Along came Avery

1 8 . t o p r o t e c t

"Nathan, are you sleeping over too?"

"Yeah I am," The surfer haired boy answers as he grabs his keys from the table. "I'm just dropping off Qailah and I'll be back."

"Okay." David points his thumb up before approaching me. "Little mama. Be safe, okay? Who's taking you? Do you want me to drop you off?"

"It's good, I got her." Why aren't I surprised that Avery is the one speaking. He also grabs his keys off the table and runs his hands through his hair. "I won't be sleeping over, so I can drop her off on my way back home."

"That's cool." David nods, then wraps his arms around me once again, laughing when I groan in his chest. "See? Not bad this time around, hmm?"

I pull back when he releases me and roll my eyes, even despite my smile widening. "Whatever. Thanks for today. It was nice. I'll see you guys tomorrow at school."

Everyone else who's sleeping over — excluding myself, Avery and Qailah — hum and agree. Amber told me she would be sleeping over; she planned on getting drunk over David's fathers expensive alcohol beverages. I thought I wouldn't sleep over. I'm not the best and not that fond of sleep overs at anyone's house anymore. The last I slept over was at Michaela's place and since then, I've decided against sleeping at people's houses.

After saying my goodbyes to everyone, the four of us step out and head to the appropriate cars. Avery and I enter his, and I buckle up and we both watch Nathan and Qailah enter the twins' car. Considering their car is parked before Avery's, we're ought to wait for the car to head out the gate before Avery could reverse.

Soon enough, we're on the road, and the dead silence stings both my eardrums. The only thing, excluding the exterior machines of the car and the air hitting the window, is my heart beating in my chest.

It's quite dark outside. It's not too busy too, considering it's a Tuesday night, but the scenery of different cars and streetlights shining calms me down partially.

The silent doesn't last long, because before I know it, Avery speaks up.

"Why didn't you sleep over?"

"Why didn't you sleep over?" I throw back.

"Because I don't know David enough to be willing to sleep over." He answers smoothly. "Why didn't you?"

"Because..." I shrug, staring out the window. "I just don't do sleep overs anymore."

"Why? The guilt?"

Straight to the point. "Something like that. But let's not talk about that. Why don't you start off by apologizing for what you did."

"I did something?" I turn my head to glare at him. His one hand holds the steering wheel as the other rests between the seats. He presses a button that allows his windows to roll down just two inches. His head is even lulled back against the headrest and his eyes lazily watch the road. After the long pause, he spares me a moment's glance. "What did I do?"

"Avery, you touched me."

"Okay... so?"

Excuse me to all different dimensions. I have to retract my head back at his words and lack of care. "What do you mean, so? That was so inappropriate. You can't do as you please with my body. You said you wouldn't hurt me physically, only mentally and emotionally— not that I'm saying do either of them, but certainly not physically."

"I didn't hurt you—"

"You sexually assaulted me." He throws me a look of disbelief. "Or... harassed me. Or whatever. You did something against me physically. That's so wrong."