A/N: I freaking love Romance Novel's Ava Tucker and I just had to write this and it's cool I got permission first. Btw, I totally pictured Nina Dobrev as Ava, but that's just me. Everyone, you might want to read That's Life first for this to make sense. Enjoy!
-XX-
Mouths Shut
Kelly Parker has always been a bit of a sick and twisted individual so it isn't surprising when she gets a little thrill, watching Austin charge out to the parking lot and punch Emily's Baby Daddy right in the gut. It was just like old times. In fact, it was a little too much like old times. Scary even.
Austin had tried his best to ignore Kelly when she first decided to do her pre-Worlds training at the Rock. After all, the last time they talked, almost a year ago, it hadn't been all pleasantries and flirting. It had been damn volatile, but that only seems appropriate given the situation.
"Fuck, Parker. You knew?"
"Don't kid yourself, Austin. Everyone knew. Even you."
He had looked at her, shocked, but deep down, he knew she was right. Him knowing she was right, but unable to admit it, not to himself and certainly not to herself, Austin had gone off in a rage, accused Kelly of keeping quiet to bring Ava down and secure her title. On the inside she was pissed. How dare that asshole imply that Kelly didn't care about Ava? They were best fucking friends. Kelly could have fought him, could have ripped him apart with her words, but she knew he was only saying all of this to her face because he was drunk. Driven to drinking because he couldn't deal with the reality of Ava's eating disorder just like his father.
"That's it, Parker. You're dead to me. I'm never talking to you ever again."
"I hope you die of alcohol poisoning."
And that was it. That was the last thing they ever said to each other until this week. Austin tried to keep his word and did his best to ignore her, but Kelly wouldn't allow that. It was just too perfect; the guy who knocked up Emily Kmetko (Austin's fling in France as Ellen Beals tells it) now going for Austin's anorexic pet project. When the universe puts all the dominos in place, how is Kelly Parker expected to not knock them down?
Two slightly leading sentences from her and Austin whips out his superhero cape and rush into action just like he always did. Kaylie doesn't seem to appreciate it and Kelly watches from afar as she verbally spanks him in the parking lot.
Not nice, KP.
God. Kelly can already hear Ava Tucker's voice in her head.
Life isn't nice, LT, Kelly would reply. You should have already expected it. I'm a queen, not a pawn.
From that moment on, Kelly gets even harsher looks from Austin, always on the opposite side of the gym from her. He tells Kaylie not to engage, but it sounds like he's talking more to himself than to the little National Champ.
What really sets Kelly off is Austin's hostility when it comes to Tessa, who's apparently Kelly's "bootlicker". Maybe that's why Kelly keeps such a tight leash on Tessa like Sheila keeps a tight leash on her. Maybe if Kelly tried to keep Ava on a straight path, things would be different. No matter how much she theorizes Kelly knows no one could have controlled Ava Tucker. Ava couldn't even control herself.
No matter what Austin was trying to achieve with the bootlicker comment, it tugged a chord, one Kelly was certain she cut a long time ago. Kelly doesn't have friends. Not since Ava. Now she has followers and fans, people to physically surround herself with, but kept at an emotional distance. Tessa is not Ava. Kelly would never let anyone else fill that void.
"You really piss me off, you know," Kelly tells him straight out one morning. She adjusts the strap of her gym bag on her shoulder and it feels so much heavier with Kaylie's journal in it. She's been thinking about it all morning and for some reason what she's about to do makes her physically sick to her stomach. Still, Kelly managed to eat something at breakfast. She always makes it a point to.
Austin sighs, just having parked Lolita out front and pulls off his helmet. "Says the girl who told me that if I cared about Kaylie Cruz I'd convince her to quit now."
"She isn't ready for Worlds."
Austin scowls. "Kaylie—"
"Has been out for more than a month now and hasn't been eating for longer than that," Kelly says as calmly as she can. Austin's face goes blank for a moment and then questioning. Kelly sighs, looking around the parking lot. When she sees no one nearby, she whispers, "Yes. I could tell. I had my suspicions since our final National Team practice before the World Team tryouts."
Kelly isn't proud that she's known for so long and it's hard to not show it on her face. Guilt can be such a bitch. She glances up at Austin and his face darkens with rage.
"You knew and you didn't say anything?" Austin growls. "What the hell, Kelly?"
She scowls. "You're mad at me right now? Seriously?"
"You could have saved Kaylie a lot of trouble a lot sooner, but no," Austin's voice rises with each word, "You just stood by and didn't do anything again!"
"What was I supposed to do!" she screams back. Kelly could care less who's around and watching. Fuck them. "How did you expect me to barge into some stranger's life and save the day when I couldn't even help my best friend? Because, yeah, Austin, Ava wasn't just another bootlicker. She was my best friend!"
