Along came Avery

2 5 . b o u n d a r i e s

It's after hours; Amber has managed to inform Avery that I'd like to speak to him after sessions and I thought he'd refuse, but I can't say I'm surprised he agreed either. The two of us wait in the parking lot, close to his car — Amber's idea, just incase he decides to take off before having this talk — as we watch many students walk out the gate and head their own different to the next location.

I'm anxious; it's pumping in my vein like a drug and I can't shake the feeling. Avery listens to no one but himself, what are the chances he'll listen to me now? After today, he may even be feeling that he's done it. He probably gave himself a pat on the shoulder to say job well done, because he really set this one off.

Where Avery is, there's drama. If I thought I was the drama, I now can say it's because of Avery.

Moments after, we both spot Avery walking towards us casually, swinging the keychain of his car keys around his index finger with a low whistle tuning from his lips. His long legs make him stride effortlessly and his other hand is in his pocket. The jaw hair band is now removed, so his hair falls down like curtains in waves around his head; longer in the front and shorter at the back and along the sides. Any more longer and his eyes may be completely hidden.

Stop checking him out like this.

"Is this a gang up?" He teases as he unlocks his car and throws in his bag. "I thought I was only speaking to one of you."

"I'm here for support."

"You're suddenly playing bodyguard?"

"No." Amber bitterly smiles at him. "I just want to make sure you don't do anything stupid to my friend."

Avery smiles a bit, nodding his head as he shuts his door and then runs his hand through his hair. He then pulls out his jaw headband and puts it on. "Let's cut the chase. It's obvious Zinhle told you, I just hope it was everything and nothing but the truth, considering you're on the side of somebody who took a life. It's obvious because one moment, for weeks, you've been wanting to ride me and now you look at me like you want to kill me."

The strands are no longer covering his eyes, so his hazel eyes are on full display, hidden and then again revealed by his dark fly-away lashes.

"Tempting. And partially true." She comments.

"Okay." He throws her a dirty look before looking at me. "You wanted to talk to me in private."

"With Amber here—"

"Then you can message the group. I'm in there, I'll see your messages, not?" He folds his arms over his chest. "Pick your poison, it's either we talk in private, just the two of us considering this is about the two of us only, or you can head on home right now and message the group. Shouldn't be hard, since that's what Amber had us doing during lunch hour."

"You're stupid, you know that?"

"Usually takes one to recognise one, baby." He winks at her and then looks at me. "What's it going to be, Bubbles?"

"Forget this—"

"I'll stay." I turn to Amber, who tilts her head at me with an eyebrow up. "I'll talk to him. It won't be long anyway, so don't worry about me."

She sighs, licking her lips as she glances away momentarily. "I'll go to the restroom and get our bags from the library. That should be enough time. If anything happens, use the main route to me, call me, yell, anything."

I nod my head. She nods back, side eyes Avery and then walks away from us, her footsteps softly fading into chatters of the last few students still leaving the gate, cars honking and the ambience of the last days of winter passing by.