𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 (EDITING)

𝟐𝟕

emerson

The school's talent show had everyone bustling about, setting up various props and decorations. Among the chaos, I found myself roped into the setup by Andrew's insistence. He'd slyly claimed he'd be the lone participant setting up, a statement that turned out to be far from the truth. Willow and Avery were already engrossed in arranging the backdrop on the stage when Andrew's sudden realization jolted our progress.

"I just realized I grabbed the wrong boxes," Andrew muttered, a tinge of frustration in his voice as he examined the mismatched Christmas boxes in his hands. Confusion lingered in the air as he swiftly handed me a paper, barely waiting for a response before blurting, "Can you fetch the right ones? I need to check with the teacher about something."

Caught off guard, I glanced down at the paper, feeling a surge of uncertainty. I'd never taken charge of such a task before, but Andrew's rushed departure left me little choice.

My gaze swept across the room, searching for any indication of the correct boxes amidst the sea of scattered decorations and props.

I hastily grabbed the box, attempting to comply with Andrews's request, but as I turned to leave, In my haste, I forgot about the box in my hands, causing its contents to cascade to the floor in a noisy clatter.

"Avery, could you help Emerson, please? Thank you!" Our teacher's voice echoed through the chaos, shattering my focus. I turned around abruptly, a moment too late, realizing the scattered mess I'd left behind.

Avery swiftly rushed over, without a word, dropping to her knees to collect the scattered items. I stood rooted to the spot, surprised by her unexpected act of assistance. Furrowing my brow, I attempted to gather the strewn objects, feeling a mix of frustration and embarrassment at my clumsiness.

Determined to rectify my mistake, I scooped up the box, ready to carry on. "I can do it myself; you can go," I mumbled, adjusting the box in my grip as I began to walk away. However, Avery's smirk halted my steps.

"I think I'll stay," she declared, her tone teasing. I rolled my eyes in response, silently grateful for her help despite my protests. Heading towards the designated room, Avery warned me about keeping the door open, lest it locks shut. I nodded absentmindedly, my focus on the paper in my hand detailing the box numbers.

"Box... two hundred and three," I muttered, trying to decipher the instructions. Pointing to the label, I attempted to convey the information to Avery. She effortlessly gathered the designated box, awaiting further instructions.

"Anything else?" she inquired, her readiness to assist evident in her tone. I cleared my throat, feeling the weight of responsibility. "Two hundred and fifty-five," I mumbled, a sense of urgency creeping in.

Avery nodded, swiftly handing me box number one. As she reached for the other box, her balance faltered, causing her to teeter precariously on the chair she was standing on. Reacting instinctively, I released my hold on the box I was carrying and lunged forward to prevent her from falling.

In a split second, I managed to catch Avery around her waist, halting her descent and preventing a potentially calamitous fall. Our unexpected collision left me feeling a mixture of surprise and relief, as we stood frozen for a moment in an awkward place.

I carefully steadied Avery, my arms wrapped around her waist to prevent her from hitting the ground. For a brief moment, our eyes locked in an unexpected connection, and I felt a rush of tension simmering between us. The room fell silent, and I could almost hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears.