Nine

When I get home after school with Avery, I curse to myself, seeing my father's car parked in the driveway. Usually, he is at the shop until 5 o'clock when they close, giving me at least 2 hours alone after school.

"Uh, hope you don't mind meeting my dad, he isn't usually home around this time," I say, not moving from my spot on the sidewalk.

She smiles warmly at me, make my pulse race. "That's fine," she says and pushes me to walk forward.

God, this is going to be so embarrassing.

I creep into the house and instantly hear the TV on in the living room, the pre-game events already playing. There is a chance we can sneak by and run up the stairs without being seen, but this house is over 30 years old, the floors creak and crack more than my 80-year-old grandmother.

I don't have time to make a decision; I hear my father get up from the couch and walk down the hall. He comes around the corner with a smile on his face and a beer already in his hand. His smile drops, and the beer almost goes with it, when he sees Avery and I.

"Oh, I didn't know you were bringing someone over," he says, quickly composing his shock. "Hello, Avery." He waves awkwardly.

"Yeah, sorry it was a last-minute hang out, to work on our school project," I say, hoping he got the hint in my voice.

He clucks his tongue. "That's perfect, I was just thinking of heading to the bar to watch the rest of the game."

I let out a breath of relief and he smiles, then grabs his coat and slips his shoes on. "Call me if you need anything," he says and grabs his keys, heading out the door.

Avery and I make our way into the living room, where surprisingly, she brings out all the notes from our last homework session. I hadn't expected her to be prepared, but I should have assumed that was why she asked to come over.

"So, where did we leave off last time?" she asks, her fingers skimming the pages. We work on our assignment for the next hour and a half, before breaking to eat something. We never ate the pizza I ordered last time; we fell asleep.

This time, I decide to order Chinese food instead. We eat while we continue to work, but I can't focus on anything she is asking me to write down. My mind keeps wandering to the other night, how amazing she felt in my arms again, how intoxicating her vanilla shampoo was, and how for that brief moment; my mind and heart were calm.

Her presence has that ability, to chase away my demons and quiet the storm constantly raging inside me. How could I have not realized this feeling sooner? From the moment I first laid eyes on her, I have felt lighter; physically and mentally, no longer feeling like I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Or the guilt of my crimes, or should I say, for the justice that was never given for that poor girl.

I close my eyes and put my pen down, unable to write anymore. Every time I think of that girl, sprawled out on the dirty floor, completely unconscious and unaware of the violation towards her body, and when she did find out, her mind.

I wanted to see that son of a bitch rot in jail for the rest of his life, for what he put her through, and the disgusting way he treated her; another god damn human being.

"Aiden, are you alright?" Avery's voice brings me back, and just from the mere sound of her voice, the thoughts and guilt are gone. The demons have retreated.

I open my eyes to smile at her. "Everything is just great."

"Did you want to take a break? It's almost time for me to go home," she says and nervously checks the clock.

Damn, she's right. We've been sitting here working – at least she has – all night. My father is probably also going to be home soon, knowing what he is probably thinking at this moment.

I don't miss his shifting eyes every time I'm in the room, the way he constantly watches me when he thinks I'm not paying attention; analyzing me, waiting for me to break.

What is he expecting? I went through some tough shit, admittedly not something someone my age should have went through then, but I came out a different person.

I didn't break, like some, and I'm not going to.

This girl, right next to me, is proof enough I can achieve something great. I managed to befriend her, by some wild miracle – or maybe it was due to my persistency. Who knows, I just know I never thought I would deserve someone as kind and amazing as Avery.

"Do you want to play a game with me?" I ask.

She shoots me a suspicious look. I walk over to the living room and pick up the Play Station 4 remote, and show her it, realization dawning on her face.

"I've never played video games before," she says and bites her lip, looking down shyly. My pulse races in my throat, my mouth turning to sand paper.

Why does she have to be so god, damn adorable? Flirting with her would be so much easier if she didn't make my heart jump every time she smiles or bites her lip.

I throw on a simple first-person shooter game and switch it to two-players, so we're just fighting a bunch of enemies together. I lean into her slightly, so I can show her the controls, but it's more of an excuse to be closer to her.

Within a few rounds, she gets the hang of it and actually beats me a couple times. Before we know it, the front door opens, and my dad walks in, stumbling a little. He kicks off his shoes and walks into the living room, smiling tightly at the scene in front of him.

"Did you guys have a good night?" he asks.

We both nod and smile. I get up to turn the game off and he walks further into the room. "Can I offer you a ride home, Avery?"

"Whoa, dad, haven't you been drinking?" I know I heard him stumbling in the hallway.

