Avery writes to a convicted prisoner in juvy, Theo. What was originally a school task is now the only way two best friends communicate.
But one day out of the blue Theo is outside Avery's door.
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Avery's POV I didn't sleep last night. Not at all. I cried all night, but unfortunately not to sleep.
I've been going through the motions all morning. Maybe I'm in shock, or maybe I'm shutting everything out.
"Breakfast!" Joey drops a steaming plate of French toast in front of me.
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Sitting in pjs that are to big for me I lift the maple syrup over the French toast and drown the toast in a pool of maple.
"How about some French toast with that syrup?" Joey asks, watching as I empty the bottle. I don't respond, I don't move, I just bury the food under an ocean of sap.
"Ave, ease up on the syrup, it's only ten in the morning." Joey warns. The syrup bottle is torn from my fingers, and a second plate is slid under my original to catch the overflowing bronze.
"Eat." Joey orders. Doing as told I take a bite, and tears immediately pool my eyes to the brim.
"Hey! No one cries eating my food!" Joey crosses her arms over her chest. Crap, I didn't mean to strike a nerve.
"After your date last night I thought ya be over the moon for at least a week." Joey says.
"How do ya know about last night?" I ask.
"We were all in on it." Joey shrugs. I guess Theo told everyone...
"Well... It wasn't a date." I mumble, sniffling at the end. Joey just gawks at me like I just said it backwards.
"Mornin' y'all." Mama walks in with her hand around Cassie's little hand.
"Ugh... Mornin' mama." Joey greets, her blue eyes still on me.
"Go wash up, Cas." Mama sends our little sister off.
"Avery, can ya ring up Theo? He forgot some of his things up in the barn." Joey flinches, and I gape at mama.
"Wait... What?" I breathe, my mind coming to the worse possible conclusion like a car braking before a crash.
"Theo packed up and left this mornin'. He was in such a rush he forgot a couple of things." Mama explains.
"Oh, crap." Joey mumbles.
"Why ya actin' dumb, Ave? Theo is your best friend, don't ya know about this?" Mama asks with a furrowed brow.
No way, my hands fly up and pinch my cheeks. This has to be a dream- no a nightmare. I stumble onto my feet and and rush past mama and Joey.
"Avery?" I hear mama call after me as I run up to the barn.
He couldn't! He wouldn't! I climb up the ladder so fast my hand got a splintered. Panting I fumble into the room up in the barn and break out in tears.
Theo's stuff is gone. I pull the empty drawers out of the dressers, and rush into the bathroom.
Nothing but a band tee is left. Nothing is here. He's gone.
