180 Degrees- Completed

Chapter Forty Eight

"You can't just not come Avery." Chelsea groaned as Izzy giggled on her bed. 

We'd been here at Harvard 10 months and honestly, it was just the reset both of us needed. We were starting a fresh here, having to take the courses from the beginning. Well, Iz had. I took a new Major in Music. 

It had been a tough conversation when I got back home with all my bags packed. I'd ended up moving in with Ashley. My parents were furious. I left Duke at the end of November and they didn't speak to me until Christmas day. And even then it was a full blown screaming match. It slowly calmed down and every time I saw them it was less shouty and more, how's work, how's Ashley's wedding planning, are you going back to college. 

I'd taken up a job at my high school as a part time volleyball coach. It was fun being back there as this new confident me and actually working gave me the ability to build some savings. When it came to me reapplying to colleges, we applied to places we didn't think we would get into the first time around. 

Then when me and Izzy got accepted into Harvard, it was a no brainer. Great volley ball team, great courses, one of the best schools in the world. Done. And getting in here was an instant switch on my parents. Suddenly it was like I had never dropped out. 

In the 8 months I was home, I didn't allow them to control me like they had been. And if they tried again, I just left. Just packed a bag and walked out. I'd gotten a scholarship to Harvard anyway, I didn't need them to pay for it, I'd have to get a job to pay for food and things but that was easily done. 

Luckily the idea of me working and potentially screwing up my grades was enough for them to waiver. I was able to get them to give me an allowance that was more than I was getting at Duke and most of it was going into savings for after college. 

It was fun doing this with Izzy this time. The parties were better, dating was more entertaining. By which I mean her dating life. Mine was bland. I'd had a few dates but nothing really clicked. It's fine. I was happy just being here and experiencing it all. 

We made the volleyball team easy here, another no question asked decision. We had formed a really good friendship with the girls in the dorm across the hall. Chelsea, a stunning 18 year old natural redhead with a personality so like mine we were essentially twins. Brooke was as dramatic as her theatre major, piercing blue eyes that kept the audience plastered to her. And then there was Nat. Nat was a little older than us. Having skipped out for 2 years when she studied in London at Cambridge. She was undeniably smart, stunning blonde. Almost intimidating. 

The 5 of us together had formed this entourage that caused heads to turn. No matter where we were. The girls everyone wanted to know and be around. It made parties more entertaining. The stories we cam home with were never ending and I was so excited to spend the next 3 years with them. We were renting a place together next year, just the 5 of us and we all knew it was going to be mental. 

"I can, and I'm not." I sighed, slouching into their sofa, kicking my shoes up on the window sill. 

"Stop being dramatic. You promised the boys you'd go." 

"I was DRUNK." I sat up and rolled my eyes. "It's not a good idea I go. It's bad enough they're all here." 

"Eve and Caz are here." Izzy smirked and I sighed. 

"They're still pissed at me for leaving without saying anything." She looked at me softly. "What?" She shook her head and I stood up, grabbing a drink and throwing everyone else one at the same time. "Nat, tell them I'm not being dramatic." 

"You're being dramatic." 

"Thank- what." I turned to her as she played with her eyelashes in the mirror and stood up, facing me with her arms crossed. 

"You are. It's been what, like 18months? You're still in the group chats. You still put things in every now and then, you all do the monthly film nights. They're over it." 

"Yeah okay fair enough. I get the girls." I stared at her. "I'm not bothered about them. I can handle them." They all stared at me. "Will you stop looking at me like that. I'm not going." 

They all groaned at me as I crossed my arms over my chest. 

"He's not going to notice you in the crowd Avery." 

"No but I'll notice him." I drunk from the water bottle as they watched me. Staring like they wanted to know what was going on in my head. "Not going." 

"Well. Caz and Eve will be here in a sec so you can tell them he's why you're not coming out." Izzy stood up, stone faced as she stood beside the other girls. Like they were ganging up on me. 

"Here? Now?" I looked back at the door as three little knocks made the room go quiet. "Izzy." 

"Oh I wonder who could be at the door." She smirked, walking around me. 

"Don't you dare." 

"It's rude to not open the door." Brooke smiled. 

"Yeah Avery. Where are your manners?" Natalie checked her lip-gloss as the door opened. 

"Please. Avery with manners? You must be mistaken." I stared at Brooke and Natalie who were grinning at me whilst I grimaced. "Hi Iz." 

"Hi girls. She's being a brat. She's refusing to go." I laid my head back on my shoulders, turning around slowly. 

"I'm not being a brat. I don't want to go." Eve shook her head. 

"What no hug? Not even a 'Hi Eve'?" I grumbled, walking over and wrapping an arm around them both. "Better." Rolling my eyes, Caz hit me on the back, making me stand up. 

"You're coming." 

"I am not." 

"Yes. You are. This is the last game of the season and their last game ever. You're coming." 

"Nope." 

"AVERY." All 6 girls shouted and I groaned. 

"Fucking jesus christ. FINE. Can I at least change first?" 

"As long as you're wearing Crimson branded, I couldn't care less." Nat smirked.

"Now who's being the brat." 

"Still you."