He chuckles. "Aiden, how do you think I got home?"

"I thought maybe Sean gave you a ride home," I mutter, frowning.

My dad shakes his head and looks at Avery. I'm expecting her to turn around and politely turn him down, but she surprises me when she smiles.

"That would be great, thank you Mr. Thomas," she says and goes to the kitchen to collect her bag, leaving me dumbfounded. Maybe she thought having an adult drop her off, will make it seem less suspicious as to where she is going.

I shake off the thoughts and follow them to the front door, my father hangs back in the hallway.

An awkward silence hangs in the air above us.

"So, I'll uh, see you at school?" I ask, keeping my gaze focused on my feet, my big toe drawing random patterns into the door rug.

"Yeah," she whispers.

I look up at me her hazel eyes, my pulse quickening at the soft smile she has on her face. A real smile, though small and doesn't touch her eyes, it isn't something I see often.

She rarely smiles at school, and when she does, I can tell it's forced.

The floor creaks a few feet down the hall, signaling my dad is getting closer. Before he comes around the corner, I dip my head down and kiss her cheek, my lips lingering on her silky, warm skin.

"Goodnight, Avery."

She looks up at me with wide eyes, only snapping out of it when my dad rounds the corner, a tight smile on his face.

"Ready to go?" he asks.

Avery nods, her eyes glued to mine. She tears away to grab her shoes and slip them on, giving me one more fleeting, rare smile, before grasping the door handle.

I walked with her and my dad to the car, opening the passenger door for her. I grasped her wrist before she slipped in, her eyes connecting with mine.

"Let me know you're safe, please?"

She bites her lip, but nods and reaches up to give my hand a squeeze. I let go and she slips into the car. I stand in the driveway and watch until they're completely out of sight, then run inside to my bedroom to plug my phone in, already getting the 10% battery notification.

I know it's a short drive over to her place, even with my by-the-law father going at least 2 under the speed limit. I sit on my phone and play phone games until I get her text.

A little while longer than I expected, her name comes across the top of my screen and I quickly tap it.

I'm safe. Thanks for a great night, I had fun.

The slight tension in my chest I didn't realized had built up, squeezed my heart once more, then slowly released.

Good, and I'm glad to hear, I really did too.

I waited impatiently for another 10 minutes, though it felt like an hour, until she responds.

Goodnight, Aiden.

I re-read those words over in my head, desperately wanting them come out of her lips, while she lays next to me. I've imagined countless nights, when I couldn't sleep, that she was lying next to me, staring at me with those beautiful hazel eyes, captivating me like they always do.

Goodnight, Avery.

I want to say so much more than that; like, 'goodnight, Avery, I'm so in love with you I can't sleep without thinking of you next to me'?

Yeah, because that would go over so well.

Fuck, I'm such a mess.

***

The next morning, I arrive early to school, so I can wait for Avery by her locker. I've come accustomed to waking up every morning, and having the fear that she is going to ignore me or not show up.

Well, I'm not letting her this time if she does.

I wait until the first warning bell for her to show up, but she isn't anywhere to be found. My heart starts sinking in my chest, thinking she didn't show up, until I see the back of her black hoodie, rushing towards the ladies room.

"Avery!" I call out, but she is either ignoring me, or has headphones in. I race after her and catch her before she ducks into the bathroom. I tug on the back of her backpack slightly, making her stop in her tracks.

"Hey, I was waiting for you," I say, trying to force a happy smile, though I can feel the tension rolling off her.

Something isn't right.

"I have to use the bathroom; I'll see you in class." She tries to give me a convincing smile and turns back towards the door.

I made a promise this morning that if I felt like something was wrong, or she was pulling away for any reason; I wouldn't let her.

I grasp her upper arm, trying to turn her around to face me, but stop when she cries out and tears herself away from me. I jump back a foot, like a fire started between us.

"What just happened?" I ask, putting my hands up to show I didn't try to hurt her. I see her clutch her upper arm, right where I grasped it.

I swear, I don't remember grabbing her that hard. I would never try and hurt her, and I wasn't trying to. What the hell was that?

"I'm sorry, I need to go," she mutters and runs past me down the hall.

"Wait, Avery!" I cry out and run after her.

I'm not letting her get away this time.

I manage to catch up to her just as she rounds the corner of the hall, grabbing her hand on her other arm this time to pull her back. I tug her towards the closest door and quickly check to make sure it's empty, seeing the dark classroom.

I open the door and pull her in, trying to be as gentle as possible, thanking the lord she isn't fighting me.