Kelly feels the tears sting at her eyes and fuck this parking lot. She's always crying here. It must be cursed or something. She coils her hands into fists to try to convince herself she isn't shaking. Austin doesn't look as pissed, but he doesn't look like he's dying to run over and hug her either. Honestly, if he tried she'd probably kick his ass right here.
After a long moment of silence, Austin sighs loudly, resting both hands on the back of his neck. He goes over to sit on the curb and just stares out into nothing, obviously trying to calm down and make sense of things in his head. Turning up her nose, Kelly starts to walk away when Austin asks, "So why don't you ever visit her? You didn't when she was in rehab and you surely don't now."
Pursing her lips, Kelly replies, "For the same reason you took the drinking and the partying to a whole other level."
The depth of denial. The all-encompassing fear.
Austin nods. He gets it. Finally.
"I didn't know what to do," Kelly quietly admits. "For a long time all I ever wanted to do was forget. As horrible as that sounds, it's the truth. Then I started to notice what Kaylie was doing to herself it brought all of those old feelings back again. Pretending I couldn't see it was just…easier."
Austin shakes his head. "That's not right though."
Kelly shrugs. "Who's to say what is? Because, seriously, I don't think I've ever known."
They were never BFFs, but he can tell she's talking about more than what he thinks. Sighing, Austin says, "All I know is it can't be wrong to want to save someone from going through what Ava did."
"That's just who you are. Inescapable. Embrace it," Kelly says. "See, that's the difference between you and me, Tucker. You're the hero and I'm the villain."
"But Ava loved us both," Austin adds. All his hostility is gone and it makes Kelly relax just a little bit more.
Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Kelly whispers, "So how is she?"
Austin actually looks surprised Kelly would even ask. "Better. Stable. But so lost." Austin sighs loudly and it's obvious how desperate he is to save her, but knows at this point only Ava can save herself. "I think it'd do her good, both of you good, if you went to see her."
Kelly inwardly groans. No way Sheila would go for that. Instead of addressing it, Kelly asks, "And you really think Kaylie can do what Ava couldn't?"
Austin hesitates, but eventually nods. Rather than saying anything more, Kelly nods back, adjusts the strap of her gym bag and starts walking towards the front door of the Rock.
"You know, Parker," Austin calls after her. Kelly stops a moment and looks at him from over her shoulder. "It's really kind of gross you'd imply that girls in need turn me on especially given the fact that it was my sister in a similar situation."
Kelly can't remember the last time Austin gave her that friendly of a smile and damn is it too much like Ava's. Taking it for what it is, an olive branch, Kelly smiles back. "What can I say, King Creeper? I just call 'em like I see 'em."
…
1 year ago…
Kelly laughs, peering out a window and where a party is going on. It's all people poolside and in swimwear. Austin Tucker is near the barbeque grill, shirtless (shocker) and talking to a woman at least twice his age. He's making her laugh and touching her hand with his most charming grin. "Ava, check it out! Your brother is totally hitting on one of your mom's friends!"
A sound of disgust comes from the bathroom where the door is closed halfway. "Austin being King Creeper, nothing new, KP."
"Yeah, but usually he creeps on naïve, unsuspecting juniors. Queen Cougar is new," Kelly explains. Sitting back, Kelly sighs and her eyes drift over to the bathroom door. "Little Tuck, tell me you are not weighing yourself again. That would be, oh, the third time today?"
"Don't call me that!" Ave shouts as expected. "And I'm just checking…"
A chill runs up Kelly's spine. It was a joke. "Wait, you're seriously weighing yourself?"
Ignoring her question, Ava shouts back, "Hey, is Max here yet?"
Something tells Kelly this isn't something to just let slide, but she does. Looking out the window again, Kelly spots the Robin to Austin's Batman, chasing around a bunch of little kids, cradling a water gun. Standing and walking along Ava's dresser, Kelly replies, "Yes. Lover Boy has arrived."
"I don't even know what to think about Max," Ava confesses. Kelly knows that wistful tone. More like she's got it bad for Max. "The other day I told him we're just having fun and he wanted to go out somewhere…with people. Whatever that's supposed to mean."
Kelly snorts. "Sure, if he wants Austin to kill him and your parents to kill you. Dating is against the rules for a reason."
There's a journal on the dresser, probably where Ava writes Mrs. Ava Spencer on page after page. Kelly is right about to flip it open when another hand comes out of nowhere and stops her. Startled, Kelly quickly looks up, but finds Ava Tucker staring right back.
"Yeah, well, your mom would kill you and Nicky if she knew what you two do so you're not one to talk," Ava reminds her with a smile too much like her brother's teasing grin. Ava nudges her and slides the journal out from under Kelly's hand, taking it with her across the room and hiding it beneath her pillow.
Kelly forces a smile. "Touché."
"So shall we?" Ava asks, forcing her own smile and holding out her arm.
Trying to convince herself Ava isn't acting totally weird (though, honestly, she has been for weeks now) Kelly just smiles and links her arm through her best friend's bony arm. As they walk side-by-side through the house, Kelly looks at what Ava's twiggy figure and what she's wearing—a baggy t-shirt over her bikini top and long board shorts. Kelly sees it as an opportunity to tease her.
