The reviews for that last chapter rocked. So many new reviews, and I loved that! And I have to admit that writing the fight part was my favorite part, as well as some of you mentioned in your reviews. Anyways, on with the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Lemonade Mouth
Wen leaned on the wall, knocking on the door softly. "Come on, Avery open the door….please, just open the door." His voice cracked, and he swallowed the tears that he were afraid would come. He wasn't really that bad, was he? He didn't realize….
Mo stood behind Wen, staring wordily at the door. "Avery, sweetie? Could you please let me in?" She asked in a hopeful voice. The door opened a small crack for Mo to slip in through. When Wen tried to follow her in, however, the door slammed in his face.
"Wow, thanks a lot, Mo." He said sarcastically. His eyes scanned the apartment, looking for something to use to get into the room. Maybe he could ram the door down. No, that would probably get Avery even more upset, and make him look like a bigger jerk. Wen's eyes locked on his collection of electric guitars and basses. Of course, these weren't Wen's original instruments, but he had learned to play a bit from Stella and Mo.
He grabbed his favorite from the long line hanging across a wall and fixed the shoulder straps onto his shoulders, walking closer to the door again.
"Avery?" Wen asked one last time. He sighed when he didn't hear anything but the sound of his daughter's sobs and begun to sing.
Here I am on the phone again and...
Awkward silences on the other end
I used to know the sound of a smile in your voice
But right now all I feel is the pain of fighting starting up again
All the things we talk about
You know they stay on my mind, on my mind
All the things we laugh about
They'll bring us through it every time,
After time, after time
Don't say a word,
I know you feel the same
Just give me a sign
Say anything, say anything
Please don't walk away,
I know you wanna stay
If you just give me a sign
Say anything, say anything
Some say that time changes,
Best friends can become strangers
But I don't want that, no not for you
If you just stay with me we can make it through
So here we are again the same old argument
Now I'm wondering if things will ever change
When will you laugh again?
Laugh like you did back when
We'd make noise 'til 3 am,
And the neighbors would complain
All the things we talk about
You know they stay on my mind, on my mind
All the things we laugh about
They'll bring us through it every time,
After time, after time
Don't say a word,
I know you feel the same
Just give me a sign
Say anything, say anything
Please don't walk away,
I know you wanna stay
If you just give me a sign
Say anything, say anything
Please don't walk away,
I know you wanna stay
If you just give me a sign
Say anything, say anything
Wen paused, noticing that the sound of crying had stopped. He stopped strumming the guitar in his arms, and leaned his ear against the door, straining his ears. He heard the sound of rustling, and a few seconds later the sound of Avery's voice. "I don't want to see you," She said, the tears still evident in her voice.
Wen wanted to punch himself for being such a total ass. "Well….why don't you open the door with your eyes closed?" He asked hopefully. More rustling and then Avery stood at the door, her red hair looking as if she had just gotten out of bed. She held her left hand over her eyes and the other hand held the door open for Wen. Wen could see tear stains on the girl's face.
Wen walked into the room and tried to ignore those daggers that Jaxson supposedly called eyes staring into his back. Mo didn't stare at him; she just rubbed Jaxson's back slowly, so that he would unclench his hands when his father walked into the room. Wen could tell that Mo was disappointed in him, though. He tried to make a smile appear on his face. "See, that wasn't so bad." He half joked.
Jaxson glared up at Wen before leaving the room, slamming the door behind himself. Wen groaned. First one, then the other. Mo looked between Avery, who had flopped on the bed with her head in her pillow, and the door that Jaxson just exited out of. "I think I'll go and check on him…" Mo excused herself, leaving the two in the room alone.
"Come on, could you please open your eyes for me?" Wen asked. Avery moaned into her pillow. Wen sighed and started strumming the guitar again, surprised when Avery turned over to look at him, blinking her big brown eyes. "Do I really have eyes just like my mommy?" Avery asked in a small voice.
Wen was surprised to hear the Avery that he had begun to know speaking like this, but he ignored his thoughts, taking the guitar from around his neck and placing it down next to the bed before sitting down next to Avery on the bed. "Yup, and you have her super soft voice, too, even when you yell at me." Wen smiled softly, pushing Avery's hair away from her eyes.
Avery didn't flinch away, which she normally would've done. She lay on her bed and looked up at her father with her big brown eyes. "My mom said that she used to love the way that you sang to her. That you sounded just like magic." She said in a voice barely above a whisper.
Wen smiled, glad to hear that Olivia hadn't said only negative things about him. "Well, what do you think?" He asked. "I think that she was tone deaf and you sound more like a dying bird than magic." Avery answered without missing a beat.
Wen chuckled. He had to admit that his daughter was funny. He pretended to look hurt. "Like a dying bird?" He asked. Avery nodded, her blank expression giving nothing away whatsoever. Wen thought for a moment. "Like…" He demonstrated a very unnatural sounding noise, his take one what he thought a dying bird would sound like. Avery started laughing, a smile growing across her face.
"See, there is that smile that I have been waiting for. You know, I would do anything to keep that beautiful smile on your face." Wen whispered. Avery sat up, her eyes growing devious again. "Anything?"
