Unexpectedly

Chapter 3

i really like this story omg

dedicated to lizflores18 because shes like the first/only fan of this book hahaha this ones for you babe!

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"It's this house right there," I said, pointing towards the modest, colonial house that was at the end of the street. "414."

"Okay, I see," Zach answered, turning the radio down as he pulled up to my house. I turned around to grab some things in the backseat of his car; mostly my soccer stuff. Then I sat for a few moments and made sure I had everything. "Everything okay?" Zach asked. My head shot and I blushed as he looked towards me with an amused expression.

"Sorry, I was just making sure I had everything before you had to drive all the way back here to give me my cleats or something."

Zach laughed and unlocked the doors. "I wouldn't mind that," he answered, smiling slyly. "It'd be an excuse to see you again."

My tan skin instantly turned a bright shade of pink and I glanced downward stupidly. I was 18, yet I was acting so many years younger.

"Thanks for the ride," I answered once my blush had passed. Opening the door, I stepped out of Zach's car.

"No problem!" he said. "See you tomorrow!" He grinned and I smiled back, shutting the door. As I stepped away from the car, I noticed that he hadn't pulled away yet. My heart thrummed even louder – he was waiting for me to get inside! 

My hands shook as I gripped the keys.

"Stupid!" I hissed as they fell from my nonexistent grip. I looked so ridiculous right now and I didn't know what was worse: the fact that I was acting like this over a ride home or that Zach was currently watching me 50 feet away.

Thankfully, the angels answered my prayer and finally let my hands calm down enough to allow me to open the door. Either that, or they seriously felt bad for me. If Zach giving me a ride home was going to be a regular thing then I needed to work on my game. Or at least I would have to stop blushing every ten seconds.

Dropping the keys on the small table that stood in the entrance, I called out, "Is anyone home?" There was no reply so I assumed that the house was empty. The feeling was so eerie and unusual; I was never used to being home alone. This was my brother's first year away at college and I still wasn't used to not having him around.

I decided to call my brother as I realized how much I missed him. It was already 5:30 so I doubted that he was in class or out with his friends. Holding the phone up to my ear, I dropped my bag in my room and walked over to my bed. Jake answered just as I jumped onto my bed.

"Avery! What's up!" he shouted cheerfully from the other line, sounding genuinely happy to hear from me. I could easily picture his tan, lean face as I heard his familiar voice and another pang of sadness hit me as I wished he was next to me.

"I miss you so much, Jake! School literally isn't the same without you!"

"You weren't saying that last year!" Jake retorted, making me giggle. It was true - I flipped out on him every single day. In my defense, he was possibly the most annoying person on this planet.

"I know, but I wouldn't be complaining now," I answered softly after my laughing had subsided. Jake made a crooning sound across the line and I laughed again.

"So, how are your classes?" he inquired, taking a more serious-big-brother tone. Twirling a piece of my hair around my finger, I thought about which class I should talk to him about first.

"Well, my Calc teacher is decent. I got stuck with Mr. Fiore and his tests are apparently super long but not too difficult. Then, I have the same Lit teacher as last year and she totally loves me." I paused to picture my schedule in my head, wondering if I was leaving any other important classes out. "So yea, I mean, it's pretty good!" I replied."But ohmygod my phys ed teacher is such a bitch. Like seriously, she knows I'm captain of the soccer team and she hates my guts for it. She tries to kill me every class!"

"Hey, don't you dare say anything about Ms Leigns. She's a total babe," Jake countered, suddenly getting very defensive over our gorgeous, young gym teacher. 

"Yeah, well, she's totally jealous of me," I bit back, teasing my brother. "There's no other reason she should hate me."

"Sorry, Aves, but there's nothing to be jealous of."

 "I hate you."

"Miss you too."

Sighing, I debated saying bye. However, Jake immediately prompted me with a question.

"So what APs are ya takin'?"

"Well, I'm only taking one," I admitted sheepishly. A little part of me did regret not pushing myself for my last year of high school. "But that's only because most of the colleges I applied for don't even count AP's," I quickly added. Jake, although a total douche, had graduated 3rd of his class and it was safe to say that I had a high bar to reach.

"Please tell me it's at least a science or math," he groaned.

"Yep! AP Chem!" I responded happily, glad that I could make him proud on at least that.

"With Mr. Jefferson?" Jake asked, as if I would have anyone else. Mr. Jefferson was the only AP Chemistry teacher in the high school.

"Mhm."

"He's a great guy. But that lab project shit? He takes that seriously. I hope you got a good partner." Jake took my silence as the initiative to make sure that I had, in fact, gotten a good lab partner. "You did snag someone good, right?"

"First of all, don't say snag," I said distastefully, rolling my eyes. "And yeah. Landon's great."

"Who the fuck is Landon?"

"Exactly. You don't know him, so he's fine."

"That made no sense."

"You make no sense."

Jake sighed loudly as if he was annoyed with me. I could even picture him rubbing his forehead and muttering something along the lines of, 'give me patience....'.  However, my thoughts quickly changed from Jake to Landon as I remembered the way his eyes darkened as they looked towards me. Just thinking of them sent shivers spiraling down my spine.

"Avery! I'm getting a call from this hot chick that works at the café on campus. Can I talk to you later?" Jake suddenly said, snapping me out of my daydream.

"No," I replied curtly, although I was only teasing him. Leave it up to my brother to start crushing on girls within the first month of school. 

"Please," Jake begged, sounding thoroughly desperate.

"Fine. I love you," I said, letting my finger hover over the 'end' button.

"Love you and miss you, sissy!" he blurted quickly. It was obvious he was rushing to catch the girl's call. "Don't get knocked up by your lab partner!" he added jokingly, before hanging up. 

I laughed as he hung up. Oh the irony. Landon literally was the closest thing to an asexual person I had ever met. I mean what else could explain him literally rejecting every girl freshman year?

Realizing I had other things to think about, I reached back for my phone and called up Talia. She needed to hear all about Zach giving me a ride home. The smile on my face was completely natural and slightly stupid but I felt so happy because for once things were perfect.