The Speech

Chapter 17

Theo's POV

We pull up to her house and she patiently waits for me to park.
"Thanks for the ride." She says and opens the door. How is she being so polite right now?
"Haley, wait. I owe you an explanation." I tell her. She pauses for a moment then pulls the door back shut.
"Theo, it's okay. I'm a bit embarrassed, but my ego will be fine." She reassures me.
"It's not that I didn't want to be out with you again, really. You're great and I had fun Monday. I just was under the impression that it was a one time thing for both of us." I say.
"Yeah so was I. Then Avery asked me to do this double date and said that you really wanted me too so I decided to come. I broke my one date rule for you, and I came out tonight. It's not your fault she lied to get me there." She says, and reaches for the handle again.

"Haley I just didn't want to do a double date with Avery, I have no issue with going on a second date with you." I blurt.
"Why does being out with Avery bother you?" She asks. Backed yourself into a corner with that one buddy.
"I've sorta had a thing for her for a while, and I'm trying to get over it... But going on a double date with her doesn't help it." I say shyly. She does a little scoff.
"Second dates make everything complicated." She says, but I can tell it's more to herself. She looks back up at me.
"This second date was a mistake for both of us. Neither of us should let Avery rule our decisions." With that she hops out of the car and doesn't look back.

I think about hoping out and running after her, telling her that Avery doesn't have a hold on me, but she and I both know that it wouldn't be true. And lying to myself is one thing, but Haley doesn't deserve to be lied to. Just as I'm about to drive off, my phone goes with a text. I check it and see it's from Avery.
"I'm sorry, I overstepped. Do you hate me?" I stare at it for a moment then respond.
"How could I ever hate you." Honest to God, I wouldn't even know how to.

Avery's POV

I admit I have some apologizing to do. I blew up at Jayden and Jackie just because I was upset about Theo and that wasn't fair to them. But as much as I need to apologize to them, I think I need to track Haley down first. I don't want to, the thought makes me physically ill, but I practically forced her to go on this date and blew up in her face. And now that I know Theo doesn't hate me I'm feeling a little less insecure and want to act on this mission as fast as I can.

Haley doesn't live far from me so I end up just walking to her house to give me more time to think about what I will say, but by the time I get to her front door I'm convinced this whole idea is a mistake and that if I ring the doorbell she will punch me in the face the moment she sees me. I ring it anyways though and after only a moment she appears at the door.
"Avery? What are you doing here?" She asks, less than friendly as to be expected.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. This whole thing is my fault and I shouldn't have begged you to come on this double date without knowing for sure that Teddy wanted you there. I set you up on the worst date of your life and I feel awful about it." I tell her. Why did I refer to him as Teddy? I only say Teddy when I'm talking to him.
"Are you apologizing to make me feel better or yourself?" She says all snarky.
"You Haley. You don't have to accept my apology, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't. I just wanted to make sure you knew that I didn't intentionally mean for any of this to happen." I say.
"Yes you did. You were jealous, and petty, and just wanted to keep him at arms length. And I was dumb enough to not realize it." She says to me and I scoff.

"Whatever Haley, you can believe what you want. I know that's not why I did it, but I'm sorry you feel that way." I say and try to walk away. I knew this was a mistake.
"I'm only gonna say this once because no one else seems to want to, but you need to hear it. You have Jayden, Avery. You need to stop leading Theo on. He's never gonna meet someone if he's constantly wrapped up in you." She says, then closes the door. Leading him on?

Jackie's POV

We hear Avery leave the house and know that the coast is now clear to leave his room. Fingers crossed she's doing something productive and not stupid. When she gets back she'll hopefully be in the mood for talking to me. I only put two and two together after I left her room, realizing why she got mad at me. I was trying to force her to admit to something she probably hasn't even admitted to herself, and she got defensive. It's understandable, she's been together with Jayden for two years now and the idea of having feelings for someone else can't possibly come easy. Especially when those feelings are towards one of your close friends. I wish she wouldn't be so scared to think about ending things with Jayden. If she is having feelings for someone else that is. It's not fair to Jayden to stay in a relationship her heart truly isn't in, just because she's put time into it. Plus Theo has been crazy over her for so long, I can't imagine what he'd do if he found out she might reciprocate it.

"You're on popcorn duty." Dylan says, breaking me away from my thoughts. He tosses a bag towards me and I attempt to rip it open. Is this stupid thing duct taped? I groan to myself for not being able to open it. I reluctantly start looking for some scissors and open up a draw, slinging a Pez dispenser to the front of it. Darth Vader, that's a fun one. It takes me a moment before I remember that Pez was leaving here when I pulled up. I thought they were just hanging out, did Dylan buy something off of Pez? I open the Pez head to see if there's anything in it, but I find nothing. It's none of my business. I say and stuff it back in the draw. It has nothing to do with me, for all I know it could have really just held Pez in it.

I go into the living room where Dylan has neglected his job to find a movie and turn on music instead. He walks over to me and grabs my hand, spinning me across the floor.
"Since when are you such a dancer? This makes two nights in a week." I tease him. He reels me back into him and holds me close to his chest.
"Maybe this is just what I'm like when I'm single and happy." He says and lays his forehead on mine.
"What happened to watching a movie?" I ask him, trying to kill some of the tension between us. I'd like to get to know the friendship side of us a bit more. Cause you sure know the making out, side plenty. My subconscious adds.
"I guess I can take my eyes off of you long enough to turn something on." He flirts and all I do is roll my eyes. Here comes trouble...

Dylan's POV

We sit on opposite sides of the couch, like she's scared to get near me. My high has worn off and that lovely headache has returned. The light from the TV is burning my retinas and the sound is making my ears bleed. I do my best to not seem agitated, but from the way she's scrunched up in the corner of the couch, I'm sure I haven't done a good job. Maybe I should've gotten more from Pez. We were both nervous about me doing any that we didn't think about just how much I might need to get through this hangover. I think.

30 minutes into this movie and Avery finally comes back in.
"What are y'all watching?" She asks casually, as if she wasn't just yelling at Jackie earlier. Jackie looks to me to answer, but I know I won't say anything nice so I stay quiet.
"Footloose." Jackie responds quietly. Avery takes a couple steps closer to the couch.
"Can I join?" She asks. Jackie and I answer at the same time, cutting each other off.
"No." I say.
"Yes." Says Jackie. She shoots me a confused look.
"I don't think Avery should get to join without apologizing to you first." I say and rub my temples. If this fucking headache doesn't go away.

"Dylan I don't think that's your call to make, it's mine. And I'm demanding an apology." She says, and the confusion doesn't leave her brow. Avery pipes up and I psych myself up for whatever bullshit she's gonna say.
"He's right, even if he's being a douche right now. I'll allow it because he's sticking up for my best friend." She spouts and I try not to laugh. God there better be more to that apology.
"Seriously, Avery you're okay. You had a shitty night and lashed. It happens. Come watch the movie with us." Jackie unbelievably says. Avery skips around the couch and plops herself next to Jackie, who pushes play on the movie.
"Can you turn it up a bit?" Avery asks and I can feel my ear drums pound.

I need to sleep this off or something, I feel like death and sitting out here with this loud ass movie and Avery annoying the shit out of me, isn't helping. Jackie and I will have plenty of time to test run our new friendship once this hangover is gone.
"I'm gonna head to bed. Y'all have fun." I say in the nicest voice I can muster. I can feel Jackie's stare longer as I walk away, but I don't care enough to turn back. It's hard to care when all I want to do is smash my head in a car door.