguese under her breath and though the two doesn't speak the same language Avery can tell it was intelligible enough for Nic who carelessly drops into a seat on the ground while rattling off a few words of his own in Spanish.

From having known them both for as long as she has Avery knows this could go two ways – either she'll be sat here listening to them have a full blown conversation in the language they've somehow made their own from the day they first met or they'll spend the next fifteen minutes or so ignoring each other.

Tonight it seems possible outcome number two is the winner and Avery has to conceal the twitch of her lips against the rim of her cup as Lea flips Nic her middle finger with an, "És mesmo parvo."

Nic only grins into his own cup, leaning back on his elbow as he says. "I'm so telling your mom you just did that."

Out of the corner of her eye Avery sees Callie fold into herself, visibly trying to hold her laughter back as Avery – not so gracefully – chokes on the soda in her mouth.

Lea shoots them each a dirty glare and gets to her feet, stalking over to Luke who's on his way towards them with a second helping of food. She easily loops her hand around his arm, steering him in a different direction.

"We hate them now."

The blond boy flickers a confused gaze towards the table where Nic is now helping himself to one of the skewers on Callie's plate before he lifts one of his shoulders in half a shrug. "Noted."

♡♡♡

Nic disappears from their side a moment later, Chase waving him over to another group and as silence falls around her Avery's smile soon fades. With distraction gone her mouth settles into a thoughtful pout, her previous feelings beginning to nestle their way back into her mind – slowly building themselves up in volume.

Setting her now empty cup down on the table, she turns to look at Callie – sensing her eyes on her. The girl regards her, her smile falling into a sympathetic line as her brows etch together.

"I know that look. It's the 'my parents told me they aren't coming home for Thanksgiving'-look. Though in your case I'm guessing it has less to do with Thanksgiving and more to do with disappointment over something else."

Another flare of anger – this time not directed at herself or her father – rises in Avery's chest. "Your parents aren't coming back for Thanksgiving?"

Callie waves her hand as to dismiss Avery's concern, shaking her head. "Old news. You look like you want to be anywhere else than here though,"

Avery shrugs as she breathes out a bitter laugh. Being strangely wired together with Callie in their similar experiences has always been a comfort, a small light in the disappointment – setting them apart from the rest of their friends. Callie gets it. Even more than Avery does.

As the girl leans her head on Avery's shoulder – engulfing her in the sweet scent of her coconut shampoo – her throat thickens, eyes beginning to prick.

"Do you want to leave?"

Avery sighs. "Yes."

Callie pushes their trash aside, straightening up in her seat as she slides her phone out of the back pocket of her denim culottes. "I'll let the others know we're planning on leaving."

Avery barely hears her, having flickered her tearstained gaze across the park – eyes now set on the dark haired boy immersed in a game of Rounders.

"I'll be back."

"What? Where are you going?" It doesn't take Callie long to jump off the table, appearing at her heels as Avery heads for the lawn on the other side of the playground. "Ave."

Her heart beats both hard and slow simultaneously as she whirls through the crowd, aware Callie's right behind her but even if she wanted to stop her legs from moving she's not sure she could.

Catching up, Callie hooks her arm in Avery's as they round the playground. They both take a quick step back as they end up on the sidelines of the ongoing game to avoid being ran into by the participators whirling past them.

"Okay, what are we doing?"

Ethan – currently on the fielding team – turns around, as if having sensed her gaze on the back of his dark sweater and the immediate smile on his lips soon fades into a solemn line. His brows etch together, bringing out that familiar wrinkle of concern and she can feel her throat thicken again as his gaze searchers her.

He doesn't bother to catch a pass from one of his teammates, instead taking a few steps backwards to loop his hand around Jake's arm. The two exchange a few words before Ethan's eyes are back on Avery and he cocks his head to the side before turning on his heel. She doesn't waste any time kicking back into motion.

"Okay, where are we going now?" Callie asks, arm still firmly hooked in Avery's as she more or less stumbles over her feet. She falls silent as they come to a stop a stone's throw away from the game, her eyes flickering to Ethan where he's stood leant against a tree. "I hate my life."

If Ethan's fazed by Callie's presence he doesn't let it show, his gaze solely focused on Avery as he asks, "What's wrong?"

She swallows at the lump in her throat, feeling tears prickle her eyes again as a slight ocean breeze travels through town – causing a trail of goosebumps to adorn her skin. She opens her mouth only to close it again and he lets his eyes leave hers for a beat to shoot a glance over her shoulder to the crowd lingering around the park.

"Come on."

Callie's hold loosens ever so slightly only to return in the shape of her hand latching onto her elbow. She raises her brows at Ethan who's already taken a few steps down the slight slope. "If you think I'm leaving her you're wrong."

He barely flickers his eyes her way before glancing at Avery who exhales a sigh-sounding breath. "Cal, it's fine."

Out of the corner of her eye she sees her friend narrow her eyes but she lets her hand fall to her side nonetheless, taking a step backwards to lean against the tree Ethan was just stood by.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she juts her chin out. "I'm going to be right here if you need me."

♡♡♡

He whirls around as soon as they've put another short distance between themselves and the ongoing spectacle that is the Homecoming BBQ, taking a few steps to the side before stopping beneath the shade of a low hanging tree. Avery can hear the slight purling sound from the fountain that's placed in the very center of the park from here. It mixes with the voices carrying through the air from the BBQ but mostly it drowns them out – creating a comfortable silence.

