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Chapter Twelve ✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯
A Pogue fellowship would usually sound like a good idea to Avery.
The Chateau was lit up with fairy lights and the hot tub was on disco mode. John B and JJ challenged each other to a shotgun competition, making the group laugh at the sight of sticky, cheap beer dribbling down their chins. Pope cracked out some bad raps, breaking the rhythm as Avery attempted to beatbox a melody. Little cigarette butts lit up in the darkness and chatter echoed through the night. Somewhere during the party, Avery let herself loosen up. The handful of cans of liquor probably helped her.
Collecting another drink, Avery heard footsteps approaching. She glanced over her shoulder to see John B making his away over to her. "Hey, Johnny"
"Hi. Just checking that you are all right?" He casually said. The blonde knew what he was truly implying, nodding her head nevertheless. "You know, you can talk to me. I'm not dead anymore"
"Learnt that from the best," She snorted a short laugh. Avery's eyes drifted over to see him sitting on the edge of the hot tub, lifting a empty beer box off his head. He had a bright smile on his face and his damp hair was floppy. "As okay as I can be, you know?"
"You and him are really not going to give me anything, are you? Come on, Aves. It's just me and you," He softly told her. Avery couldn't help but notice the way his eyes flickered down to her lips. She quickly shrugged the thought off and assumed it was just the alcohol settling in his system. John B titled his head, "and I've trusted you with things I never told JJ"
"What, like when you stole his favourite top in sixth grade and gave it to that old crush?" She chuckled at the memory. John B joined in, remembering the secret that JJ still doesn't know about.
"Exactly. What happened between you two?" He carefully asked.
Avery let out a sigh, watching JJ from the distance. "You died. You know what it is like to feel the same pain and feel like you can't help the other. I shut him out instead of being there for him. Then, he went off the rails and blamed me. And I blame me too. All he needed was me, and I failed him. I told him we needed space, I don't know why. It wasn't really want I wanted but it was too late to take it back"
From the conversations he had had with JJ, it was obvious. The boy always had been obvious when it came to Avery. As if on cue, JJ gazed over at them and caught her stare. For once Avery didn't look away straight away, she held his gaze for a little while before looking back at John B. He confined, "that kid has been in love with you since third grade, Aves. Nothing could stop him"
"What is it with all this advice today?" Avery awkwardly laughed, unsure what to do with all the things her friends were telling her.
"Come on, Aves. You really think that this is it for you two?" He questioned, not sure what he expected her answer to be. His brown eyes flickered over to see JJ still looking their way, glancing away as soon as John B caught him.
"Maybe, maybe not," She replied, shrugging her shoulders. A sigh left her lips, a smile quickly replaced her expression. "Anyways, you got married, huh? How's that going?"
"Pretty good. Never thought I would be the first to do it," He chuckled. Avery immediately caught onto what he was referring to, rolling her eyes and nudging her elbow into his chest. John B smiled, stealing her unopened can of beer, "Okay, okay, I'll stop. Get another, JJ and Pope are about to fight. And I've placed bets with Kie"
•✿•✿•
An elbow nudged her arm, Avery looked away from Pope and JJ's play fighting to come face to face with Kie. She narrowed her eyes at her smug smile. Kie teased, "what you looking at?"
"Shut up," Avery was overly glad that it was too dark for Kie to notice her warm cheeks. "Says you, sex eyes"
"Yeah, I think I'll take my loses" Pope called back, already wondering away. Avery was about to make a comment when Kie stood up from her chair. She let out a cheer, knowing where they were heading.
"Way to be discreet!" JJ yelled at them, a smile on his face.
"I leave and this is what happens" John B shrugged, looking at JJ and then over at Avery. The girl shrugged innocently while JJ bickered back. This lead to Avery watching in amusement as JJ and Sarah joked around, the girl clearly doing anything to irritate him a little more.
"Wait. Yo, hold that thought" JJ kindly told Sarah. He looked over at Avery, curtly nodding at her as he stood up. She stared cluelessly until she noticed John B standing in front of his grave.
For the first time since their split, JJ and Avery saw eye to eye. They knew that John B needed his friends, they didn't have time to second think anything else. Avery stood up from her spot, following JJ over to him. The sniffle from the Routledge boy made Avery's heart ache. For a second, the trio stared at the craved out tree.
"It's a cute art project," He quietly spoke. His honey brown eyes had glossed with tears. "Killed the tree though"
"You already did that" Avery offered a smile, referring to her craved out grave.
"Yeah. Oops" JJ muffled a laugh. He looked over at his friend, feeling his eye welling up. The blond reached out for him, "I freaking missed you, man"
It didn't take long for JJ's hand to raise from John B's shoulder and hold out towards her. Avery hesitated, unsure she wanted to ruin their moment. His other hand lifted too and she knew he was inviting her into the embrace.
Shuffling closer, Avery wrapped her arms around John B's waist, resting her head on his back. She felt JJ's hands cautiously rest on her, one fell around her back while the other rested on the back of her head. It felt wrong to in that very moment but she couldn't focus on anything but JJ's touch. Something she had missed just as much. Her eyes ached, welling up with tears, and she sniffled, letting herself actually feel for the first time since everything happened.
•✿•✿•✿•✿• Author's note! An early update because I have a extra long shift tomorrow and won't be able to. Hope you enjoy!
