Life of A Reluctant Mate
New Moon
Chapter Eight: Avery's Lying Is Getting Better
Bella had been getting increasingly worse the past few days, and it was beginning to ware down on Charlie and Avery. Each time she got less and less sleep Avery felt worse and worse. She couldn't very well voice this to Charlie who would make her go see a doctor, or Bella who Avery honestly believed didn't care about anyone or anything, or even her friends, who simply told her she had the flu and then took a step back as if she was about to upchuck any moment. If that wasn't bad enough she was plagued by thoughts of Jasper in her dreams. Some ranged from the sweet stolen kisses to the lingering gazes. It was during the night they plagued her the most, that's when they turned from stolen kisses to burning touches.
It was on one of Bella's more peaceful nights that Avery's found herself dreaming away in her bed. The muffled groans and screams from the Swan house unheard.
She withered in her bed moans of pleasure rather than pain making their way from her throat as she felt the cold fingers. It was like he was here with her. His musky cologne lingering in the air, his straw hair tickling her breasts and neck and his body pressed firmly over her own a welcomed and craved for pressure.
She could imagine his crooked grin, lips drawn into a sultry smirk as his fingers glided across her bare breasts. Another thing Avery had been accustom to as of late; sleeping nude. It was the only think that kept her from boiling in her sleep, and it felt so right when she cuddled into the cold pillows.
Another moan escaped when the rougher fabric of she sheets rubbed against her nipples. A burning erupted inside her, her eyes slowly opening to see a flash of his gold eyes, his glowing skin, his sultry lips before suddenly he was gone, disappearing into thin air. Avery's body was covered in sweat as she clutched the sheet to her chest. Her heart longing for him to return back to her. It seemed no matter how much she lied to herself and said she didn't want him she couldn't help but have these thoughts and dreams.
As Avery drifted back to sleep she could have sworn she felt the gently caresses of cold fingers gliding over her shoulder.
"Alright. That's it." Avery looked up from her spot on the other side of the car, looking intently at Bella and Charlie. Apparently Charlie wasn't the only one who was at wits end.
"What?" Bella asked as if the three past months had been completely normal.
"You're going to Jacksonville to live with your mother." Charlie forced the words out.
"I'm not leaving Forks." Avery's eyes flickered to Bella, the pure stubborn determination in her words making it clear she'd never leave without Edward, not if there was even the slightest chance he would come back. Avery could only respect her for that, she herself would never be able to stay in a place filled with haunted memories, but then again, maybe that was Bella's entire reason, to stay in Forks and bask in the could have would have should have situations that had often popped into both of their minds.
Apparently Avery wasn't the only one to catch onto this. "Bella, he's not coming back." Avery's voice was quiet and gentle but it did nothing to sooth Bella as evidence by the wince that shot across her features.
"I know." Avery's heart went out to her, but Bella was slowly spinning down the drain to the point she was maybe only a fraction of what she use to be and in all honesty it scared Avery to no end.
"It's just not normal, this behavior. Quite frankly, it's scaring the hell out of me and your mother. Poor Avery looks like she hasn't slept in weeks she's been staying up with you so often."
Avery would have said something if it wasn't true, sadly the little sleep she had been getting was overrun by images of Jasper and her. The circles around her eyes and the red blood shot orbs seemed to be almost tattooed onto her skin as of late.
"Baby, I don't want you to leave. I don't, but just go. Go to Jacksonville. Make some new friends." Avery winced herself at that. Apparently she was more easily able to brush off and disregard then she thought.
"I like my old friends."
"Well, you never see them anymore."
"I do."
"Avery doesn't count." Again a slight wince marked the blondes featured. "She's family" She back straightened and her eyed shined brightly at that.
"I do. We're going shopping tomorrow with Jessica."
"You hate shopping; Avery had to drag you into the store to get a new jacket." Charlie's brow rose with disbelief. The sad thing was he wasn't exaggerating. An hour and a half struggle for only fifteen minutes inside the store.
"I…I need a girls night out."
"Girls night. Shopping. I like it. Go buy some stuff." Charlie smiled at the two lightly before leaving. "Look for some things you want for your birthday." He mentioned to Avery. Avery smiled and nodded though not exactly thrilled her eighteenth birthday was in a few months.
She wasn't like Bella, she loved birthdays, and celebrating them. Yet the fact she'd be spending this one without her family, and only a depressed Bella and Frazzled Charlie for company didn't exactly brighten her mood. The people she wanted to be there either were AWOL or she just didn't want them to feel obligated to come, what with Bella being a seemingly always sour note now a days.
Avery got in the car and stared at Bella, staying silent till they were on the road and away from Charlie's seemingly super hearing.
"That's funny I don't remember making any plans this weekend." Bella ignored Avery's burning stare instead only focusing on the road. When no response came Avery huffed dejectedly before leaning back in her seat to glad to have her interacting with others to ask what the hell she was thinking lying to Charlie.
The three had decided to go to a movie instead after Bella had remembered her almost pure hatred of shopping and malls. Thus the three girls found themselves walking out of 'The Dead Come Back' later that weekend.
