Leave What Was Found

15: The Breakdown

Everyone was leaving for Thanksgiving break today, except for Avery and a few others. Merriwether and Coach had all the students who were staying over for break come to the library for a meeting where they went over the rules for the break.

They were not to leave campus without signing out. They were not to break curfew. They were not allowed in the academic buildings which had been locked up for break. The girls were to report to Merriwether, the girl's dorm monitor, and the boy's to their dorm monitor, Coach, at breakfast everyday, which was essentially their way of confirming no one went missing overnight.

As they explained the rules, Avery looked around. She counted one freshmen, no sophomores, three juniors, and two seniors. One of the other juniors was Chelsey. Avery was secretly happy she wasn't going to be completely alone. Besides, Chelsey wasn't so bad, contrary to Nikki's belief.

Avery had no idea why Nikki was so bothered by Chelsey because Chelsey didn't seem to fit the narrative Nikki had tried so hard to make Avery believe. Sure, Chelsey had been hurt. Julian wasn't interested in her for anything more than sex, it must have stung. However, now she was happily dating Brady and the two of them had made it quite clear just how in love they were based on how often Avery saw the two of them together doing more than she would have liked to have ever seen.

Yet, Nikki still hated Chelsey. It was getting rather annoying dodging the other while Avery was with one of them. Nikki was also really starting to annoy Avery with her constant talk about Julian. It was the least of Avery's interests, yet Nikki brought it up every moment she could. Nikki seemed to have a concern with everything Julian did these days.

"Did he look at me funny?" Nikki would ask when Julian's eyes were on Nikki for a second shorter than they should have been.

"Is it weird he is always late to basketball on Mondays?" Nikki would ask when Julian refused to explain where he disappeared to. Only Avery knew that Julian was in therapy.

"Why won't he open up to me?" Nikki would ask when Julian didn't answer her nosey questions.

It drove Avery insane. Nikki needed to learn that some people just weren't comfortable speaking about the things in their past that had hurt them. She was so privileged, she hadn't suffered like Julian so clearly had. She would never understand, all she could do was support him, something Nikki also did not understand how to do. It was more than just trying to put a positive spin on things, it was understanding when your partner did not want to talk, or did not want to go out, it was understanding when your partner needed you to comfort them in the way they so desperately crave. It was so clear that Nikki was not that for Julian.

Avery could not help but feel slightly responsible for the odd coupling. Granted, Julian did not have to continue dating her if they weren't working out; however, Avery had twisted his arm and forced the two together. Maybe that was why it bothered her so much. She knew what Julian actually needed but also despised the boy at the same time.

Avery didn't understand. Maybe it was because she didn't really attend high school before. She had barely spent a few months of freshman year in actual school before her dad's spontaneous road trip. Drama and boy problems were a relatively new concept to her.

"Okay, that's everything," Merriwether announced. "Please just be on your best behavior."

When they were let go, Avery walked back to the dorm with Chelsey.

"So, why are you staying?" Chelsey asked.

Avery shrugged. "My uncle is my only family and he is going to visit a friend or something, I didn't feel like tagging along."

Chelsey nodded sympathetically. "My parents don't believe in Thanksgiving," she said, staring at the ground. "They are vacationing in the Maldives together, I wasn't invited."