Chapter 37: 34 | winter wonderland

"Duck. Duck," Luke pauses with his palm atop Avery's head. "Traitor."

"Watch her hair!" Lea scolds, shoving him lightly in the side as he sets the boxes of pizza in his other hand down on the table before them. Callie, too, shoots him a glare.

"Do you even know how long it took me to curl all of that?" She asks, sinking into a seat on a nearby stool. She tucks a napkin into the neckline of her cream colored dress as not to spill all over it, pizza slice in hand.

Avery's lips twitch with an upward tilt as she notices Luke refraining from rolling his eyes, lifting her hand to trace her fingers over the bobby pins holding her do together to make sure they're still in place.

"Oh thank you God – good," Brianna Coleman – co-president of the Acebridge Winter Formal's planning committee – sounds from behind them, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor of the ballroom as she abandons the paper cut-out of a snowflake and beelines for the table.

"No. Thank you me," Callie – the other half of the presidency – corrects. "For being brilliant enough to realize we'd need to recharge before everyone gets here."

"Well," Brianna feigns pleasantry, carefully picking a slice up with the help of a napkin as not to get grease all over herself. "Thank you Calliope."

"You're welcome Bree-anna."

Avery holds a hand out to stop Callie from getting up – grateful she's finally sitting down, noticing how the girl's gaze flickers to the paper cut-out of the snowflake Brianna let fall to the floor in her haste to get to the pizza. She mouths a 'let me,' before stepping over Nic's legs where they're stretched out before him on the floor, leaving the pizza and her friends behind to go fix it.

Kicking her heels off, she picks it up by the strings fastened to the glittery paper and climbs onto a stool to hang it up along the rest. Her lips slip into a satisfied smile as she reaches up on her toes, running her hand along the string to make sure it looks pretty rather than the school project of a six year-old. They've done good. In a town nurtured by blind loyalty first, tradition of rivalry second – tonight is an exception and the ballroom of the quaint seaside hotel on the edge of town is the place to be. And it looks it too.

"Have you always been this tall?"

Avery's smile widens as she whirls around to find Ethan peering up at her.

Letting her palms fall to his shoulders, his dark brown gaze having everything and everyone else in the room fade away. "Hi you. What do you think of our Winter Wonderland?"

Not taking his eyes off her for even a beat of a second, his lips tug up. "It's cool."

"You didn't even look."

The fingers of her right hand travel to the collar of his white button-down, straightening it out. Letting her fingers rest there, she bites down at her lip as she lets her gaze flicker up and down him and her cheeks warm as they tighten with her smile – taking in the sight of him in his suit. She wonders how it'd be to run her fingers along the buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning them one by one. Snap out of it, Avery. Focus.

"What are you blushing about?"

Noticing the faint twitch of amusement to Ethan's lips, she lets her eyes find his again as a short laugh escapes her. Shaking her head slowly, she lets her palms fall into his – their fingers intertwining as she jumps off the stool, soon finding herself gazing up at him instead. She really does need to come up with occasions requiring him to be in a suit more often.

She slips back into her silver heels, adjusting the straps of them before straightening back up. Resting her palms on his arms, her lips soon slip into a faint smirk as she realizes Ethan's eyes have fallen to the ruffle-edged sweetheart neckline of her dress.

"Hey babe?" The lines of her smirk are still etched into her sweet smile as she watches him take her in, the heels the cherry on top to her dark blue tie-strap dress. "Eyes up here."

There's nothing abashed to his eyes as he meets her gaze again, only smiling as he loops his arms around her waist to bring her closer. "You're stunning."

Another breathless laugh slips her tongue as her palms come up to hide her face but his fingers instantly catch around her wrists to tug them away. The beat of her heart quickens, becoming thunderous as a glimmer crosses the darkness surrounding his irises – his smile reaching his eyes.

"Thank you," She breathes, letting one of her palms melt back into his as the other flattens against the fabric of his suit jacket. Again, she lets her gaze travel across him, sensing the skin crease around her eyes as her smile lifts her cheeks. "You look amazing,"

Taking her eyes off him for a moment, she glances across the room. Jake's arrived too, chatting to Brianna and another few committee members of Ace East descent.

Her friends, on the other hand, have taken up camp around the stool Callie's sat upon as they devour their food. Nic's still on the floor. Lea and Luke have perched themselves in seats atop a speaker along the wall, throwing their heads back in a laugh in this very moment. Only the sight has Avery automatically laughing faintly too.