"…all those zombies eating people and no hot guys kissing anybody. It's gross. Like…And why are there that many zombie movies anyways?" Jessica started to ramble.
"Hollywood's run out of ideas, I'm telling you in a couple of years everything is going to be spinoffs or remakes. There's only so much imagination a person has." Avery popped another kernel of popcorn in her mouth while they walked down the street.
"I just mean…like, because if it's supposed to, like, draw a parallel about leprosy, my cousin had leprosy. It's not funny, you know?" As Jessica continued her ramble, Avery only paid half attention, her eyes continuing to wander to a man who had been eying them. He didn't look dangerous not in the least, but then again neither would Alice or Esme at first sight and yet they were some of the most dangerous things in the world. Still, his knowing eyes that twinkled blue against his tan leathered face made her feel like she knew him from somewhere. When he smiled at her and walked away she turned her attention back to Bella and Jessica only to frown. While Jessica was STILL going on, Bella had spaced out completely, now staring down the all way and at group of bikers.
Sharing a look with Jessica who had noticed her spacing as well, Avery gently touched Bella's arm only for her to gasp as if she'd been burned.
"Dude, come on." Jessica gave her a look asking her why the hell she had stopped.
"Come here for a sec, sugar." Avery rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the men's calls.
"I think I know those guys." Avery and Jessica turned and looked at the group of bikers before each raising an eyebrow at Bella.
"Well they seem…great. Can we go?" Avery kept watching the men out of the corner of her eye, both she and Jessica becoming uncomfortable.
"I'm just gonna see something." Bella seemed in a daze as she walked down the ally towards the men. Avery was about to follow her to make sure she would be okay when a whisper entered her head.
"Don't go." It was almost like a hiss and it sent shivers up her spine as her feet suddenly stopped.
"Bella!" Avery grabbed her arm to stop her but Bella only ripped it away and continued on her path. Avery could only holler after her.
"What the hell is she doing, she's gonna get herself killed." Jessica and Avery started looking around. Should they do something? Get someone? What the hell were you supposed to do when your friend was probably about to become another statistic of missing teenagers who took candy from a stranger?
"Oh my god, what the hell is she doing!" Jessica was clearly just as shocked as Avery was as they watched her get on the back of a stranger's bike.
"I have no fucking idea." Avery pulled out her cell phone quickly, dialing the first number that came to mind. A few rings later and Avery's stomach dropped.
'This is Chief Charlie Swan-" Avery hung up and redialed her foot taping nervously as she waited while it rang. Once again she got the voice mail and hung up. It was the fourth time that was the charm.
"Avery?"
"Charlie!"
"What's wrong, hun? Are you okay? Is Bella okay?" Avery's head snapped out at the sound of motorbikes getting closer. When Bella appeared back in sight her body visibly relaxed and both she and Jessica shared a quick relieved sigh. "Avery!"
"Oh, Uh, we're fine Charlie, sorry. We just wanted to tell you we might be late. Jessica wanted to get a bite to eat." The lie came quickly and easily.
"Damn it, Av. You scared me half to death." Charlie's sigh of relief was clear through the phone.
"Yeah, again, really sorry. Um, our food's here got to go." Avery quickly hung up the phone and ignored Jessica's side glance.
"Hey, what the hell's wrong with you? Just curious." Jessica gave Bella an incredulous and sarcastic look when she came back up to them.
"I thought I saw something." Bella glanced behind her as they started walking. Avery strangled behind, giving a murderous look to the biker whose smile seemed to drop. Good, he deserved it. Who the hell took stranger on 'simple innocent bike rides' at eleven o'clock at night?
"You…oh. You're insane actually. Or suicidal. That 'homeboy' could have been a psycho. We were about to end up in an FBI interview room like some lame TV show."
"God that was such a rush." Avery grabbed Bella's arm roughly, making the shorter girl turn around. No words could come out of Avery's mouth but Bella could see it in her eyes.
Hurt, betrayal, worry, anger, concern, fear, and so many more that let Bella know just how scared Bella had made her.
"Awesome. So you're an adrenaline junkie now? That's cool. You can go bungee jumping. You don't get on the back of some random loser's motorcycle." With that Avery roughly pushed Bella away from her before walking past Jessica and towards her car. "Crazy!"
Even as the red head and brunette got into the Impala, Jessica had yet to stop reminding Bella how stupid it was. Avery would have plenty of time to berate her when they were alone as well as ask what the hell was going on in that crazy head of hers. She could only hope it was something that could quickly be forgotten, instead of something that could get them both killed.
Please Review :) and Vote! (look below)
Yay! So first chapter (There will be more uploaded as soon as I write them today and tonight.)
Because of the great "Mate Massacre" as I've begun to call my mishap, I'm having to wing it for a few chapters.
Also fair warning, there might be a little Avery/ Non-Jasper flirting and light kissing but isn't the reason we love because she's not exactly like Bella. she's a strong independent young woman and if she wants to move on then she can. (Obviously she won't, but let's let her think she can ;), alright)
So I'm letting you pick who she'll be flirting with until "Jasery"(I don't know, someone else named them) reunites.
Paul or Embry (only those two because it blah blah and is a key piece of the puzzle later in Eclipse.)