Ethan flickers his gaze across their surroundings before holding his hand out for her, pulling her closer as her palm effortlessly melts into his. He eyes her carefully, taking in every inch of her face as he uses his other hand to gently lift her chin.

"What's up?"

She parts her lips, hiccuping on an inhale of air. Her heart beats hard, as if straining against the heaviness lingering atop her chest but the tension immediately disperses as his arms wrap around her in one swift move. Her shoulders sink into place, tongue falling from the roof of her mouth as she buries her face against his warm skin – a shaky breath leaving her as the clean scent of him tingles her nose where it's pressed to the dip of his throat. Lifting her arms, she lets them loop loosely around him and another strain in her chest relaxes as he tightens his hold on her in return.

Another hiccup escapes her as she clears her throat and she notices him shift in his stance, as if waiting for her to speak. He doesn't prod her and she knows why.

A part of her tells her to shrug it off, to straighten up – push her shoulders back and go on with the rest of the night. But there's a reason she sought him out, a reason to why she leapt off that picnic table at the sight of him. She needed him. A flutter springs in her chest, pushing through the cracks of her heavy heart as the equally terrifying as comforting realization dawns on her.

"They went without me," She hears herself say, dragging her teeth between her lips as she tilts her head back only to find him already watching her. Swallowing back the dry thickness climbing up her throat, she attempts a circle of breath before she continues. "My dad and his... This summer. That day when he cancelled and you took me to the beach and– Well, they still went. On the trip. They went on it."

Ethan's jaw tenses, a flash of something she can't quite place crossing his dark eyes as he gently brushes his thumb over her cheek. "I'm sorry."

"It is what it is. I don't even know why I–," Her eyes flutter shut as he brushes a soft kiss to her hair and she melts further into his embrace. "It's fine."

His thumb lightly strokes her jaw and as she opens her eyes again she tilts her head back to meet his gaze. "It's okay to say it's not, you know."

"It is what it is."

He regards her for a beat, opening his mouth as if wanting to say something else but instead he cocks his head towards the west side of the park, the T.H Publishing offices only a few blocks away. "Jake's car is parked up there," He says. "Do you want me to take you home?"

She presses her lips together, slowly shaking her head. "I'm supposed to go to Callie's."

Not letting go of her, he lifts his gaze towards where they just came walking from even though it's all out of their view and nods once. "Let's go then."

♡♡♡

Callie leads the way up the graveled path to her house, the shades of the plants and flowers lining it swaying slightly in the dark night. Avery stays silent, the only sound the one of the gravel beneath the soles of their shoes and once they reach the black polished front door she bites down at her lip, weighing back on her feet as Callie unlocks it and steps inside.

Only one step over the threshold Avery's immediately engulfed in the rich woody scent of vanilla wafting from the fragrance sticks she knows is stood around the massive house and she carefully closes the grand door behind her as Callie kicks her shoes off. She doesn't dare speak a word as the girl softly pads over the marble floor, sinking into a seat on the next to bottom step of the swivel staircase.

Pulling her cardigan closer around her she watches Callie's manicured nails tap against the phone clutched in her hand, latching onto her green eyes as she glances up to look at her.

"The other's are on their way," She says, letting her free hand draw a circle on the wooden stair step. "Told them we got a cab."

Avery steps out of her shoes, a small breath of relief tingling her lips along her soft-spoken words. "Okay. Thanks."

She warily pushes a hand through her hair as Callie gets to her feet. She's not exactly sure what's coming next – if her friend is simply going to ignore the obvious elephant in the room, if she will want to sit down and talk it all out or if she's simply about to rip her a new one right here in the front hall.

Instead of doing either of those things, Callie simply offers up a faint smile. "You want to watch 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' until they get here?"

Another much deeper exhale escapes Avery at the mention of the romantic comedy they both consider their comfort movie as gratitude swells in her chest for Callie and her gentle heart. "Definitely."

"I'll fetch us some chocolate," Callie says, turning to head down the hall towards the kitchen. "Pop the DVD in, I'll be up in a sec,"

Avery's barely begun her ascend up the stairs as Callie's voice catches her attention again. "Ave?"

Pausing with her hand on the banister, she turns her head over her shoulder to find Callie stood on the two-step stair leading down to the kitchen. With the beat of her heart growing more rapid, Avery manages a weak, "Yeah?"

Callie regards her, pressing her lips together as if trying to figure out how to go about whatever she wants to get off her chest. A flash of hesitance crosses her features as she heaves the smallest sounding sigh.

"You know I love you but... Do you know what you're doing?"

. . .

hello it's me (again) <3

if there's any confusion as to what the game of 'Rounders' is it's basically a very simple bat-and-ball game and is most probably one of the ancestors to what we call baseball and I imagine that a town like Acebridge would play the hell out of a game like that because of the competitive spirit always lingering in the air.

as always I love you all lots! thank you for your immense support. it's so deeply appreciated.

I also want to shoot an extra thank you to Maria for letting me pick her brain about the Portuguese language.

now I usually don't do personal shout-outs since I don't want there to be any confusion to the fact that I appreciate every single one of you equally but...

last but not least I want to dedicate this chapter to my bro my dude Alexis because it's her birthday (ish, timezones you know) and I love her a lot and am so grateful to have her in my life so she's just going to have to deal with me gushing over her <3 here's to friendships made over awkward dm's, thank you for everything you are <3

okay, until next time.

yours always,

linn.