Saving The Day

Chapter Four: Avery

There are only a few moments in my life that I can pinpoint and say that I was genuinely happy, that there was nothing that could tent that memory.
And I'd happily day that this is one of those times. 
This started as a failed date that I was happy to let myself sink deeper into isolation like I do every single time. 
But then Wyatt showed up, he changed everything without realising what he was doing.

"Mmm I have an idea" Wyatt chuckled breaking the small silence that had fallen onto us.
"Do tell" I smiled watching him as he sat up a little taller.
"Truths" Was all he said making me raise a brow at him.
"Truths?" I asked after a few beats but all Wyatt did was nod his head like I should know what on earth he was talking about. 

"Yeah so all we have to do is say one thing most people don't know about us. But we can't go blabbing afterwards" He said pointing at me sternly.
"Who even says blabbing" I laughed rolling over so I was laid on my stomach.

"you first misses" He teased making me smile.
"I don't know what to say, I'm always an open book" I shrugged but Wyatt scoffed. 
"Cop out, there has to be something" he argued as I looked back out on the view.
"I have a thing for stars" I said this time I was greeted by a confused yet concerned expression on Wyatt's face.
"I'm going to need a lot of context there Avery" he said making the pair of us burst out laughing. 

Out of all of the truths I could have offered him, why the hell was that it? Why did I just set myself up like this.
Wyatt is a stranger, one who I doubt will give me a second thought tomorrow.
And the game was truth? so I guess go big?

"I lost my mum a few years ago, during the summer we would always go away on holiday and our favourite memory used to be sitting under the stars together until my Dad found us" I started to explain.
"Then when she passed away, the only time I truly felt close to her was when I was looking at the stars. It's hard to see them down in town so I would usually go as far as I could to see them. Which is why I said earlier that I might steal this place from you" I added before turning to see Wyatt looking at me with a new softness in his eyes.
He didn't say anything to begin with, he latched onto my gaze and kept it for what felt like a lifetime until he finally spoke. 

"You can come here whenever you want to Avery. You can come here alone, you can text me for company. Whatever you want."

I offered him a smile before looking back out onto the view, since mum's passing I've done all I can to avoid people's pity, to avoid their hand outs. 
But with Wyatt, this doesn't feel like a charity hand out. Somehow it feels real, like he truly would have offered it with or without the truth behind it.

"My biggest fear in life is that I'll end up like my father" Wyatt said making my attention drift back to him. 
"He walked out on my mum, little sister and I almost 6 months ago now and nobody has heard a peep from him since. It's like he fell off the face of the planet but I couldn't care where he is. I don't want to end up like that man he claims he is." Wyatt continued to explain.
"I hate that I sit there every night lying to my little sister with the hope he might come back. I hope he doesn't but I know that isn't what she needs to hear" He said allowing his voice to bubble slightly.

I leant forward placing my hand on top of his earning a look of worry, almost like he was debating if he had said too much at this point.

"Your little sister is one very lucky little girl Wyatt" I offered him a heartfelt smile, one he seemed to happily return.
"There isn't much I wouldn't do for her but I can't help but think that one day it won't be enough. That once day she's gonna need him" He mumbled. 

"I know what you mean, I can try and comfort my dad all I can but at the end of the day, we aren't the people they need" I sighed. 

Dare I say that for the first time in a while, someone actually understands how I feel, where I felt like I am in this place. 
That I'm not completely alone with feeling helpless.

Could this be something different?

--

"You aren't gonna get in trouble for being out so late?" Wyatt asked me as we got back to our cars. It was now almost 2am. I don't really know where time went but I also don't think that either of us really wanted to give in and go home at this point.
"No I won't, my Dad will be fast asleep" I chuckled unlocking the car.
"Thankyou for tonight. Can safely say you saved the day" I smiled making Wyatt grin as he leant against my car door.
"All in a night's work sweetheart" He winked.
"You can call me superman" He chuckled before the pair of us started laughing.

Tonight was something different, it was something special. Or at least I felt that way. I've been on thousands of blind dates set up by Hannah but this one couldn't have been any more perfect. Minus the fact that Wyatt was not supposed to be my date for the evening, we'll offer Hannah the win at the end of the day.
I wouldn't have been in the diner if she hadn't set up the date.
Wyatt wouldn't have come over had I not been there.
So truly, this was a mixture of Hannah and timing really.

"Now usually this would be the time of evening where I would walk you to your door to make sure you got there safely but I mean, you're driving yourself" Wyatt said filling the silence
"That I am" I smiled.

"Call me when you get in so I know you got there okay?" He offered. 
"It'll be late Wyatt, I don't want to burden you further" I explained but he shook his head tilting it back.

"have we not gotten past this yet Avery, you aren't burdening me. In fact, I wouldn't be here-" He started before I smiled.

"If you didn't want to be" I whispered.