She's already tugging – though she doesn't mean to – at Ethan's hand as she glances his way.

"Do you want to come have pizza with us?" Her lips fall into a small pout as she spots the hesitation crossing his features. "For me?"

He smiles softly. "Now that's foul play."

She lifts her free hand to his hair, sprawling her fingers through the dark curls. "We don't have to."

"You want to though, right?" He asks and her eyes travel across the room to where her friends are sharing smiles as she shrugs. There's a gentle squeeze to her hand as Ethan presses his thumb to her palm. "Lead the way."

"Really?"

Ethan raises his brows at her and she presses her lips together to stop herself from beaming as she twirls a few of the blonde locks falling over her shoulder before she turns on her heel. Her grip around Ethan's hand softens ever so slightly but she keeps their fingers intertwined.

Pausing to grab them a few slices of pizza, Avery glances in the direction of her friends – their exchanged looks upon realizing she's headed for them not going her unnoticed. Neither does Lea hissing "be nice," to Luke, bringing a twitch of amusement to Avery's lips.

She gestures for Ethan to grab an empty stool as she does too, dragging it behind them to her friends. "Hey guys."

To the murmurs of their greetings, she sinks down on the stool and pulls Ethan with her to sit down on the one next to her. Their knees fall together as she extends him the paper plate, immediately having her cheeks tighten yet again in their smile.

Across from her, Callie extends her a napkin and Avery's smile turns grateful as she takes it and tucks it into the neckline of her dress the way Callie has hers. "Smart."

♡♡♡

"Sorry Team-wrecker but I have to steal your date away for a moment."

"I'll allow it," Avery tilts her head back to glance up at Jake, un upward tilt to her mouth as she's met with a dazzling smile. "As long as you return him before this whole thing is supposed to kick off."

"I'll do my best."

Ethan hands Avery the bottle of soda the two have been sharing, trailing behind Jake as they leave and she doesn't waste any time in lifting her legs to rest upon the now empty stool next to her.

Callie folds her napkin together, stretching her arms over her head. "Speaking of," She says, getting to her feet. "It's time to get this show on the road."

Avery watches her walk across the room to where Brianna's stood talking to the band just having arrived before turning her attention to Luke, raising her brows. He barely takes his eyes off the girl laughing over something on the screen of her phone next to him, only shooting Avery a sideways glance.

"What now?"

"I just don't think I've ever seen you so quiet before."

Nic snorts, using the stool Callie just occupied to heave himself onto his feet.

"Give him a break – at least he behaved. Considering you completely ambushed us," Avery holds back a laugh as she notices how Lea rolls her eyes, lips only twisting further against the rim of her bottle as she realizes Luke noticed too – his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Nic dusts his palms against one another before rubbing them through his hair. "I'd say that went better than expected,"

He extends one of his hands to Lea. "Want to go bug Cal instead of listening to the twins fighting?"

Luke and Avery exchange a tired look but Lea smiles with a nod, an amused glimmer to her eye as she jumps out of her seat. Running a smoothing hand down her red satin gown, she shoots a glance over her shoulder at Luke.

"Play nice," She points her finger to Avery just as she's about to stick her tongue out at the boy. "You too."

Avery finishes her drink as she too gets to her feet, walking over to the table to collect their trash – students will be filing in any time, expecting a dazzling party, not a pile of empty pizza boxes.

"This'll happen, you know," She says over her shoulder to Luke as she gathers up the napkins and empty bottles. "Ethan's my boyfriend, and occasionally I'll want him around. Even if I'm spending time with you guys."

Luke makes a disgruntled noise at the back of his throat. "Yeah, I know."

"So, I don't know... maybe stop being so awkward?"

"Ave, he might be your boyfriend but it's not like we're friends,"

She tries to conceal the disappointment rising within her at his quick dismissal but by his frown she knows he noticed. It washes off his features as his lips fall into a line, jumping off the speaker to help her collect the rest of the trash. He clears his throat.

"Look, I just don't know how to be us – you and me – when you're also the you in 'you and Ethan'."

"Maybe you should figure that out then,"

Casting a final glance over the space to make sure they've gotten it all, Avery leads the way out of the grand ballroom doors. She heads towards the lobby, thinking they'll be able to help get rid of their trash. Luke follows behind, the sound of his footsteps softened by the carpeted hallway.