"What's with all the clothes, bag lady? It's a pool party," Kelly says, pulling Ava's t-shirt up to reveal her protruding ribs, "Don't you want to show off the hot bod for the boo?"
Kelly giggles, but then Ava flips out and roughly shoves her away. Falling back against the hallway wall, Kelly looks on with skewed brows. Ava doesn't even apology, but smoothes her shirt down and nervously tangles her fingers. "Whoa," Kelly says. "What's your damage?"
"It's nothing," Ava nervously smoothes strands of her hair behind her ear. "I'm just…cold."
"It's summer and, like, a million degrees."
"Kelly, can you just stop? God, you sound like my mom," Ava snaps. Kelly looking at her like she's the biggest freak on the planet probably isn't helping, but she kind of is acting like the biggest freak on the planet right now. Holding her head high, Ava just continues down the stairs and Kelly follows. "Plus, I look like a total cow. No one, least of all Max, should see all of this."
Ava miserably motions to her insanely thin frame. Kelly is convinced her best friend is crazy.
"Okay, that was the most retarded thing I've ever heard and screw Max. If anything, you're too hot for him," Kelly says, speeding up until she's back at Ava's side. She links their arms again and Ava leans her head on Kelly's shoulder. "Now, c'mon. I'm starving."
"Yeah," Ava says unenthusiastically. "Me too."
They walk out to the backyard where little Tuckers are running around everywhere. Mr. Tucker is manning the grill, having a beer, while Mrs. Tucker is sitting with her friends, laughing loudly, gossip for sure. Suddenly Austin rushes up to them and manages to balance a plate of food in one hand as he pulls his little sister into a headlock.
"Austin!" Ava shrieks. Her face lights up whenever her adoring brother is near and it only shows how miserable Ava normally is. "Pull the breaks, bro. You're being a huge dork!"
"You pull the breaks," he playfully retorts like a six-year-old. "Have some fun, V."
Kelly looks between them. "Who the hell says 'pull the breaks'?"
Instead of answering that, Austin and Ava just exchange grins.
"Oh and here," Austin presents the plate of food to his sister, "For you."
Kelly scowls. "And where's mine?"
"Pshh," Austin chuckles. "Nice try, Kelly Parker, but I think my Olympic gold trumps your fluke at Nationals. You can go make your own plate."
"I won because I'm the best. You won because your biggest competition came down with mono, which you probably gave to him, partying the night before," Kelly says. "And I will get my own plate because if not you'd probably try to roofie me."
Kelly starts to walk away, but Ava grabs her arm and shoves the plate into Kelly's hands. "Here. Take mine. I'm not hungry."
Austin frowns. "You said the same thing at breakfast."
Ava nervously fumbles, trying to think up her next excuse. Austin and Kelly both stare at her, their own suspicions bubbling to the surface. No one says anything and Ava looks like she might crack beneath the pressure that accompanies the silence. Just then, Max decides to come over, dripping wet from his tousled dark hair to his flip-flops. He holds up his giant water gun and grins. "Freeze!"
"Spencer, if my hair gets wet I will castrate you," Kelly sneers, clearly not joking.
Squinting his eyes and smiling, Max tauntingly lifts the gun and points it at the girls.
"Wait, don't shoot," Ava says, putting up both her hands. She steps up towards Max, looking particularly flirty and Max shifts nervously, his eyes darting over to a confused Austin. When she draws close enough, Ava breaks out in a smile and shoves Max hard. He loses his balance and falls backwards into the pool.
When Max breaks the surface, Ava gives him a wink and turns to triumphantly face her best friend and her brother. Kelly grins, obviously amused, but Austin gives her a look that says nice try, but this isn't over.
"Ava saves the day," Little Tuck says with an innocent smile. Austin remains unconvinced and by the look on her face, Ava can tell. She extends a shaky hand towards the plate of food Kelly's holding and snatches up a carrot. Looking straight at her brother, Ava brings it to her lips and slowly takes a bite. "Carrot. Nutrients. Yum."
Austin is right about to say something, but then Max swoops in with his arm sliding across Ava's waist. When he jumps back into the pool, Max takes Ava with him, shrieking and squirming. Watching Max and Ava splash water at each other in the pool, Austin picks up the soggy, barely nibbled carrot from off the ground and gives Kelly a look.
Obviously, they both want to say something, but there's the denial and the fear that keeps their mouths shut. Austin's shoulders slump forward as he tosses the carrot into the nearby trashcan and Kelly keeps her eyes down, picking at the salad on her plate.
The silence wins out.
A/N: I love the image of Austin being a super hero and Kelly being a super villain and Ava stuck between them. Nervous. Romance Novel, hope I did your girl justice. I don't know. Just playing around with the characters. What'd everyone think?
Xoxo