Love Tides | ✓

seventeen | loving can hurt

για πάντα είναι σαν να λέτε ποτέ, είναι ψέμα

[ forever is like saying never, it's a lie ]

☆ ☆ ☆

Avery stuffed a series of camera lenses into his messenger bag, a frown tainted on his lips in an everlasting manner. He eyed the small portfolio across from him on the large bed he spent sleeping in last month.

He had spent his last few days working on it with Adamos and Penelope—he couldn't deny it wasn't fun. Jokes were exchanged, Martha's food was devoured, even small Odo took a small detour on the whole experiences

It happened so fast, he could feel Penelope's presence roaming around gloomily around the house. Avery zipped his suitcase closed and dragged it across the room next to the door. He hadn't dared to look at Penelope's face since yesterday evening—he didn't want to leave, he left his mark on this room; it felt his, it felt like home.

But the plane ticket on his back pocket said otherwise, it felt tempting—like medical treatment to a drug addict, Skopelos and Penelope being the drug. He couldn't help but think of her—just a month since they both met and Avery felt his whole world crumble at the thought of leaving her.

The kiss a few days prior was a broken record in Avery's mind; it was impossible to let the memory go. Since then, they'd both taken photographs of each other, working on the whole presentation, eating baklava and lemon tarts, prancing in the lemon orchard, swimming on the beach, kissing...was it possible to love someone so much in so little time?

Avery moved to sit on his desk chair, opening his laptop and seeing the large Skype incoming call. He instantly pressed accep when he saw his mother's name appear on the screen. The screen glitched and the grinning image of his mother smiled back at him.

"Hi, Hun!"

Michelle waved excitedly as she moved the camera around, Angelina it upwards so her face was on full view. "How's it going? Just a few hours and you're off back to California! Aren't you excited?!"

"Yeah, mom," Avery smiled softly and grimly. "I'm very excited to see you again—it's been a long time since I've seen you in person."

"I know hun, first Seattle then Greece! My baby boy is all grown up!" Michelle gushed, pushing her hands to her cheeks. "Oh, I'm so happy!"

Avery pursed his lips. "Yeah, mom, me too."

"Oh, I'll bake you the biggest lasagne—with corn too! And I'll ask Marcela to make you some homemade Carné Asada! It's lovely to have a Spanish neighbor. I've recently been speaking more to her since I'm on my vacation and the culture in Spain sounds so beautiful. I'm thinking of going to Madrid or Barcelona next summer; I've even signed up with some Flamenco lessons!"

"That sounds very interesting, ma," Avery commented, smiling softly.

"Doesn't it!" Michelle's cheeks puffed in happiness. "Oh—I forgot to tell you—you won't believe who I ran into yesterday!"

Avery lifted his eyebrows in false surprise. "Who ma?"

"Elias Maverick!" Michelle exclaimed. "Lord, I haven't seen him in months—he looks so handsome, he's growing a beard did you know? But he looked so depressed, oh I remember him to be such a happy boy."

"Yeah, I talked to him on the phone the other day," Avery explained. "He's got a lot on his shoulders; a heavy case, plus he's dealing with his breakup with Genevieve and her suicide. Man, he's holding up, but he really needs some rest."