Chapter 6 – Meet Me in the Gym
So far so good, I told myself, as I shuffled down the hall towards the cafeteria. After last nights events, I expected today to be something out of a soap opera. Sure, they didn’t know I was listening to them yesterday, but seeing as my life had been filled to the brim with drama the last few days, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Much to my relief, though, things seemed almost… normal.
Well, except for the fact that Ashley’s face was now a constant presence in my mind; And that the sound of her weeping seemed to reverberate in my ears, accompanied by the lurch of my stomach. And of course there were those questions that danced obnoxiously through my mind. What was wrong with her? Why did Aiden think I had anything to do with whatever it was? And then there was the question I stifled – the one that I knew I wasn’t ready to think about – She still loves me. What does that mean? Do I do anything about it? Does she expect me to, after all she’s put me through?
I shuddered, growing more nauseous at the excessive stressful thought. Well, I guess I revise my earlier statement. Things were, by no means, normal. I guess what I meant to say was, good thing I haven’t gotten detention today, or better yet, seen the girl who torments me so. Out of sight, out of mind I said to myself, knowing it was wishful thinking. Wishing Ashley out of my thoughts now was like wishing spots on a zebra.
Avery was waiting at our table for me, two lunch trays waiting as they always were. Mmmm, Sushi Wednesdays. Before sitting down I leaned across the table and gave her a brief kiss. She smiled weakly, attempting to put up a façade. She knew something was up with me, and it was hurting her too. It killed me to see that look in her big brown eyes – the one that tried to appear happy, but revealed worry and anxiety beneath. The rest of her fake happy facial expression might have fooled me had it not been for those expressive eyes peering out from beneath perfect brows.
“Sushi Wednesdays” She said quietly, seeing the flicker of excitement on my face when I looked at our trays. “I got you your California roll and poked out the crab for you, like you always do” She smiled, having no idea what she was doing to me. Her kind and personal gesture triggered the flare of guilt that had been threatening to explode all day. My stomach felt like it had just dropped onto the hard concrete ground. My forehead began to burn. My heart felt like it had just been twisted and wrung like a wet towel. Avery had been nothing but kind to me, and here I was…. Doing what? It suddenly struck me that I hadn’t done anything that was actually wrong. I had barely talked to Ashley, let alone touched her or anything else. Both the faces of Avery and Ashley taunted me, seeming to battle one another for dominant presence in my mind. It occurred to me that my guilt probably stemmed from the fact that Avery wasn’t the only face on my mind. Avery deserved my whole mind. My whole heart. I wanted to give them to her so badly. For that instant, I loathed Ashley Davies for stealing what should belong to Avery. That small rational voice though, piped up once again, chiming in that they were not stolen, but given away.
