40 Oakvale Road

Chapter 3

"I definitely think you should do it. You'd look hot with pink hair!" Gabby said to Cory. The two of them were sitting in front of my mirror, looking skeptically at their reflections.
"OK, but I'll only do it if you cut your hair too," replied Cory, pulling a brush through her waist length dark brown hair.

It was Saturday, and Cory, Gabby and Courtney had arrived for our sleepover. We had all been so happy to see each other, as it had been a few months since our last reunion. After some discussion, we decided to do a little shopping downtown before settling in for the night. I purchased a couple new tops, as well as a pair of jean shorts, and then we all returned home to catch up.

While Cory and Gabby discussed potential future hairstyles, I took it upon myself to cheer Courtney up. According to Cory and Gabby she had taken the breakup with her ex-boyfriend pretty hard, and had barely talked to them during the car ride. Luckily, it seemed that she was now ready to open up.
"I honestly just didn't see it coming. All this time I was so happy, but I guess he wasn't and he didn't talk to me about it," she said sadly.
"It'll be ok, Court." I assured her.
"I know. It's just...I know this sounds silly but...for a while I actually thought he might be the one." Courtney confessed.
"Maybe this is a wake-up call then," I suggested. "Somewhere out there, there's a great guy who is destined to be your soulmate, and you just haven't found him yet."
She laughed a little at this.
"You sound like a psychic or something," she said.
"Maybe I am a psychic," I replied mysteriously.
"Seriously though, thanks Avery. That made me feel a lot better."
Gabby and Courtney joined us on the bed.
"Is she finally talking?" Gabby asked, eyebrows raised. Courtney nodded meekly in response.
"It's about time! We thought you were going to be silent forever," Cory teased.
"I'm sorry, guys. I just needed some time to think about my feelings before I shared them with you," Courtney told us.
"It's ok, Court. We know it's been hard on you," Gabby assured her. Courtney nodded, and crossed her legs.
"Well, I really don't want to spoil the weekend for the rest of you. We came here to have fun, after all," she said, smiling.
In response, I held up my phone. "How about we order some pizza?"

•••

5 hours later, my room was strewn with empty pizza boxes, popcorn bowls, and towels with scary green stains from the face masks we did. Gabby and Cory had fallen asleep around midnight, but Courtney and I had stayed up talking for a few more hours. She had just dozed off when I started to hear tapping noises at my window. I frowned after hearing the first one, thinking it was my imagination and I needed to get to sleep. But after a couple more followed, I decided to get up and investigate. Pulling back the curtain a little, I peered out the window. There was someone standing in my garden, and evidently throwing rocks at my window. I squinted, trying to make out a face, but the streetlights weren't enough to help me.

I stood for a moment, debating. If someone was throwing rocks at my window, they obviously wanted to talk to me. But I honestly couldn't think of anyone who would want to talk to me this badly. Leah, maybe, but even then she would text or come to my house.
Slowly, I made my way out of my room and downstairs, in hopes of getting a better look. Once in my living room, I pulled back the curtain slightly to look straight out into my garden where I saw the person before.

It was a boy, about my age. He was still looking up at my bedroom window. Somehow, without even recognizing him, I knew who he was. I made my way to the front door, opened it carefully, and stepped outside. As I was hit by the cool night breeze, the boy turned and frowned at me.
"Will?" I questioned.
"How do you know my name?" He asked in reply. I took a step towards him.
"I'm Avery, Leah's best friend," I replied.
"Avery. She's told me about you. But how did I end up at your house?" He said, confused.
"I'm not sure. Shouldn't you know where she lives?" I asked in response.
"No," he shook his head. "You know how here parents are. I was never allowed to go to her house."
"Then how did you end up here?"
"Once, a long time ago, we went on a date pretty late at night. It took me a while to remember where it was, but she went into this house when I dropped her off," he explained.
As he said it, the memory came back to me. It was a while ago, when Will and Leah were still together. She had asked to sleep over at my house so her parents wouldn't know that she went out with him so late. I explained this to Will, and he nodded.
"Where does she live, then?" He finally asked. I bit my lip, hesitating. He was so close to Leah and he didn't even know it.
"Did you tell her you were coming?" I asked.
"No, but I need to talk to her," he said firmly.
"Will," I began gently. "I was with Leah when you called. I know what you want to talk about. But she wasn't joking when she said she needed some time to think about things. She's still technically in a relationship with Kyle, and it's not fair if you keep pestering her about this."
I took a deep breath, waiting for his reply.
"Are you sure?" he said, a crease forming between his eyebrows as he frowned.
"I am. If you talk to her right now it will only confuse her. I'll tell her you came, though."
"Ok. I guess you know her better than I do now. Thanks anyway," Will said. As he turned to leave, I stopped him.
"Will, wait!" I called. "You seem like a really good guy, and I think of all the boyfriends Leah's had you were the best. But you know how she is. She gets too caught up in the moment to think about the future and the consequences of her actions until it's all out of her control. I just don't want her to make a decision she'll regret." I explained.
"Deep down I know you're right," he said simply.
"But I think I love her, and I can't stand to lose her again," Will said.
I was silent for a moment, unsure of what to reply to his confession, when Will spoke again.
"But please don't tell her that yet. I want to be able to say it first."
"Ok," I whispered.
"Goodnight, Avery."
"Goodnight."
With that, he turned and walked to his car. I reentered my house just as he drove away.