Sidling up next to her, he nudges her with his elbow.

"What?"

"You seem happy."

She rolls her eyes softly, lips twitching up. "I am."

♡♡♡

Avery smiles, her cheek resting against Ethan's shoulder as his fingertips absent-mindedly trace a pattern on the small of her back, his touch featherlight over the fabric of her dress. They're dancing, but it's more like swaying back and forth to the beat of a slow song. Knowing they're in a room full of the very people responsible for the venomous words having haunted her these past week, she'd been overcome by hesitance at first. Hiding out in a corner of the room had sounded way more appealing than being in the midst of it, but now she's nothing but happy. She feels safe here. In Ethan's embrace.

There's a softness to her motions as she tightens her hold. A softness reflecting her senses and the smile never seeming to leave her lips.

Lifting her gaze, her eyes latch onto a sight over Ethan's shoulder and her smile transcends into a grin as she watches Luke spin Lea around the room. Though it seems to be the other way around – Lea spinning Luke around the room. As soon as Lea's got her back to her, her dark hair grazing her shoulders as it sways along her movements, Avery catches Luke's gaze and wiggles her brows. Luke's response comes in lifting his middle finger behind Lea's back, drawing a laugh out of Avery.

Ethan shifts beneath her touch. "What's funny?"

Inching back, Avery shakes her head – smile softening again. "It's nothing,"

Her eyes flicker to Luke and Lea once more but her view is soon disrupted by a trio walking past them and across the floor. Avery tenses, eyes on Trevor Pearson's back as her lips purse in annoyance.

"May I please please kick his ass?" She lets her gaze meet Ethan's again, lips instantly twisting back into her smile. "You don't even need his good arm anymore. Season's over."

Ethan rolls his eyes, letting one of his hands fall from where it rests on her back to take her hand instead. A cross of a breath and a chortle leaves her as he surprises her with a twirl – cheeks warming as she's back to looking at him.

"You know," He muses. "I think you'll have to stop reading those fantasy books. Suddenly you believe you're this drop-kicking warrior princess."

"Goddess." She corrects, looping her free arm around his neck.

"You tried to challenge me to combat in your sleep last night."

"I did not."

"Tell that to my ribs."

She smiles with a laugh on the tip of her tongue. "I'm sorry," She brushes her thumb gently over his cheek. "I could totally take Pearson though."

His lips twitch in amusement. "For someone with such a kind heart, you're surprisingly feisty," At his sudden compliment she lets the lingering laugh out, his dark gaze turning warmer in an instant. "I love your laugh."

Eyes widening, she tilts her head back as her lips part. She senses her skin flush, jaw beginning to ache from her constant state of happiness. "Stop– I..." Another softer chortle escapes her as she trails off, not finding her words.

There's a twinkle to his eye as he pulls her closer. "I mean. I shouldn't be that surprised. The first time you actually spoke to me you looked about ready to kill me."

"Because you were rude to Luke."

"Because you saw me talking to Luke and assumed I was being an ass," He says and her eyes narrow but she doesn't get the chance to respond, to interrogate him further about the implication of those words before his smile warms her insides once more. "You're quick to show your claws when it comes to protecting those you care about."

Avery's eyes flicker sideways again, suppressing the slight irritation rising within her as she spots Pearson. "Guess that means I care about you a lot then."

"I guess so."

"Speaking of that night," She rolls her lips together as she smiles up at him. "I think it's time you give me a break about that – considering you had me flustered enough to walk into a cupboard. The field's evened out."

"Oh so now you being a klutz is my fault?"

"It was definitely your doing," She laughs as her cheeks warm, his previous words echoing in her mind. I love your laugh. As his eyes narrow, lips curling up, she lets her hand fall to rest against his shoulder. "You don't believe me? Go ask Luke. I didn't shut up about you the entire way home."

His smile morphs into a faint smirk at this newfound information but she's satisfied to see a slight tint to his cheeks too. Letting a breath out to release some of the tension in her jaw from her smile, giving the flutter in her chest some room, she shyly drags her lip between her teeth.

"Do you really think I have a kind heart?"

Ethan's eyes grow earnest, stopping their swaying steps all together as he cups both her cheeks in his hands, angling her head back with a smile. "The kindest,"

Then, throwing caution to the wind – he kisses her right there.

