January 2009
Avery groaned loudly as she sat up in bed, almost way too fast because she had to put a hand up to hold her head. Which earned a chuckle from somewhere in the room and Avery peeked an eye open to see Mac sitting in a chair in her room.
“What are you doing in here Mac and why are you laughing?” Avery asked softly afraid that if she spoke too loudly she’d make her headache worse.
Something she wasn’t sure if it was possible but she didn’t want to test her luck.
“Just laughing at you all hung over,” Mac answered and Avery opened both her eyes now, not missing the fact that he didn’t answer her first question. “You sure livened up our party last night. Probably beat being at the New Year’s Eve one our brothers have for just them and their wives.”
Furrowing her eyebrows Avery looked at him confused, “What do you mean?” she asked most of last night being a blank to her which again earned another chuckle from Mac.
“Of course you don’t remember last night,” Mac muttered as he moved from his chair and moved to the bed to sit down beside her. “You got trashed when you were out with your friends and then you came home and made a scene with mom and all her church lady friends who were in the kitchen with her. Proudly proclaiming your lesbianism in one of the best scenes I have ever witnessed in my young life.”
Avery blushed at Mac’s words the events from last night slowly starting to line up in her head.
“Oh man Avie, your mom is going to kill you,” Paisley muttered as she held Aver up, helping her to walk towards her house.
Mainly because there was no way Avery could walk on her own. Not when the world was literally spinning and wouldn’t stop.
“She’ll kill me,” Avery giggled out softly as she clung to Paisley more before burying her head into her neck. “But the jokes on her because I’m already dead inside,” she whispered softly as she closed her eyes.
Just inhaling the scent of the girl whom she hadn’t even expected to see tonight. But of course she should have known she would.
Should have known it the moment she decided to go to the gay club to celebrate New Year’s Eve there to try to kill her loneliness over Cordelia’s absence because who really wanted to spend a holiday where they were kissing people away from the girl they were dating.
So Avery had just hoped maybe going to the club would help her forget it and yet it didn’t. Instead it had opened a new wound when Avery had seen Paisley from across the club, dancing with the girl who she could only assume was New York girl.
The one she had moved from Tulsa to be with and the one she had cheated on in October with Avery and so maybe Avery had drank a bit more than she planned too. Maybe she had gotten drunk enough that she could barely walk without help and somehow Paisley had just swooped in.
Like some knight in shining armor. Cutting her off before she could do anymore damage and offering to drive her home.
“You aren’t dead inside,” Paisley told her as they finally made it to the steps on Avery’s porch and she heaved a sigh as they took them slowly.
Even going slow being a feat for Avery because besides the world spinning her legs just refused to budge much of their own accord.
Avery only hmmphed at that because arguing back would be admitting the reason that she was dead inside was because of Paisley. Seeing her with New York girl had hurt more than it should especially since Avery was dating Cordelia.
Really having no reason to be upset with what Paisley did or more like who she did.
Staying silent Avery opened her eyes again as they reached the door and she watched as Paisley used her free hand to ring the bell.
An action that made Avery giggle because she found the sound funny. “I never knew it was so loud,” she muttered as she reached a shaky hand out to ring the bell again.
Another set of giggles coming out after she had done so.
Though Paisley didn’t laugh all Paisley did was grumble something about how her mom would just use the second ringing of the doorbell against her or something like that.
When the door did finally open Avery watched as her father stood in the doorway, assessing the situation and from the corner of him she could see Zoe and Mac not far behind him.
Jessica probably also somewhere in the house but more than likely attached to Joe.
“Ave?” Walker questioned as Paisley pushed her way inside, her grip on Avery tightening some. “Are you okay?”
Paisley turned her head as she looked at Walker, giving him a tiny smile, “She just came down with something while she was out with the girls,” she lied.
“I’m drunk,” Avery blurted out not even caring that she’d get in trouble for this later. After all she was only eighteen so still too young to drink legally. “I’m so fucking drunk,” she laughed as she pulled herself away from Paisley’s embrace even if things were still spinning.
“And I need to sit or I’m going to hurl,” Avery added on as she turned on her heel quickly, heading to the kitchen.
