Until Her...

Chapter Twelve

Music blasts through my headphones, while I do my homework for creative writing. My bedroom door peers open slightly, and Avery's head pops in.
"Hey" she says in her perky voice.
"Hey, you ok?" I ask her as she comes into my room uncomfortable, and starts fiddling with the items on my shelves.
"I spoke to Eli" she turns and leaning against my desk.
"Ok?"
"He told me about Gabriel" I panic, I know I vented a lot to him the other day, but I don't think I said anything too bad about him? Maybe he could tell I was starting to have feelings for Gabriel? Even though I know it's stupid.
"What happened in class? I never would've invited him to the dinner or the cinema if I knew," Guilt on her face. It feels like such a long ago, and I've seen Gabriel multiple times since then. And the multiple personalities he seems to possess.
"You didn't know anything about it, so don't worry yourself honestly" I try to reassure her.
"I worry that I'm forcing you to hang out with him. You've been a bit quiet with me lately, and I wasn't sure why until Elijah told me about everything" and now I feel guilty, I've been so caught up in myself that I've completely neglected my friends.
"OMG no I'm not mad at you, how could I be, you're my best friend" I blurt out but it's true, she is my best friend, Elijah too.
"Really? I just thought that with Gabriel being around a lot, and how rude Emilia was to you at the cinema. That maybe you were upset with me" she comes over to sit next to me on my bed.
"I'm not going to lie and pretend Emilia wasn't a bitch to me. And Gabriel and I have apologised and sorta cleared the air, and we're trying to friends... for your sake" She looks at me surprised. She's worried about us not getting along, so I'll say anything to ease her mind.
"What?"
"Nothing it's just strange. He's usually so stubborn and never apologises to anyone. It's surprising, but I'm really glad cause I wanted to talk to you about him actually" She knows, Eli told her I have feelings for him. Or did Gabriel say something? Did he mention the drawings? How do I explain this all to her?
"Ok" I say apprehensively.
"Well, he's been coming round the dorms a lot and spending more time with everyone and well..." What is she trying to say, " I think I might like him. Like, really like him" And suddenly it crushes me, she can't like him. She can't, doesn't she have a well on and off boyfriend?
"What?" I cross-examine her.
"Yeah, we've been hanging out a lot, a lot more than I we usually would be. And the more I'm around him, the more I like him. I mean it's hard not to like him" she says all excited. If only she knew what her words were doing to me. I want to tell her about my complex feelings for him, but I can't. Cause I don't really know how I feel, but I know that I don't like this.
"What about Wyatt, you have a boyfriend you know" I cross-examine her, and it comes out more judgemental that I wanted it to be. Jealousy is clearly getting the better of me.
"Wyatt and I aren't together anymore. We broke up again, for good this time, I promise"
"So what are you going to do" she looks happy, talking about Gabriel. I can't ruin that. Can't destroy a friendship I value much more than a boy who doesn't even like me. Let alone have feelings for me.
"He's having a party at his apartment next weekend, will you come with me? I've asked Eli and he'll only go if you do" She knows that we hate parties, especially the ones she usually drags us too. It will kill Eli to find out that she likes Gabriel, especially seeing as he doesn't like him because of how he'd treated me, always protective of me. And the fact that he fancies her, but he won't admit it.
"I don't know Avery. I've got a lot of work to do" I don't want to go to a party where they'll be all over each other, or a party that Gabriel will be at. I swore after the other day in the studio, I'd never talk to him again. And going to a party at his apartment will make that hard.
"Oh please, you can do your work another time? It will be fun, and I know James wants you to go" Does she know me at all? If anything that makes me not want to go even more.
"An hour? You don't need to stay any longer, please I need you and Eli there" She's really trying to negotiate this thing.
"One hour I mean it"
"Thank you" she squeals and repeats at me in excitement. "I'm gonna tell Elijah, he was convinced you'd say no. He owes me 20 bucks now" She says while rushing out of the room before I can change my mind. I flop onto my mattress in annoyance and stare up at the ceiling. I put in my headphones back on and plan on spending the next week and a half moaning, up until the day of the party.