She freezes for a beat, both taken by surprise and highly aware of where they are, but then she relaxes into it. Reaching her hand up to sprawl her fingers through his hair, she smiles against his lips.

Inching back, his words are hers and only hers as he speaks them over her lips. "Beautiful. Inside out."

♡♡♡

"Time-out." Callie breaths into Avery's ear, already tugging at her hands to pull her away from the dance floor.

Avery flickers her eyes across the room in search of Ethan as she trails behind Callie to grab some air, almost stumbling straight into her back as they're sidetracked by the wide open ballroom doors.

Lea, Nic and Luke among others come through them the other way, bringing with them a gust of chill air – a faint scent of the outside and cigarette smoke wafting along with it. Avery instantly scrunches her nose up at it, her expression matching the curl of disapproval on Callie's lips.

Luke nudges Lea in the side. "You want something to drink?"

She nods as she drapes his suit jacket closer around her shoulders. The three girls watch their friends disappear across the room before Callie's lips twist in faint amusement. Avery's eyes fall to the flower pinned to Luke's jacket – its shade perfect to match with Lea's dress – and Callie's gaze does too, the two exchanging a glance.

"So," Callie leans against the wall, craning her neck to make sure the boys are still out of earshot. She folds her arms over her chest, tapping her manicured nails to her bare arms. "Are you here with Luke?"

Lea rolls her eyes at the suggestion in her question, shooting Avery a glare as she cracks a grin.

Again, Lea pulls the suit jacket closer around her. "Neither of us had a date," She says, feigning nonchalance but there's a falseness to her airy tone. "So we simply figured: why not?"

"Neither of you could find a date?" Avery's lips slip out of their grin but remain in an upward tilt, eyes narrowing ever so slightly in amusement. "We're talking about Luke and you, right? The quarterback and Ms Most Likely to Become the Next Bachelorette?"

Realization dawns on Callie's features with Avery's words, lowering her voice as she asks, "Is there something going on between you and Luke?"

"What?" Lea pulls out a chair from a nearby table, sinking into a seat and crossing her legs – the fabric of her dress falling to the side to show off her skin through the slit. A short and loud laugh slips her lips as she fishes a lipstick out of her purse. "No!"

"Do you want there to be?" Callie presses, gaze flickering across the room again to make sure no one's listening in on their conversation.

Avery presses her lips together, holding back a chortle of her own as she watches Lea's cheeks burn up. One could think it's the heat of the room finally reaching her, warming her up from her venture outside but the way she refuses to meet either of their gazes say otherwise.

"I– No, I... It's Luke, okay? Luke. Who I've known for God knows how long and even if I was interested–," Lea pauses, running a smoothing thumb over her newly dark painted lip. "That's too much of a risk. I'd never jeopardize our friendship like that."

Callie's gaze softens, the teasing note having disappeared from her tone. "You have a thing for Luke."

"No."

"No?" Avery repeats, she glances across the room. "So it doesn't bother you he's flirting with Diya over there? Made you look."

Lea's eyes narrow as she turns her head back to her friends, having whipped it around so violently Avery's surprised it didn't snap off.

"I– Okay; Say I do have a tiny, minuscule, crush on Luke. Say I'd do something about it but he turns me down, what do we do then? Just go on like nothing happened? Because we all know that's not how it would go. It would change our–" She gestures to all three of them as if to empathize the meaning of her words. "Dynamic forever. So no. I'll just have to... sit it out. Get over it."

"He wouldn't turn you down,"

Avery bites down at her lip as the words fall swiftly off her tongue, knowing she's already crossed a line regarding her friendship with Luke. Then again, it's not always the easiest feat to balance out the rules of 'the bro-code' with the rules of 'the girl-code'.

Lea's mouth falls open, brows etching together ever so slightly. "What?"

"Don't tell him I told you that."

Pivoting on her heel, Avery takes the opportunity to flee.

Not quite walking, not quite running – she heads down the hall and rounds the corner, coming face to face with a dark wooden door; gold letters spelling out 'LADIES' across it.

♡♡♡

Slipping through the door, the carpet of the hallway transcends to white stone floor. Avery's heels sound against it as she walks over to the golden framed mirror hung over the row of marble sinks.

She eyes herself in the mirror, wishing she'd had her lipgloss but it's in her clutch. And her clutch is somewhere in the ballroom with Ethan.

