𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗚𝗢, monty green

Chapter Two

Avery let her feet hit the ground of the Earth for the very first time.

The celebratory shouts of the kids around her were distant and muffled yells in her ears; her senses only able to focus on the incredible surroundings she had never experienced before. Most people were running through the forest, hugging one another despite never having met before, and playfighting. 

The girl circled on the spot in awe of it all, involuntarily laughing in glee. She hadn't felt that happy in a long while. And sure, it was only temporary, but it was pretty damn good.

She was stopped abruptly by someone bumping straight into her and almost knocking her over. As she yelled out a "Watch it!", the culprit managed to grab her hand and stop her from toppling onto the ground.

The person pulled her back onto two feet and she found herself looking into the eyes of a boy she saw on the Dropship. Specifically, the one who made her feel nervous when she got caught staring at him. He pulled back his hand before she could comment anything snarky, and for once she found herself lost for words.

"Ah, it's my heckler." The boy said softly but teasingly, and Avery let out a scoff to avoid blushing. 

"I don't think calling you a smart ass counts as heckling."

She hoped he would ignore the fact she didn't thank him for stopping her fall. Sure, he nearly caused it in the first place, but a decent person would've said thanks for the prevention of it.

"I'm-"

"-Hey, who's this?"

A loud voice interrupted the boy's attempt at conversation, and then two arms slung around each of their shoulders. A boy with shaggy brown hair and a pair of goggles plastered on his head beamed at the pair of them, clearly familiar with the other boy.

"Who are you?" Avery retorted warily, shrugging off the arm.

"Jasper."

The quiet boy sighed in frustration at his friend, clearly wanting to apologise for his weirdness, but Avery had already taken a few steps away in awkwardness. She lingered for a moment, debating whether to shake Jasper's outstretched hand, and then saying in her head, fuck it, why not?

I'm gonna be stuck with these weirdos for the rest of my life, why not befriend them?

"Avery."

Her eyes immediately flitted to the quiet boy, but he was exactly that: quiet. She couldn't tell if he was going to tell her his name in return.

"This is Monty." Jasper patted the boy on the chest, with the boy giving her a sheepish smile and awkward wave as a greeting.

Monty took her interest. Not in that way - well maybe that way too - but in the general sense. There was something about him that just intrigued her. It was as if she knew what was going to happen in the future...

She glanced between the two boys, realising that she had fallen silent whereas Jasper was already chatting away to Monty. He was using wild gestures and hand moments, seemingly very enthusiastic about whatever it was.

Avery suddenly felt very aware of the fact she didn't know how to talk to people.

"As fun as this is," She interrupted bluntly, wishing the ground could swallow her up. "I've got to go..."

She faltered for an excuse to leave, letting her eyes wander around before landing on Clarke. The girl seemed troubled, and she had no intentions of helping.

"... See Clarke."

And with that, she was gone.

Clarke was by the Dropship, a map spread out on the ramp in front of her, and she was planning out a route on it. Wells was by her side, chatting away, his face highlighting his distress. Whatever it was, Avery wanted to be involved.