Secrets Look Different in the Light

Chapter 29

Jackie's POV

    The first thing we did when we got to the Lake House was collect every breakable object and haul them out to the boating shed. We locked it tight, like we were prepping for a storm. After that Dylan hopped on his phone, cashing in every favor he was owed. He even called Lockwell and somehow convinced him to donate all the leftover kegs from last night's bash. Avery kept busy by disappearing into the grocery store to buy every mixer under the sun, and Theo- well, Theo has been avoiding her like she was radioactive. While she's gone, he helps me shift furniture off to the sides of the room, making space for the chaos.

"How did you manage to throw one of these by yourself?" I ask Dylan, breathless from pushing a coffee table that definitely wasn't meant to be moved solo.

I had help. Connor, Eli. Plus I had all day to prep instead of, you know, four hours," he answers, typing away on his phone.

"Help!" 

We all turn at the sound of Avery's voice- her arms full of grocery bags, a bottle of orange juice threatening to jump ship. Dylan and I run over, each taking a handful from her.

"Geez, Avery, how many mixers did you get?" He asks, setting the bags on the kitchen counter. 

"You made it sound like we were gonna end up with a franken bar, I wanted to make sure we had something to mix with whatever alcohol we ended up with." she says, setting her bags down. "Plus what's the point of  having one of Dad's credit cards if we never use it for shit like this?" 

Dylan's phone buzzes. He checks it, pockets it, and turns to Theo. "Lockwell's here. Give me a hand?" 

Theo nods and follows him out.

The door shuts behind them. The kitchen settles into quiet, broken only by the rustling of plastic bags. Avery hasn't said much since we picked her up, and it's not like her to stay quiet this long. For someone who feels everything so deeply, she can still bottle it tighter than anyone I know.

"So what happened?" I ask, ditching any pretense of subtlety.

"We broke up." she says.

"How do you feel about it?" I pry. It would be easier to do if I had some kind of emotional crowbar. 

"I feel fi-" her voice catches, façade now caving in on her. She blinks quickly, trying to keep the tears from falling. 

"I just thought I wasn't the problem in the relationship. But I was. I didn't treat him right, and I see that now. I know that."

A single tear slips down her cheek. 

"I got so upset that he didn't care about me, only to realize it was because I wouldn't let him. I kept him at arm's length. I wouldn't let him see me- really see me -as a person. I was just... the girlfriend. And now I'm not. I love him. Loved him. But what's the point in trying to fix something that's been broken for so long?" Her shoulders drop.

I reach for her hand. "He wasn't perfect, Avery. You can't put this all on yourself." 

She looks up at me, face blank. "It doesn't matter. It's over. I just want it out of my head."

Theo's POV 

I wasn't sure what I expected, but Lockwell showing up with ten boxes of travel-sized liquor bottles was not it.

"What the fuck is this?" Dylan asks, lifting one of the boxes. 

"Alcohol. My mom works in hotels. These were tons extra from their grand opening," Lockwell says, already dragging boxes out of his trunk. "I used them for the Margarita machine last night."