Salty Licorice

Chapter 59

Avery's POV

I hate being ignored by Marisa, it's been a week now and she still won't have a full conversation with me. Then again she won't talk to anyone, not even Liz. She's acting honestly very withdrawn and it's worrying. I wonder if it has to do with her birthday coming up this weekend.

Not much I can do seeing as I've tried to talk to her but, you can't make someone open up if they don't want to. So I just keep reminding her that she can talk to me when she's ready. Till then I have to do as she asked of me before. If Emily lied to Liz about the bet as well as she hurt Liz on purpose, I'm almost nervous to hear what Spencer has to say about Emily, or what story she has to spin about the girl I thought I knew everything about.

I walk out of the locker rooms after practice with my duffle back in hand heading for my truck when I see Spencer heading for her car not far from mine talking to the two idiots I ran into at the party. I make a split second decision and toss my bag in the back of my cab before walking over to her. When I reach her she is alone by her car putting her lacrosse gear in the trunk of her car. When she closes it and turns around I'm right there making her jump a bit from being startled.

"Look if you want to fight, fine but can you avoid the face? That's the money maker," She jokes walking past me heading for her driver's door.

I hold her door closed and look at her gaining her attention again.

"I think it's about time we had a real talk," I say, the calmness in my voice clearly startling her.

"Yeah sure," Spencer nods slowly. "Meet me at the boat docks off the bay, the same place we used to go."

"Okay," I nod and step away from her heading for my truck, hoping she will actually meet me there and not blow me off.

I don't play any music the whole drive. My mind is racing with too many thoughts. Why would Emily do the things everyone is telling me, I've known her almost my whole life and the Emily I know is sweet and kind. She used to be shy and kind, and couldn't even hurt a fly. So why would she be so cruel to Lizzie, a girl that I clearly care for deeply. But I also don't know why she would slap me at the party. Man, now that I'm thinking about it, that slap really did hurt. She has a killer back hand.

I just don't understand, why would she do all of this. But I'm also curious as to what she could have done to Spencer, or how Spencer falls into the middle of all of this. Emily's been so supportive of me, especially when it comes to my family. But my family is a problem I can't deal with right now.

I pull into a gravel parking spot and sit for a second trying to calm my head from my racing thoughts. I hear the crinkling of gravel from a stop to my left, looking to recognize the car as Spencers. I hop out of my truck, trying to fix my pants. It's been harder and harder to keep them from looking like floods on me. She walks up to me with a smirk watching me pull down my jogger legs that keep sliding back up.

"We get it, you grew again," She snarks with a short chuckle.

"No I haven't," I complained. "They just shrunk in the wash or something."

"Liar, everyone has noticed. You're taller than Marisa finally," Spencer points out.

I stand at full height and look down at her. I haven't grown, I would have noticed something like that. But I shake it off and start walking towards the docks. I walk down to the end and sit at the edge letting my legs swing as I look out at the water and the line of lights from the town just on the other side of the bay.

"What did you need to corner me to talk about?" Spencer asks, sitting next to me but leaning back on her elbows looking up at the sky. "If this is about Liz, talk to her not me-"