Bind Me To You

Chapter Twenty

The rest of Avery's day was relatively uneventful. She spent lunch eating with Sadie who would not stop going on about the party on Saturday. Sadie had bought a new outfit for the night, a cream two-piece that she described as 'Sexy, but not too sexy'.

Avery felt nervous walking to sport. Apart from the angered glares on the bus and at lunch, Paige and Addison had felt her alone ever since Azrael had appeared a few days ago. Avery was starting to think that Azrael's threat really had gotten through to Paige, but she wasn't the kind of person to just back off. Avery felt like the longer Paige left her alone, the worse it would be when she did strike again - especially considering that she'd been speaking to Ethan.

There was an odd atmosphere in the gym. Whenever Paige and Addison turned to Avery, they weren't wearing their usual scowls, instead, today they were smiling at her. Not a friendly smile, a cruel knowing grin that made the nervousness that had been lying dormant under her breastbone rise.

The last period of the day was English. Sadie looked as though she was just about to fall asleep and Avery was glad that the note-passing wasn't going to be an every class event. She was worried about getting caught, Avery had never gotten detention and didn't want to start.

While Sadie slumped in her chair with eyes barely open, Avery took notes finding an odd sentiment in the line, "I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve" that Mr. Brauner scribbled on the board from Pride and Prejudice.

Sadie followed Avery to her locker after the bell had rung.

"Do you have anything to wear for the party?" Sadie questioned, and Avery's attention turned to the curly-haired girl as she pushed a stack of books into her locker.

"I was just going to wear jeans and a jumper" Avery shrugged.

She didn't own anything fancy or cute or sexy like Sadie planned to wear, nor did she have the money to go out and buy something for the party. She was content with just wearing her usual clothes, although a small part of her did wish she could wear something to catch Ethan's eye.

"You can't wear that!" Sadie scowled, eyeing Avery's choice of clothes for her lazy Friday and assuming that she would see it again on the coming Saturday night.

Avery turned to Sadie with a smile, "Well I don't own a sexy two-piece like you do" she quipped with a short laugh and closed the locker door. The thought of wearing the crushed velvet boob-tube and tight pencil skirt that Sadie had described wasn't at all appealing anyway.

"Then let's go shopping together" Sadie pleaded and reached to tug on Avery's jumper sleeve with excitement, "Let's go now, the shops are still open for two more hours so that should be plenty of time!".

Avery glanced at Sadie with a half-smile, "Even if I wanted to, I don't have the kind of money to buy a new outfit".

"Then I'll pay!" Sadie continued to beg. The thought of having anybody give Avery money for something that she didn't need brought with it a feeling of guilt.

Even if she did want a new dress, she wasn't going to ask Sadie to pay for it. She would rather just wear her boring blue jeans and a sweater.

"Next time there is a party I'll make sure to save some money so we can go shopping" Avery answered, watching the excited smile drop from Sadie's face in an instant.

"Then how about on Saturday, you come over to my house and you can borrow one of my dresses? I can even do your makeup for you" Sadie responded, wanting nothing more than to doll Avery up for her first-ever party.

"Deal" Avery smiled.

"Good! I'll text you the details" Sadie grins.

The pair strode towards the exit of the school. Sadie had woven her arm through Avery's and was talking to her about the dresses that she thought might look good on her.