Cracks

022 | kelly green daisy stems

K E L L Y

—

      "Hey Klaire-bear." A guy with brown hair and freckles clasped his hands down on Klaire's shoulders. At his voice, she immediately smiled.

       "Oh my god, Parker!" Turning around, she stood up and squeezed him into a hug while Avery sat there, silently sipping his coffee, not knowing any better course of action.

       "I thought you were spending fall break at your friend's house in Sacramento." The guy–Parker laughed, breaking off their hug and scratching his neck.

      "Yeah, well I decided that I missed the snow and said 'fuck it, time to come home.'" Klaire laughed and they shared a smile, one that weakened as Parker's eyes noticed Avery. Klaire's eyes followed his gaze.

       "Oh, Parker this is Avery. Avery, this is my brother, Parker." Avery awkwardly stood up and walked around the side of the table, sticking out his hand to shake. God he was stiff like a board. Why was he so like this? Parker took it and they entered into a firm handshake, one which seemed to occurr in tandem to an analysis of what Avery felt, included every fiber of his being. Slowly and carefully-seeming, Parker opened his mouth.

       "You're–"

       "A friend of mine." Klaire jumped in, tossing a thin smile about that ended in Avery's direction. The corner of his bottom lip quirked in response and Parker glanced at him once more. Yet Averys attention was focused elsewhere.

Friends.

       Though they hadn't exactly had a talk-talk about anything yet, even he could see that they'd passed friends and moved towards-well,—he didn't know. That's sort of why he'd wanted to talk to her in the first place. The rational side of him considered the possibility of Klaire playing it safe in the face of that unclarity. The other, had noticed the finality and exasperation in her tone, and the quickness with which she'd said it. Those parts fought together until he felt bitter and stupid.

       "Alright." Her brother replied, crossing his arms. "If I see another dipshit like that other kid–"

      "Got it, Park." Klaire widened her eyes in disbelief and annoyance, pushing him away and trying to get him to shut up, to stop exposing the past. How bad the breakup had been for her was something she didn't want anyone else to know. She didn't need their judgement, their whispering. Their pity.

       He looked around and locating where his friends had taken up a table. "See ya, sis." He gave her a brief hug and started to walk away, just like that. Because that's the way Parker was. Straight to the point and gone. A thought blared in her mind.

"Wait Parker!" He stopped and turned.

"Yeah?"

"Are you coming home at all?" The one you 'missed so fucking much'?

"Later." He waved his hand dismissively and Klaire grumbled before sitting back down, eying the food being set down before her. In the bout of occurrences, she'd missed the slight, downward tilt of Avery's lips. Missed the tensing of his posture, the small signs of discontent that faded into strains of of muddled disappointment, deprecation, and melancholy the longer he thought about it.

Though, it was within the fog, that he gained a sense of clarity. She'd said words, and he'd believed them. But he should've known. Should've read between the lines, should've looked for the signs that could've let him know beforehand.

      He felt stupid.

      And brash, not hesitating to let down his guard, leaving the bitter taste of humiliation in his mouth as he realized the lack of reciprocation. It had already been riveting, fear-boding, what he assumed a turtle felt as it detracted its head after the threat of danger.