Goodbye, I love you

The three musketeers

I sighed as I stared at my chemistry test paper. Come on, Avery you know this one. I literally studied about this yesterday with Peter at Ronny's. I stared at the clock in disbelief as my brain was failing me.

"What do you think you're doing?" I raised my eyebrow at Peter who was making paper planes out of the Chemistry book chapters. "What!" He said. "Am I the only one who thinks this is lame?" He frowned.

"Come on, Peter we have to pass this test or we won't graduate." I told him. "Ugh, fine." He groaned. "Now, undo the pages while I go get some of that blue soda stuff." He said. "Peter," I groaned. "Please, I can't work without my carbonated fuel." He got up.

I chuckled at last night's memory. We really did study, wait a minute, carbonated drink, of course. "Carbon!" And the teacher eyed me. "Sorry." I mouthed. Ooh, thank you, goofy Peter. I mean thank God, for reminding me of goofy Peter.

"So, Bethel, how was your Spanish test?" I asked Bethel as her, Peter, and I made our way to bible study. "Fue grandioso, Avery." She smiled at me. "What was that?" Peter laughed. "She said, it was great." I told him. "Since when are you Mexican?" he raised an eyebrow at me. Bethel laughed as I shook my head and stopped walking. "Peter, Spanish is not only spoken in Mexico. It's pretty common in South, and Central America, and Spain." I said. "I knew that." He said awkwardly. "You shoulda taken that online lesson." I told him.

"I told you; I've been busy." He said. Bethel pushed the door, and let us in.

"Oh, great. You guys are here. Maybe, Avery can tell us more about thanksgiving." Paige—our bible study group leader—smiled at me. "Psalms 50:14." She added. "Um, okay." I sat down. "Well, thanksgiving isn't something that you do for good things. It's also for bad things—which can be hard, but we can always ask God to change our hearts; so that we see in a heavenly perspective."

"I look back ten years ago, and I smile; not because they're these nostalgic

memories. Even though, I'm still healing; I am not doing it alone, and for that I'm grateful." I looked at Peter and Bethel who smiled at me.

"So, I'd call upon each one of you in this group to be thankful for anything, and everything through prayer. God doesn't grieve us in vain." Paige said. I smiled as I glanced around and met Peter's eyes. I lost my family ten years ago, but I got another one and its all thanks to Him. I love them. "Focus." I mouthed, and he shrugged.

***

I closed my eyes as I listened to the rain pouring outside, and a faint sound of thunder in the sky, and flashes of lightning. I was supposed to meet the guys at Surf's Pizza. Two of my most favorite things on earth, pizza, and the beach. I smiled. The rain was definitely gonna make me late because it's pouring out there. I moved from my window and went to open my closet. I was gonna make a decision to go out since the rain wasn't goin' to stop. My eyes sparkled when I found my yellow raincoat. "Ooh," I felt a buzz in my pocket.

"Hey," I inhaled.

"Where are you?" Bethel asked. "Well, you can see the rain, right?" I said. "Yeah, and we made it here, so, hurry up." She said.

"Okay." I hung up. I sighed and put on my rain coat and walked out of my room. "Hey, I'm going out for a while." I told Stan who was as usual on the TV. He didn't respond. He just kept changing the channel on the TV. I walked out in the roaring rain, for what seemed like forever; then I saw the Christmas lights from the shack. "Thank God!" I sighed, and ran into the dry comforts Surf's Pizza offered.

I took off my rain coat, and scanned the place for Beth, and Peter. " 'Bout time!" Bethel exclaimed as I approached.

"Hm," I smiled.

"Would you two quit it? At least, she came." Peter said annoyed.

"Sorry." Beth apologized.

"Well, I have something to tell you all." She started. Mick arrived after, and smiled at us before sitting next to Beth. "Hey, babe." He kissed her.

"Hey, buddy!" I waved my hand to the waiter. Peter chuckled. The waiter rushed to the table, "Yes, miss."

"Uh, could you get me anything blueberry?" I said, and the waiter looked confused. "Um, do you mean smoothies?" He asked, and I nodded. "We only have milk shakes, miss." He told me. "Okay." I said.

"Right away miss."

Bethel was just done with me at the moment. "I had to get a drink. I don't know why you're so mad at me right now."

"I'm not." She said.

"So, Mick, no shift?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah, I swapped shifts with my friend so I be here." He replied. "Aw, so sweet!" My eyes watered. "It's nothing." He nervously scratched the back of his neck.

"I called you all here to tell you that, I'm leaving after summer." She said. I leaned back on my chair. "Wait, I thought we were all going to Westby." Peter said. "Peter, I know what we all agreed on, but it has been my dream to go to West Coast, and Avery knows that. Sorry, guys, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity." She told us.

Peter sighed. "Avery, aren't you gonna say something?" She said, and Peter stared at me. "You knew, didn't you?" He asked, and I froze then he looked at Beth then Mick who shrugged.

"So, you all knew—except me? "

"I'm sorry, Peter but, it wasn't my news to tell." I apologized. "I thought we were friends though, all of you." He shook his head.

"Peter, I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you back then, and that was my mistake. I also chose to go there because Mick's moving too." She said. "It's true. I'm moving to West Coast City, and enrolling in business school. I want to open my own restaurant."

"Sorry, we had to keep this from you man." He said.

My drink arrived at the wrong moment, but I still drank it; I was thirsty. "I have to tell you guys something too." I said. "Oh, sure." Peter sighed.

"I'm goin' to Heaton."

"What!" she said. "I thought you said you didn't get letters."

"I lied." I said. "I'm sorry! I didn't know where to go at first, but then you mentioned West Coast and—"

"Wait a minute, why were you mad at me then?" She cut me off.

"You applied to West Coast behind my back."

"Well, so did you!" She snapped. "What if, I didn't?" I snapped.

"But, you did!"

"Were you gonna abandon me, Bethel? Were you gonna go?" I asked.

"Abandon? What are you talking about?"

"You guys!"

"I can't believe this." Peter sighed. I sipped my drink again.

"I didn't say anything just in case I wouldn't get in. I'm sorry." She said. "I'm sorry, too; I was scared too."

We looked at Peter.

"Look, I get it, but the next time we plan something. . ." He stood. "Keep me outta it."

"Peter, come on." I said. "Don't. Avery. Just don't." He left. "But, Peter it's still raining." I said, but not loud enough for him to hear. "Does Avery like Peter?" I heard Mick whisper to Bethel. "No, she doesn't! She just feels really guilty." I rolled my eyes.

Mick chuckled nervously.

"Uh, you heard that?"

I was feeling bold, so I ran out after Peter. "Avery, no!" I heard Beth yell.

"Peter! Pet—" I stopped when I saw him. "You're still here?"

"It's still raining." He said. "Look, Peter, I didn't tell you because I was afraid that if I did then. . .I wouldn't go."

"Why wouldn't you go?"

"Why do you think?" As lightning flashed, and our eyes locked; I could feel that he knew the answer. He held up my hand against his, and we locked fingers. "You still should've told me."

"I know. I'm sorry."

He sighed. "Come here." And we hugged.