𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

02. anti hero

TRACK 2
anti hero

"Hello!" Avery said cheerfully into the phone after she had paid for the drinks at the bistro and was walking down columbus avenue street, basking in the last rays of sunlight before autumn transitioned into winter.

David sighed into the phone. "What did you do this time, Avery?"

There was silence on the other end for a brief moment. "What made you think I did something?" Avery asked innocuously.

"Your "hello" sounded suspicious," he stated matter-of-factly.

Damn, he was good.

She huffed. "Oh, fine, I broke up with Joseph," she admitted. It was actually quite a relief without the constant stress of having to text him, or call him, or even think about him.

Why did she even bother sometimes?

"You what?!" David all but screeched into the phone. "Okay, that's it, you're staying where you are, I'm going to pick you up, and you're gonna tell me everything."

Avery rolled her eyes. "David, there's really not much to tell—" but then, there was the sound of David hanging up so as to not have to hear his cousin's so-called "excuses" and "lame attempts at explaining over the phone", leaving Avery alone. "For god's sake," she mumbled under her breath.

Though she would rather die than admit it, Avery loved her cousin. Ever since the two were little, they had always been the closest pair of cousins in their massive family, like two trouble-loving peas in a pod, though Avery eventually grew out of her chaotic and prankster-ish ways much to David's dismay.

Soon, a cream-colored convertible pulled up and honked, the noise blaring through the crowded street, though people paid it no mind.

Well, that's my cue, Avery thought wryly, mentally preparing herself for the interrogation that was sure to come, and to be bludgeoned to death by the questions and exaggerated reactions that would definitely come from her cousin.

And she was right.

"You broke up with him?!" David immediately exclaimed incredulously. "Why? How? What happened? Did he do anything? Did you do anything?!" His voice grew shriller with every question.

Avery rolled her eyes. "Yes, I broke up with him because I got bored of him, I decided to do it impulsively this morning but we had a lunch date planned already, so I didn't go out of my way to text him, per se, and he was being quite rude about it if I was to be honest, but to be fair he just got broken up with. No, he didn't do anything, and neither did I, but he accused me of cheating, then accused me of caring about work more than our relationship, to which I replied something along the lines of "no shit", and it just went downhill from there," she said all in one breath, trying to get the rehashing over as soon as possible.

Though it wasn't usually too bad, Avery wasn't the biggest fan of confiding in people, even if those people were people she actually trusted or felt comfortable with. No, nothing happened to her that made her think that way—she simply felt as if it was too much of a hassle and way too much for her to deal with at the same time.

Thankfully, David got the message that there really wasn't much to tell about the breakup, and filled the air between them with chatter about nonsensical and trivial things with an occasional snarky remark from Avery, who was content to listen to him talk about his annoying ass coworker (who she was half convinced that he was in love with). "Damn, you're gonna die alone," he said off-handedly.

"Oh, also, we've been invited to this charity gala tonight," David said as they arrived at the pair's shared apartment.

Avery raised an eyebrow. "Who's 'we'?"

"You and me, duh!"

She blanched. "No thank you. I have plans."

David scoffed. "As if. What are your plans then, dear cousin?"

"Rewatching the Harry Potter movies and eating pasta straight from the pot," Avery said matter-of-factly, ignoring the incredulous look that her cousin was giving her. "What? It's a great plan!" She exclaimed defensively.

"It's rather sad, is what it is," he remarked snidely, flopping down on the cream-colored couch. "I mean, look at you! You're an opportunist, you're smart, you are quite a scintillating conversationalist—" this caused Avery to roll her eyes, for she was the exact opposite of a conversationalist in 99% of situations, "—and dare I say it, you're actually quite pretty."

Avery chuckled humorlessly. "David, if only you knew the things they said about me at the office."

"Oh, what is so horrible to be said about a journalist?"

"Plenty, in fact."

"Then do enlighten me," he said sarcastically, turning to face her with a bemused expression.

Avery pretended to think for a moment. "They've said that I'm ruthless, cold, emotionless, cutthroat, a tattletale, antisocial, avoidant, overcontrolling, judgemental, not a team player, way too honest for my own good, and oh—did I mention emotionless?"

David rolled his eyes. "They're just jealous," he said consolingly.

She raised an eyebrow. "Of me?" her voice was laced with skepticism. "You literally just said that I didn't have a life and that my plans are pathetic."

Her cousin gasped, absolutely affronted by her accusation. "I did not say that!"

"It was implied!"

"Your plans are pathetic, though. Come with me to the charity gala tonight?"

Avery sighed. "When does it start?"

David grinned devilishly. "So is that a yes?"