"Well, this was a fun day." Charlie commented as he bit into his burger. Avery nodded, dragging one of her fries through a pool of ketchup. Stella, Charlie, Mo, Wen and the twins had taken a day long trip throughout the city, visiting FAO Schwarz, Dylan's Candy Shop, the American Girl store, and the Lego store. They had just gotten back from the Intrepid Air and Space museum a few minutes ago, which the twins had enjoyed very much. Now they all sat on a pier, eating lunch from a seafood place.
Stella opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted as a group of people walked by, chanting, "Lemonade, Lemonade, Lemonade!"
The group shared a laugh. "Does this stuff happen all of the time?" Jaxson asked Charlie. He still wasn't speaking to Wen directly, but he would say a few things to him at times. His sister seemed to forgive their father, but that didn't mean that he had to as well.
"Yeah, bro, they're gonna be playing at Disney World!" Avery answered, nudging her brother. Jaxson smiled and shook his head. Stella rubbed her hands together. "Yup. I like it. Nine years old and already going to big events like this with us." She smiled one of her "Stella smiles".
"Well it sucks because Avery and Jaxson will be home in California with Olivia by then," Wen reminded them. Stella looked disappointed. "Couldn't we take you and then just take you home after we perform?" Stella asked hopefully.
Avery shook her head. "Naw, Jaxson and I have to get back to Cali before she does." She said, looking glum as well. Jaxson's eyes grew so large that they looked as if they would roll off of his face as he realized what his sister had just said. Avery's eyes grew large as well, and she quickly picked up her fork and started gulping down some of Mo's dessert.
"What did you say?" Wen asked. Avery looked up at Wen with a hint of worry in her eyes. "This is a really yummy desert." She commented as she shoved more into her mouth.
"You said that you had to get back, before she does?" Wen clarified. "Isn't she going to pick you guys up?" He asked again. Avery kept on eating the desert and by now all eyes at the table were on her. "Avery?"
"Huh?" Avery asked, looking up from the plate of Mo's desert. Wen gave her a warning look. She lay back in her seat, throwing her fork down on the table.
"Oh, Wen, I was gonna tell you I really was…" Her voice trailed off as she looked over to Jaxson. "Actually it is a really funny story, and I know you are going to love it -" Jaxson cut in, looking nervous. Avery nodded along with him. "Yeah, seriously, it is just L.O.L…" Wen rolled his eyes. "Quit stalling."
Avery sighed and looked at Jaxson expectantly. He gave her a glare and nudged her. "You're the oldest, and this was your idea." He grumbled. Avery took a deep breath. "We were supposed to be studying at a special performing arts school here this month, but instead, we snuck away to come meet you." Avery smiled an apologetic smile.
Stella wearily looked over to Wen. Mo looked shocked, as Charlie looked surprised. Wen looked as if he were trying to process this all. "You ran away? You ran away?" He repeated.
Avery looked back down at the plate, handing Jaxson a spoon. The both dug into what was left of it. "Um, yummy desert," Jaxson commented.
"Is your mother even in Africa?" Wen asked. Avery looked sheepish. "About that…"
Wen looked as if he was going to rip his hair out. "Oh God, what the hell have you done?" He moaned. Mo cut in. "Okay, I am sure that there is a reasonable explanation and everybody -"
"The press is going to eat me alive. What a stupid, stupid thing for you to do." Wen's voice grew louder as Avery flinched, sweat rolling down her forehead. Why did everything feel so hot? And her throat felt weird and scratchy…
Jaxson rubbed Avery's back. "Did either of you ever stop to think about how these might impact me? What a stupid thing for you to do. You are in serious trouble."
Avery started coughing into her hand, her face growing red. Stella handed Avery her cup of water, looking concerned. "Wen, she's sweating like crazy, coughing…"
"Her lips are swelling," Charlie added, examining Avery's face. Jaxson feared that he knew what was going on. "Oh, don't fall for that, she's a little world – class performer." Wen waved this all away, and Jaxson narrowed his eyes.
Mo clapped her hands at Wen, her eyes flaring, which wasn't normal for Mo. "Look, I don't think she's acting right now, okay? Just give me one second..." Avery started coughing again and her face was turning redder by the second. She looked as if she couldn't breathe, and that was when Wen started feeling concerned.
"Are you allergic to anything?" Charlie asked. Avery opened her mouth to answer, but all that came out was wheezing and coughing. "Nuts," Jaxson informed them. Charlie's eyes narrowed as he turned to face Wen. "Did you know that?" He asked accusingly.
Stella had a fork in her hand and was searching throw what was left of the large slice of cake. "The dessert has nuts, take her to the hospital."
"Where's the nearest hospital?" Wen asked, Avery and her jacket gathered up in his arms. "100 East 77th," Charlie informed him, running out of the restaurant with Jaxson and the girls. "Get in the cab." Instead, Wen took off running down the street, Avery in his arms. "Where are you going?" Mo asked incredulously, staring after him. You could only imagine how she felt when Stella and Jaxson took off running after him.
Like father, like son.
What did you think? I kind of split this chapter into two, so the next chapter will have a lot more drama…
Thanks to:
Rose: I know! I felt bad for Avery, too. Everything seems to happen to her.
Jessica: Thank you!
Superbatnerdxx: Loved your review!
Lemonademouthluver: Thank you!
Alyson Foster: She will be coming back very soon…..
Blank reviewer: Thank you!
Ally's Angel's: New reviewer! Thank you!
VicoV: Thanks!
