Salty Licorice

Chapter 76

Avery's POV

I stair at the rain slowly running down the windshield of Marisa's truck and feel myself sink lower in my seat. Having to rely on Marisa to drive me around isn't ideal but at least it'll save me on gas. She did drive me the last two days of school already but today just feels different. The air between us is thick and uncomfortable.

"I hope you know I didn't tell my dad only to get you in trouble, right?" She speaks up, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," I mumble, glancing at my hands in my lap. "You were only trying to get me to listen."

"I hope you aren't pissy with me. I didn't do this to hurt you," she reiterates.

"I know," I reassure. "I'm just nervous about how today is gonna go. I was a big idiot and I know that now. It just sucks because I thought I was doing what everyone expected of me but all it did was make everything worse."

"No one expects you to be an arrogant ass, that's only what you wrongfully assumed because of some dumb college athletes who were trying to get in your head," she sighs. "And you let them."

"What am I supposed to do about Lizzie," I cringe at the thought as subconsciously rub my cheek.

"You will probably have to beg, like beg beg, I'm talking on your knees begging for forgiveness," Marisa explains half heartedly. "That might not even work, I tried to translate some of what she said and I either got it wrong or she said some pretty bad shit to you yesterday. Like super pissed Liz mood, never been seen before, level of pissed. So good luck bud, you'll need it."

I groan and drop my head on the dashboard. I'm not making it out of today alive, or at least not willingly. Marisa pats her shoulder awkwardly and clicks her tongue awkwardly before shutting off her truck and getting out. I just sit there a second and keep my eyes closed contemplating my best course of action. Everything I can think of only ends in a worse outcome then I'm sure I'm already in.

Should I have just shown up with flowers, like that one she liked a lot, or maybe her favorite snack and a coffee, or should I just try to talk to her and tell her I was dumb and not myself, or should I just act like everything is fine and the last two days didn't exist, or just avoid her. All of them are poor and won't get anywhere. Pretending that everything is fine will only make everything awkward and I'll probably get slapped, again. If I ignore her, well she'll probably be ignoring me so then we will only be ignoring each other so nothing will get resolved. If I bought her stuff then she'd feel like I think everything can be fixed with a simple bribe. The only thing I can really try is talk to her, but knowing her she will just want to avoid and ignore my entire existence. Why do women have to be so complicated?

I hear a tapping on the window and pick up my head and look to find Marisa standing outside with a look of pure impatience. I groan internally and grab my bag before slumping my way out of her passenger seat and stand there as she locks up her truck before walking with her towards the building. Practically using her as a shield as I make my way through the school doors. I hear a few people trying to get my attention, mostly girls who I mostly recognize from these past two days from flirting with them in my poor attempt to get Lizzies attention. I just keep my head down and pull my hood up trying to practically hide in sight.

"Avery," One girl walks up to me. I remember talking to her yesterday in the hall but no name is coming to my mind. She puts a hand on my arm forcing me to stop walking and face her. "Hey, I thought we could finish are conversation about-"

"Look i'm sorry but whatever bullshit I probably told you i'm sorry," I blurt out, keeping my eyes on Marisa as she stands by the wall picking paint off her flannel sleeve.