A Gang of Our Own

Chapter Thirty- Four

"Lunch?" Matt offered. I looked away from the window and to him. He looked at me and he seemed worried. I shook my head.

"When was the last time you've eaten?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Avery,"

"I'm fine." I said sternly. He shook his head and came towards me. "Leave me alone, Matt." He sat beside me anyway.

I looked at him with a slight glare and returned my attention to the outdoors. The barren landscape was still and unmoving. The sky was a solid gray, the air was still, and everything seemed to be silent.

"What could possibly be so interesting out there, that has kept you from eating for two days straight?"

"I first fell in love with him at the bottom of that hill." I stared longingly at the tree line, remembering the golden grass that had been there and the giant maples with their orange and red leaves. The snowflakes had seemed like microscopic wonders that day. It seemed so long ago.

"Avery," Matt said slowly. "Don't do this to yourself."

I shifted my gaze to him and huddled deeper into Triston's sweatshirt.

"You're going to starve if you don't eat something." I ignored him. He sighed. "At least drink some water," He pleaded.

"I'm not thirsty, either."

His brow furrowed as he looked at me hopelessly. "Why are you taking this so hard? We are all worried about Triston."

"You don't understand." I muttered, my eyes watering again.

"No, I don't. Help me," he quietly replied.

I glanced at him and then back to the black sleeve on my arm. I breathed a shuttering breath. "I don't think... a person could ever truly be scared until they see the one person they love the most on a stretcher. When they see their bodies, bloody and battered, lying on the ground. Pale faced, broken, and cuts spilling blood-"

"Stop." Matt broke in. "We know how you feel. We all saw Triston-"

"I'm not talking about Triston!" I hissed. I felt a droplet fall from the corner of my eye. "I'm talking about my dad," I heard myself whisper. Matt's expression changed from sympathy to shock. He waited for me to continue. "The accident... it wasn't pretty. I was there. He had just dropped my mom and I off at a store. We were walking down the sidewalk as he was turning onto the highway. We watched a semi truck come out of nowhere, and our little Mazda didn't stand a chance." I paused to catch my choppy breath and shook my head. "Mom and I ran over. He had been thrown through the windshield. He was dead before the ambulance arrived."

Matt's eyes were wet with tears threatening to spill. "I'm so sorry."

"And.. seeing Triston just brought it all back,"

Matt leaned over and hugged me. "I can't lose Triston, too." I sobbed.

"You need to see him." He advised.

I pulled away and wiped off a tear. "No, I couldn't. It'd be too hard."

"You need to, Avery."

"No, I'm scared."

A sudden look of rage overtook his features. He jumped to his feet. "I'm scared to death! And what about Blair and Vikki? Blair's dad could be dead, and her brother is in the hospital! Don't you think she's scared?" He was crying now. "They need you, Avery! They need us."

I cried harder, and shamefully hid my teary face in my arms. He sat beside me and pulled me close. "If you can't visit Triston, at least we should visit Blair and Vikki."