Twirling a lock of her hair around her finger she tucks it behind her ear, nose scrunching up as she holds back a wistful sigh, thinking back to her summer blonde hair. This winter shade is rather depressing in comparison to the highlights provided by the sun.

Giving her reflection another look, her eyes flicker sideways as one of the doors to the stalls swings open – revealing a worn down Brianna. Eyes bloodshot, tears still lingering in the corners of them as she steps out of the stall.

"Oh, hey," She sniffles. "I didn't realize anyone else was in here."

"Hey."

Avery runs another careful hand through her hair, eyes continuing to flit in Brianna's direction through the reflection of the mirror as the girl washes her hands, splashing some water onto her face.

About to turn on her heel, Avery pauses as she notices the girl is not only touching up on her lipgloss but also discreetly wiping at her eyes again. Pressing her teeth together, she rips a paper tissue out of the dispenser and holds it out to Brianna – lips pulling into a faint sympathetic smile.

Brianna's gaze drops to it, reluctantly letting the crumpled up tissue in her own hand fall to the sink. A mumbled "Thanks," slips her lips as she takes the one Avery offers her.

Avery's made it two steps towards the door before pausing again, turning around to glance at the girl. "Are you okay?"

"Oh...," Brianna flickers her eyes to Avery through the reflection of the mirror. "Yeah. I'm just... it's just some family drama. I thought I'd have this one night when I didn't have to think about it but my sister just called and–," A short dry self-deprecating laugh escapes her. "It's whatever. I'm fine."

Hesitating, Avery drags her bottom lip between her teeth. She reaches out to the dispenser closest to her, yanking out another tissue and holds it out for Brianna. "Do you want me to go get someone for you?"

"No. No. For once I'd like to not be 'Brianna – the drama queen'," Brianna discreetly blows her nose, giving herself a look in the mirror. "Great, I look like hell personified."

Avery's lips twitch ever so slightly, ripping out another few tissues.

Walking over to the sink again, she wets the wad under the tap and takes a hesitant approaching step towards Brianna. "...Can I?"

As she nods, Avery lets a smile settle on her lips. She carefully dabs the skin beneath her eyes, hit by the sweet scent of the girl's perfume.

Brianna smiles softly, her words just as soft-spoken. "I like your eyeshadow."

"Thanks."

"You've very nice. I can see why Jake likes you so much."

A soft exhale escapes Avery's nose at the words. If her surprise takes expression in her features, Brianna doesn't comment on it. She hasn't spent that much time around Jake but her cheeks tighten with a smile either way, warmth expanding her chest at the knowledge he seems to think highly of her.

Taking a step back, her smile remains. "There,"

The traces of Brianna's past tears are still there – dark eyes surrounded by a redness, cheeks seeming to glisten with the warmth of her skin, a slight furrow to her brows still in place – but at least it's an improvement from before. Rinsing her hands underneath the tap, Avery wipes them off on another paper towel and throws it out.

"Want to get back out there?"

Brianna clears her throat, collecting herself with a circle of air – Avery can see her posture straighten, lips falling back into a pleasant smile but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "I just need a minute, you go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Avery nods once, turning on her heel with a grimace as a jolt of pain sears through her heel. Pushing the door open she winces again, suspecting she's begun to grow a blister.

♡♡♡

As she walks back into the ballroom, Avery ponders Brianna not wanting her to fetch any of her friends. She can understand it. She knows how it is to pull oneself together behind close doors. She knows how it is to wipe one's tears away, plaster on a smile in private before reemerging into the world again – ready to carry on. She understands the appeal of it.

Still, if it had been one of her friends so obviously upset in there – wouldn't Avery have wanted to know?

She would have wanted to be there for them. Even if they thought she wouldn't understand.

And so, with the risk of pissing Brianna off – it's not like they're friends anyways – she glances around the room for Rhea Georgiou. The girl seems a safe bet, knowing the two are usually seen together.

She eventually spots her stood to the side, Ethan and Jake right next to her.

Without much conscious thought behind it, Avery's lips slip into that never-far-away smile as she catches Ethan's gaze. Walking over to them, she tries not to think of her feet hurting more and more.

Upon reaching them, she steps into Ethan's embrace as he holds one arm out for her. She leans back against his chest as he wraps his arms around her, glancing over at Rhea and Jake.

"I just ran into Brianna in the bathrooms," She says, hesitating but then she sighs. "I don't know if she's still in there but she'd been crying so... I don't know, she said she'd be fine but I thought you should know."

