Wrong Quarterback | ✓

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.