"Aiden, what are you doing?" she asks, carefully raising her other arm – the somehow injured one – to wipe away stray tears. I turn her towards one of the desks and lift her to sit on the edge.

I slowly raise my hand and help wipe away the tears off her face, my eyes never leaving hers.

"Why did you cry out in pain, when I touched your arm?" I ask quietly, my fingers lightly running against her cheek.

Fresh tears well in her eyes, and I'm quick to wipe them away. Something happened last night, and I'm not leaving this room until I find out what, or at least where she is hurt.

"Please, Avery? Talk to me," I plead with her.

She sharply inhales, her bottom lip trembling. I hate that I'm making her upset, but I want to help her. To do that, I need to know what is going on. Why does she keep getting these bruises and cuts? No one is that clumsy, and I know for a fact she is hardly clumsy at all.

She is a dancer, and I have seen her in action. I have never seen anyone so graceful. Even during class or hanging outside of school, she is always alert and focused, paying attention to every detail. I see her eyes wandering, curious about the small things around her.

"I'm afraid," she whispers. I feel her body start to tremble, both her lips quivering now.

"What are you afraid of?"

She shakes her head and tries to pull away from me, shutting her eyes.

"Why do you keep shutting me out?" I ask, barely holding on to my hurt and anger at this point.

I have tried so many times to reach out to her, try and help her, show her I care and will be there for her no matter what.

The only thing I haven't done is admit I love her, and that is the main reason why I will do all those things for her, why I'm trying so hard to get through to her.

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you." She continues to shake her head.

That is a slight confession. "So, there is something going on though?"

Her eyes go wide. "No, I never said that."

"Then what can't you tell me? Why can't you let me help you, Avery?"

"Why do you think I need help?" she asks.

I have to take a deep breath to keep myself from exploding. Does she think I'm blind? Stupid?

"How do you explain the multiple injuries you keep receiving?" I can hear the tremble in my voice, signaling the little hold I have over my temper right now.

She opens and closes her mouth, then bites her lip and looks down.

"You don't have an explanation, other than the truth, which you don't want to tell me. Why?"

She takes a deep breath. "I want to tell you, I do," she whispers, her voice cracking. Taking another deep breath, she continues, "but I'm not ready. I'm sorry, I know that isn't a good enough excuse, but it's the truth right now. I'm not ready to share, to say it out loud."

I put my hand under her chin and lift her eyes to meet mine. There, I see the truth. She is terrified of something, and talking about it is almost as bad as living whatever nightmare she is scared of.

But I see the want there, too. The want to tell me, to open up to me.

She just needs time.

Okay, I can do that. Honestly, I think I'll do anything for her.

If it means she will let me stay by her side.

"You can tell me when you're ready, I can wait." I move closer to her again, lifting a hand to her cheek, my thumb brushing against her bottom lip, hoping to help it stop trembling.

"But in exchange, can you promise me one thing?" I ask.

Her expression is hesitant, but she nods.

"Can you promise, that if anything bad ever happens, and you need to get away – you will call me right away? My phone will always be one, and I will be there to get you the second you call or text me."

"Aiden, you don't have to–"

Before either of us has a chance to think, I plant a soft kiss on her lips, sealing off whatever protest she is about to say.

I know I am basically telling her my feelings, even if it's just a small glimpse, but with the soft feel of her lips under mine; I don't give a fuck.

I have dreamed of this moment many times, wanting to know just how luscious her lips are, stealing glances every chance I get and fantasizing of grabbing her and finding out for myself.

Now that I know, I don't ever want to stop. My heart is racing in my chest, my blood pounding in my ears. I've never felt more alive.

But I know we have to pull away for air, since I felt her suck in a sharp breath the moment I kissed her, and I don't think she has let it out yet, though her lips are responding to mine.

"Please, let me be there for you," I demand, more than ask, resting my hand on her cheek again, needing to feel that contact.

I've had a taste; now I need more.

She nods, leaning into my touch and closing her eyes. I rest my forehead against hers and bask in the amazing moment we are sharing right now.

I keep thinking about the kiss.

She let me kiss her.

She didn't push me away.

She didn't reject me.

What does this mean? Does that mean she has feelings for me to?

I don't want to ask and ruin the moment, knowing how short-lived it is going to be. I don't want to leave her, though. I'm more than willing to skip the rest of the day, and just spend it with her.

An idea quickly springs into my head.

"Since we're already late for class," I say, pulling back and smirking at her. "Can I take you somewhere?"

A light frown touches her face, and expression melting my heart with how fucking adorable she looks.

"Where are we going?"

My smirk widens. "Just trust me."