Listening as footsteps followed behind her and she was sure she’d take a guess as to who. Mac, Zoe and Paisley. Her dad probably still too stunned to follow her.
When she made it to the kitchen she came to a stop when she saw her mom and most of her church friends sitting around the table.
Drinking what looked to be punch, probably was but maybe spiked. Drinks sometimes always wound up spiked at their house.
“Avery?” Diana started her eyes traveling from Avery to a spot beside Avery. “Paisley,” she spoke with such disdain as her face went a curious shade of white.
“Mom,” Avery spoke almost too cheerfully as she made her way towards where her mom sat and when she reached her she slowly sat down in her lap.
Watching as her mom made a face when she realized the reality of the situation. That her daughter was sitting on her lap plastered in front of women she had to see at church.
Women who she wanted to believe that her family was perfect.
“I’m so glad to see you remember Paisley,” Avery continued in everyone’s silence. Knowing all eyes were on her. She could feel all of their stares. “The girl you hated because you thought she’d corrupt me. But you know it’s the damndest thing I was already corrupted when I met her,” she laughed as she slung an arm around her mom’s shoulder.
Diana shook her head at Avery, “You don’t understand what you’re saying,” she muttered out. “You’re drunk,” she hissed out softly trying to still hide what her friends had already deduced. What everyone who was watching her had.
“But I do understand what I’m saying mom!” Avery yelled out even though she was sitting right in her mom’s lap. “I’m a lesbian. I love girls..I love kissing them and I love fucking them and I loved girls before Paisley even,” she smiled sadly with a shake of her head. “I’m even dating Cordelia you know,” she revealed watching as her mom’s face turned to stone. “She was one of the safe lesbians right? I guess she isn’t now though because I’m dating her and I love her I think though I’m still in love with Pai too,” she muttered out.
Stopping only after saying that as she felt tears come to her eyes. Things slowly becoming a blur then though she was faintly aware of Paisley running into the room and getting her off her mom’s lap.
Being helped up the stairs by Mac and Paisley, Zoe walking behind them only because Mac told her too. In case Avery went falling backwards.
Her eyes falling shut again the moment she was laid on the bed though she could hear faint voices. Mac and Paisley talking in hushed whispers though Avery couldn’t make out a single thing they were saying.
Her world slowly falling dark.
“Oh shit,” Avery muttered with a shake of her head. “I’m so dead. Mom’s going to kill me.”
Mac once again chuckled as he reached for Avery’s hand, “Nah, she won’t though she did tell me when she came in here to check on you this morning that she wants to talk to you downstairs in the living room whenever you wake up. I’m guessing you know about the whole lesbian bit.”
“You think?” Avery asked sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.
“Just a guess,” Mac teased with a sad smile. “So you..I mean you’re really a lesbian and dating Cordy?”
Avery nodded her head in answer to his question.
“Does Cordy know you still love Paisley?” Mac questioned again and Avery went silent.
“No,” she whispered knowing Cordelia didn’t know she still loved Paisley. Would probably be devastated to know which is why Avery had no intentions of telling her. “Why are you even in my room?” she asked wanting to change the subject from her love life. Figured asking the question he had ignored would help change that subject.
Mac again gave her a sad sort of smile, “Because Paisley asked me to stay here before she left. Said someone needed to keep an eye on you and she couldn’t because she had to get back to Misty,” he shrugged and Avery guessed Misty was the name of New York girl.
Wishing she didn’t even have a real name for the woman who was now dating the girl she still loved so fiercely.
“You know I think she still loves you too.”
Avery let out a bitter laugh, “Yeah well sometimes love isn’t enough Mac,” she frowned knowing they couldn’t just magically fix things even if they both still loved each other.
They were dating other people who didn’t deserve to be hurt. Who had done nothing wrong.
“Just..can you help me out of bed so I can go talk to mom?” Avery asked him with a polite smile. “Need to face my death sentence now.”
Mac moved quickly at that, helping Avery get out of the bed, “If she does kill you I can get your room right?”
“You’ll have to fight Zoe,” Avery told him as she laughed again this time sounding more genuine. “I think she wants this room too.”