Jake shoots her a grateful smile, already having turned on his heel as he throws a "Thanks" over his shoulder. Rhea's quick to catch up to him, leaving Avery alone with Ethan.

She tilts her head back against his shoulder. "Do you want to go to? I'll be fine here if you do."

"Jake's got it," He says, meeting her gaze and she nods. She shifts on her feet only to wince as the fabric of her shoes cuts into her heels. Ethan's brows etch together. "You okay?"

She's definitely growing a blister but she attempts to shrug it off – the night's still young.

"Mhm. My feet hurt a bit is all."

Reaching her hand up to sweep her thumb over his cheek, her smile only grows as he drops a kiss to her neck. She laughs, swatting lightly at the hand holding onto her hip as he lets his lips trail up her neck – bringing out a small vibrating laugh of him too.

"Are you afraid the chaperones will yank us apart or something?"

He takes his lips off her skin and the two of them glance across the room to where the group of faculty and parents are chatting away, having perched themselves by a table near a corner of the room.

"No," She lets her gaze find his again, absent-mindedly lifting her hand to push his hair out of his face. "But Luke just might."

"He looks pretty busy to me."

Following Ethan's gaze, Avery's smile softens as her eyes find Luke and Lea slow dancing in the middle of the room – seeming completely unaware of the fact that the song coming out the speakers is actually an upbeat early 2000's hit. She lets her gaze linger on them a moment more before turning around in Ethan's embrace, her palms melting into his.

Ignoring the pain of her growing blister – no, blisters plural – she brushes her lips to his, proposing they return to the dance floor.

♡♡♡

Avery lets out a breath of relief as she closes the door on the cold night, the bite to the air still prickling her skin as she sinks back into the passenger seat of Jake's car. The AC is already working at it's highest to warm the car as Ethan and she make their way out of the parking lot, the lights of the hotel disappearing in the rearview mirror.

Considering all her things are stuffed in a garment bag in Lea's car, she's in nothing but her dress, relying heavily on the warmth beginning to seep into the vehicle as she rubs her palms over her goose-bumped skin. Blowing air into her cold hands, Avery glances over at Ethan – her eyes creasing with her grateful smile. The night is far from over, they still have the infamous afterparty to head too but as for now he's taking her home. Giving her a chance to change out of her heels – or rather her feet-killers.

Ethan's lips quirk up as she scrolls through the radio channels in her usual manner but as she comes up empty handed she turns the stereo off entirely, settling on the calm silence contrasting against the loud chatter and music they've been surrounded by all night long. Leaning her head back against the seat, she turns her gaze out the window to watch the dark ocean – the moon lingering in the horizon on the close to black night sky – as they breeze past it. Her smile widens as Ethan takes one of his hands off the wheel, reaching across the center control to interlace his fingers with hers before letting them rest upon her thigh.

Her mouth falls open with a surprised breath as they take a turn off the road, whirling through a few neighborhoods – the streetlights casting a yellow-ish light among the flurry of white taking up space in the darkness. It's one rare sight in this town and she's already sliding her window down, having forgotten all about her attempt to warm herself up.

"Is that snow?"

Sticking her free hand out – palm up – her jaw aches as her cheeks tighten with her grin, feeling the flakes melt against her skin. Despite the immediate chill that fills the car, despite her feet slowly dying from the wounds made by her heels – this night is, in every sense of the word, perfect.

♡♡♡

Driving up her street, Avery's brows knit together as she spots Robert's car in the driveway of her house. Her jaw clenches as her teeth press together, eyes glued to her father lifting a cardboard box into the open trunk of the car.

The cold seeping into her skin now has nothing to do with the brisk air outside and she swallows back the dryness of her throat as they get closer, finding it odd he would fetch those boxes this late in the night.

Sidling up along the street instead of turning into the driveway, her father glances over his shoulder. His brows dip together in slight confusion at the sight of the to him unknown sleek black car but Avery's gaze has latched onto something other than his face, heart dropping heavier into her chest.

She squeezes her eyes shut for a beat but as she opens them the sight remains the same. Panic begins to set in as Robert re-arranges his trunk to fit the next box in, the metallic colors that had merely been a glimpse to her seconds before now on full display.

"Are those suitcases?"

. . .

hi my friends

I hope you're all doing good <3 (I am!! some of these past days I've really felt and seen the early signs of spring and I love it)

much love, yours always

linn