Love's Complicated.

Love's Complicated - Chapter Fourteen

Aden was off the couch in an instant. His face went from playful to serious in a matter of two seconds. He grabbed his keys off the bench, then grabbed Avery's hand silently.

Together, they got into his truck, and tension rose the closer they got to Tally's house. When they pulled up, she was sobbing, her eyes puffy and red, her cheeks much the same.

"Hey, what's going on?" Avery asked as Tally threw herself into Avery's arms. She rubbed her back soothingly, shooting Aden a concerned look. He leaned against the door frame, his face set grimly, like he knew something she didn't.

Before she could question him, Tally snorted, wiping her nose on Avery's shirt. Great, she thought, fighting the urge to look disgusted. Tally always found room to become gross, even in dire situations like this one.

"We were just leaving the parlour with our ice cream, and he suggested to take the shortcut through the alleyway. I didn't think anything of it, until a random guy leaped in our way and grabbed Scott. Then-" she sniffed, "they dragged him into a van and disappeared. That's when I messaged you." Tally let go of Avery, looking up at Aden.

"Do you think it's got something to do with the shooting?" Tally asked, her eyes wide with fear and her cheeks red with tear stains.

Aden glanced at Avery, giving her a look that she knew wasn't a good sign.

"Tally, we'll go see Fi and fill her in, okay? You just settle down and we'll call when we know anything." Aden almost instructed, if it wasn't for his gentle tone that made her nod shakily and enter her house again. As soon as they were back at the truck, Avery turned to face Aden.

"What aren't you telling me?" She asked, and his grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"Aden," She warned, knowing if he didn't tell her, she figure it out anyway.

"You know when you hear something, and you don't really want to believe it?" He questioned, and Avery frowned at his sentence.

"I'm not following-"

"I heard your Aunt Fi talking to Barker. They had leads on someone involved with the shooter. The guy was blond. They also mentioned he was young, and would have to be close to students our age to get information. They suspected a snitch, Av. So do I."

Avery closed her eyes, not wanting to believe it. "He wouldn't-"

"You want to think he wouldn't. But why would he take you to one of the most dangerous places in town for a first date? He's always been around you, and if the shooters linked with the graffiti message, then the snitch sounds plausible."

"You watch way to much CSI."

Aden grinned, only for a few seconds, then his face returned to it's serious state.

"So if what your saying is true, then Scott wasn't kidnapped at all." Avery thought, mostly to herself, but out loud.

"Not unwillingly anyway. Why take only one? Why not grab Tally too?"

"We're getting set up. Something's about to happen." Avery didn't feel angry, or panicky, though. She knew the betrayal and anger at Scott would come soon, but in all honesty, she hadn't felt all too obliged to call him a close friend, all things considered. Sure, she knew she was going to get steaming mad at him, but at the moment, she felt a deadly calm. This messenger, or shooter, had been plaguing her thoughts for a few months now. She wanted it resolved, and not only for Brittany's sake, but for everyone else involved too.

An hour later, and Aden had briefly filled Barker in with what their theory was before Fiona arrived, looking just as tired yet alert and ready. The pieces started falling together, and Avery realised with excitement it could be over soon. She smiled slightly when Aden and her got back in his truck when Fiona had told them to head home and get some rest. It was getting handled by professionals now.