loving you is a losing game - avery x jameson

chapter 12 - cowboy drama

AS I WAS wandering the halls later that afternoon, I could hear a faint whimpering coming from within the walls. I knew this house was unusual, but that was just plain freaky. I ran Xander's room, and knocked rapidly on the door, bashing my fist against it. There was a sudden click, and the door was open, with Xander in my face. 

"Umm..." he started, "you ok Avery? You look like you've seen a ghost." 

"You might not be far off" I retaliated, and dragged him by his arm.

"Where the hell are we going?" Xander protested as we snuck down the halls of Hawthorne House. Try saying that ten times fast. 

I pulled him aside as we drew nearer to the place where I originally heard the noise. "Ok," I filled him in, "I was walking through here earlier and I heard a weird whimpering noise. This place is creepy enough as it is, and I don't want any more ghosts than necessary", silently referencing Tobias Hawthorne's spirit. 

Xander pulled himself out of our little huddle and stood there with his arms crossed and his expression deadpan. "Avery." 

I mimicked his pose. "Xander." 

He sighed. "Did no one give you a map of this place?" 

I dropped his posture and looked at him. "No? Why would I need a map?" 

He pulled out his phone and drew up a quick map of Hawthorne House. "So, we're here. And if we're facing this way, what's inside that wall?" 

I stepped back with a huge realisation. Nash's room.

Xander knocked gently on Nash's door, with me closely behind. We could hear sounds of a tissue being pulled out of a tissue box and Nash sniffling tears away before a croaky "Come in" came through the door. 

Xander creaked open the door to the sight of a 6"2' cowboy curled up into a blanket, surrounded by mugs and tissues. Obviously, Mrs Laughlin had been by to her favourite Hawthorne recently, as he was sipping some tea as well. 

"Aww," Xander moaned as he stepped into the mess and sat down next to Nash. 

I tried to enter, but was met with a grunt from the 23-year-old baby. 

"Nash," Xander warned, but got the simple reply, "No. She looks too much like her." 

That was a lie, and a bad one at that. Apart from sharing a father, most people guessed that we weren't even related. 

I must've appeared visibly shocked, because Nash simply sniffed out "Yeah, you do." 

I crossed my arms. "Sorry Nash, but I don't look like her in any way, shape or form." 

Nash groaned. "You even talk like her!", and promptly dissolved into a puddle of tears. 

Xander slipped off the bed and escorted me outside. "What the hell Xander!" I whisper-shouted. 

"Okay okay! I'm sorry, but just let him be for now." He whispered back. 

"He's lost his mind!" I tried. 

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time." Xander sighed. "I swear, each time this guy has anything remotely close to a quarter-life crisis, he loses his mind and removes himself from life itself. I may need you to relieve me with some more tea and muffins in 2-4 business hours." 

I smiled at his joke. "Fine. But once he's better, he will have hell to pay." 

Xander chuckled. "I agree."

With nothing else to do, I headed for Libby's room. I should probably have checked how she was after all of this earlier, I thought, but judging from Nash's state, I guessed that she did most of the talking. I got to the end of the hallway where her bedroom was and pushed the door slightly ajar, then gasped. 

There wasn't one, but two people in the room. 

Only one thought ran through my mind; I guess Alisa found out who Libby liked.