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.
Thanks to http://ineedbookcover.tumblr.com/ for this AM...
Avery's POV It's been a week, seven days since Theo left. I've practically been stalking the mailbox, but he hasn't written any letters.
I don't know where he is. I don't know if he's okay or not.
This is my fault! If I haven't kissed Theo he wouldn't have left. I should have respected his boundaries. I should have swallowed down my feelings.
I shouldn't have fallen in love with my best friend.
"Avery, how 'bout gettin' dressed today?" My little brother Jonah asks. The dark hair boy sits next to me on my messy bed, and unlike me is dressed for the day.
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"That sounds like an idea." I mumble. I'm a mess. My hair is a mess that could house birds. My usually blue eyes are red and puffy. I've been wearing Theo's abandoned band tee everyday since he left.
"Isn't the dance today?" Jonah asks, and I groan.
"Yes." I answer, pulling the covers over my head. I forgot all about the town dance. Theo was suppose to take me, but obviously that's not going to happen. Poking my head out of the covers I stare at my dress hanging on my closet door. Looking at that the white dress that Theo picked out I miss him twice as much.
"Are ya going?" Jonah asks.
"No." I answer.
"But ya should, ya're a pretty gal. Any guy would be lucky to have ya as a date." I smile up at my little brother who is now a head taller than me.
"Ya really know how to make a gal blush. When did ya get so smooth with the ladies?" I ask, making him smirk.
"After Mabel Smith rejected me." Jonah sheepishly admits, rubbing his pinking cheeks.
"Mabel Smith?" I repeat the name, a face popping up in my head that goes with the name. "She's a senior." I laugh.
"I was very ambitious." Jonah laughs, his brown eyes misting over as if he's looking at the senior girl for the first time.
"Anyway, ya should go to the dance, Ave." Jonah says, giving me an encouraging look. "Go out and have fun." He adds.
"But... Theo was suppose to go with me." I force the words out, my hands clutching the covers. My heart feels like it was just punched. It aches and throbs, I miss Theo.
"I'll go with you." Jonah suddenly pipes up. My head whips up to look at my little brother.
"Wha?" I ask, so shocked I can't even manage the T.
"I know I'm yar little brother, and it'll probably be lame, but let's go have fun." Jonah grins. I grin up at him, feeling at least half whole for the first time in days.
"Okay, I start "it's a date." I grin, looping my arm through his.
Later "Mama, please stop." Jonah groans as another flash blinds me.
"Hush up, and let me just take me take the darn picture." Mama whines. "I carried ya two for nine months each." Mama points a warning a finger at each of us. Jonah is dressed up in grey dress pants, a white button down, and a grey tie. My brother and I hold hands as Mama snaps pictures of us.
"Ya're making this weird. Mama." Jonah groans. The pair of us are wedged between a dressed up Lucas and Noah. Surprising Noah actually combed his brown hair for this.
Dressed up just like my brothers I stand in the white dress Theo picked out.
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I considered getting a new dress, but no matter this dress is just perfect. So I stand for pictures with my hair curled up, my makeup done, and my brown cowgirl boots shined.
"If ya keep taking pictures they'll miss the dance." Joey laughs.
"Come on mama, lets us go." Noah begs.
"Ugh, fine." Mama finally lowers her phone. "But just four more!" She adds, making all of us groan as if we're being tortured.
Later
"Are ya ready for this?" Noah asks.
"I'm not sure." I admit, bracing myself. All of four of are squeezed in Lucas's pick up truck. The truck sits in city hall's crowded parking lot, which really is just a field so worn down from tire tracks that it's considered space flat enough for parking.
"This is going to be fun." Jonah says, though it sounds as if he's trying to promise the dance will be fun.
"Of course it'll be fun, I'm gonna spike the punch." Lucas smirks at us, waving his flask like it is the key to having fun. Lucas eagerly climbs out of his truck and rushes off to his ultimate goal, the punch bowl.
Noah, Jonah and I climb out and follow the herd of the town's small population into the town hall. The town hall is really just the first house built in town. It's an old fashion mansion ya can only find in the south of America.
"I'm gonna go meet my date." Noah announces, and disappears inside.
"Then there was two." I say.
"Did ya know that Noah had a date?" Jonah asks surprised.
"Not a darn clue." I laugh. The dance is held in the entire first floor of the mansion. From kitchen to the front doors it's packed with almost everyone in town, although that isn't much to begin with.
"Avery." Jonah and I freeze at the sound of a deep voice.
"Oh, god." Jonah blurts out. At the sound of his deep voice I feel like the wind is knocked out of me. Jonah eyes me as if I'm about to explode, but I'm the complete opposite. I'm frozen next to my brother like a statue.
"Avery." Theo calls again, and this time I turn to face him. Theo hovers by the front doors in a tux of all things.
"Is this real?" I breathe. I would be in a puddle of tears right now, but my tears ducts are so aware of my perfected eyeliner that they're suddenly strong and dry.
"Yeah." Theo sheepishly shrugs. "Can we talk?" Theo asks. I look up at Jonah who's been standing by like the pedestrian watching a car crash.
"Go on ahead, Avery." Jonah nudges his chin at Theo. "I'm gonna go look for Mabel Smith." Jonah states with a wobbly grin. Jonah takes off, leaving me all alone with Theo.
