Penpals

The Sixteenth Letter

Theo's POV
"Hey!" Avery bounces over to me with a huge smile on her pretty face. Grinning back down at the girl I wipe the sweat off my brow and lower the tool in my hands to the grass.

"I'm heading into town, wanna come?" Avery asks, a hopeful gleam in her green eyes. Up close I notice she's a little more prettier today again. Her brown hair is braided up in a complicated up do, and her face is perfectly penciled at hard angles.

"Sure, let me just clean up a bit." I say, "Why are you going into town?" I ask.

"I gotta' buy a dress for the dance." Avery answers.

"You mean the town social." I joke making Avery roll her blue eyes.

"This town may be small and in the south, but it is in 2016." She says.

"It's still a town social." I insist. A satisfied grin grows on my face when she scoffs in annoyance.

"Do I have to wear cow boy boots?" I joke.

"Oh no, do not even start on cow boy boots." Avery warns. Laughing I heed her warning, and go off to freshmen up. After hosing myself down and a change of shirts (from one band tee to another) I meet Avery at her green bike.

"Should you be riding in a skirt?" I ask, eyeing the printed baby yellow skirt that seems to stop to soon at her thighs.

"It's fine." She waves off, kicking the brake up.

"But-" I start, my voice deepening at the thought of someone looking up her skirt.

"But I'm a girl, and I can do anything in a skirt, dress, romper, or pants." She interrupts. I glare at her legs a moment longer before settling on the back of her bike in an annoyed huff.

Later

"Are ya gonna' buy any thing?" The store clerk of one of the four clothing stores in town hassles me as I walk down an aisle in the small boutique.

"Maybe, maybe not. It all comes down to customer service." I glare at the cranky old woman. She narrows her beady eyes at me, her hands tight on a broom as if she is ready to use it as a sword if she needs to. But she doesn't.

"Don't even try anything." She warns. Last time I checked I didn't have the words thug tattooed, so why the fuck am I always being treated as if I'm a bank robber? I know I did mistakes, but I did my time for it. I'm tired off the world treating me as some second class citizen, because I have ink and wear black.

"Don't worry, I won't. Not like the kids up front pocketing your candy at the unattended counter." I state, nudging my chin at the two kids up front grabbing fistfuls on fancy candy.

"Mitch Smalls! Ross Durango ! Not again! I'm calling your parents!" The old lady rushes after them, waving the broom high over her head. Does everybody in this town know each other? Well, I guess everyone but me.

Suck it up, I tell myself. We came her for Avery, and I'm not going to ruin this for her. Buying dresses for special occasions is special. Taking a deep breath I look through frills and lace for anything that Avery might like. Avery has been stuck in the dressing room trying on what seems like dozens of dresses. She keeps insisting that the dress has to be just right. I don't really care what she wears, I've seen Avery drool in her sleep, I still think she pretty. Even now with her sudden makeup transformation I still think she's pretty, but I don't see the difference with all the mascara.

It's Avery, makeup or drool, underneath is my best friend. Whatever, if it makes her happy then I'm not going to tell her to lighten up on the lipstick, no matter if she wears a little to much.

There. Wedge between a puffy beige gown and a bejeweled dress that's more rhinestone than dress hangs a white dress. I pull it free, swinging on the hanger a simple, but detailed dress sways. I can't tell the difference if it's a halter or a plunging dress, I'm not a dress expert. Although, I got eyes, and they can see the little sewn in blue rhinestones running across the waist. It's not flashy, it's subtle yet more than enough. It's beautiful and calls attention in a natural way. Just like Avery.

I rush to the back of the store to Avery's dressing room and tap on the door, not taking my eyes off the dress. I can see Avery in it, and she looks gorgeous.

"Yes?" Avery calls from the other side.

"Ave, I got a surprise for you." I grin at the white dress.

"Theo, ya didn't have to." I knew she would say that, she's to humble, but it's one of the many things I love about her.

"But I wanted to." I insist. "Come on Ave, open up." I tap on the door again. The dressing room door opens a crack just big enough for Avery to poke her head out. Oh, she's half naked just behind that door. I stand a little straighter and hold the hanger a little tighter. I fight not the image of what Avery's bare body looks like, I fight it hard. I can't have thoughts like that about Avery of all people.

"Woah, that's pretty." I smirk triumphantly at Avery's pleasantly surprised face, and wide blue eyes. "My, my, Theo Jones ya are a man of many talents. I didn't know dressing shopping was one of them." Avery smiles at me, making me smile.

"Maybe I'll show you all of them one day." I joke, passing the dress to her. "But till then show me you in this dress." I say.

"Not a chance!" I arch a brow at my best friend.

"But I want to see you in it." I press.

"Yeah, but I want it to be a surprise." Avery reasons, making me frown.

"It's not like it's a wedding dress." I wave off. Under all her makeup Avery goes pink, her ears and neck more red since they aren't painted with blush or powder, or whatever girls use.

"I... I just want to surprise ya on the night of the dance." She says, disappearing behind the door. I grin to myself, I don't know how, but Avery took a dress and made it and me special.

"I'm not sure if I can wait that long, but if it means that much to you I guess I'll have to wait." I say, fighting off an eye roll.

"It'll be worth it, I promise." She insists, and I can hear the smile in her voice.

"So, how does it look? Give me a hint since I can't see it." I say, leaning against the shut door.

"It looks really, really beautiful." Avery breathes so softly I barely catch her words. A proud smile so big spreads over my lips that my lip ring stings a little. But I'm to happy to care, making Avery happy is one of the best I've ever felt since I got arrested.

"Um... Can ya help me out, Theo? I need ya to zipper it, or else I won't know how it'll fit." Avery asks.

"Sure." I agree, my hand gripping around the knob.

"But ya can't look at the dress!" Avery calls over the door. "Come on, but close yar' eyes." Avery says. linkStifling a sigh I blink my blue eyes shut.

"Alright, they're closed. I'm coming in now." I warn.

"Okay." Is it me, or does she sound nervous? Cautiously I open the door, taking small inside and bracing the walls for support.

"Over here." I follow the sound of Avery's voice, managing through the darkness behind my eyelids. My hands grasp around smooth skin, and taunt muscles. Found her.

"Theo... That's my thigh." Avery mumbles.

"Oh!" I rip my hands away. "Sorry!" I apologize quickly, my hands tingling where they touched Avery's firm legs. Crap. I want to grasp her legs again. I swallow the growing lump in my throat, and my hands pat around till they find the metal zipper. My knuckles graze her spine as they pull the zipper up. She's so soft. My hands wants to spread out and explore her body, but I fight to keep my fingers still on the zipper.

Just as I zip it to the top I realize something, Avery's not wearing a bra.