Perfectly Mean

Famous Last Words

"And so the guy walks up to me and asks for my number, and I'm like 'no, get lost.'" Ava set the currycomb she was using to groom her horse down and picked up another brush.  "So then he stomps off like a two-year-old, and comes back with his girlfriend I guess, and tries to get her to get my number.  She was totally confused until she figured out he was using her to get another girl's number.  She dragged him out of the room by his ear!"

Hayden laughed, running a comb through Zorro' luxurious ebony mane.  "And he was stupid enough to actually try that?"

"Apparently," Ava replied, adjusting the crutches that rested under her arms.  "Ugh, I can't wait to get rid of these things.  They're so uncomfortable and ugly."

"Ugly?  They automatically make people feel bad and do everything for you.  If I were you, I wouldn't care if they're ugly."

"Yeah, well, you're not me, and I have to look good for all my Instagram pictures.  Crutches are not photogenic."

"Are you saying you haven't posted any pictures of those crutches?" He paused and raised an eyebrow.

"I tweeted about it.  But no, no pictures."

"Why?  People would probably give you likes out of pity if for nothing else."

"Because they're ugly, and that will make the picture ugly."

"Well, right now they aren't.  There's great natural framing from the barn, the lighting behind you is just about perfect, and the gray in the crutches brings out Alaska's coat." Hayden cocked his head and studied the different angles.  It would make a great picture, actually.

Ava gave a laugh.  "It's impossible to get a decent picture in this barn.  But please, oh great camera master, try to take one."

"Wow, such faith," Hayden muttered sarcastically, pulling out his phone.  "Okay, miss model, give me something to work with."

Ava flipped her messy ponytail dramatically, briefly striking a ridiculous pose as Hayden messed with his camera.  She then moved over to Alaska, and keeping a hand on her crutches, she used the other to gently guide her horse's head closer and placed a kiss on her nose.

"Lean your head on Alaska's," he directed, moving over a few steps.  She obeyed, and Zorro snorted, upset he was no longer receiving the attention. 

"Calm down, bud," Hayden chuckled, handing his phone to Ava.  "One of those should be good."

Ava was surprised to find that they were, in fact, adorable, but still didn't quite want them on her page.  She could only imagine what a picture of her with sloppy, oily, frizzy hair and crutches could do to her large quantity of followers.  She portrayed a perfect image, and didn't want to ruin it with one photo. 

"Pretty cute," she admitted, passing the phone back to him.  "Do you have Instagram?"

"Yeah.  Why?"

"I don't know what a picture of me looking awful will do to my number of followers, so you post it and just tag me in it."

Hayden fought the urge to roll his eyes.  Ava looked fine, cute even, with a messy ponytail and minimal makeup.  If anything, the picture would add to her perfect image, because it would make her more down to earth and real.  Nobody looked perfect all the time, and anyone who claimed to be was a fake.  But there was no point in telling her; she was just as stubborn as he was.

"What's your username?" he asked, opening up the "Tag People" option. 

"Just Ava Halloway," she answered, resuming her task of grooming her horse.