"ꜰᴜʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴀɢᴇꜱ, ꜰᴜʟʟ ᴏꜰ ꜰᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ, ᴘᴀɢᴇᴀɴᴛ Qᴜᴇᴇɴꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʙɪɢ ᴘʀᴇᴛᴇɴᴅᴇʀꜱ"

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

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The world is something so unpredictable. We never know what can come out of it. The dangers and wonders are never expected; we are just suddenly thrown in, with no way out. The worst part of it all? We all believe that we have control over our circumstances and maybe we do, but when all odds are against you, there is no way you can keep living the way you are.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

That's what I was thinking as I walked over to Kyran Drake at lunch while he was chatting away with his friends. His friend group was not a group of people that I would ever want to associate with.

The entire football team, a reasonable amount of cliched cheerleaders, the captain Kyran Drake along with his on-and-off fling slash girlfriend Gemma. They were a group of predators. Nobody ever spoke back to them, and genuinely no one ever actually voluntarily had to deal with them.

This is their territory and we are all unwanted. They live in a clandestine galaxy of their own, where their rules are the only ones that apply. So, voluntarily walking over to them became the most haunting moment of my life.

There was an invisible circle that everyone drew around their lunch table. It was reserved for them, and them only. I watched from the entrance as a timid 9th grader accidentally and unknowingly stepped foot into their circle, only to be threatened by Kyran's friend Justin, I think.

I took a deep breath and made my way across the cafeteria. The bustling cafeteria was now less busy. People were minding their own business, eating and chatting away. I felt like the cafeteria line was like the one in Goblet of Fire.

Here goes nothing.

Some people saw me crossing and gasped. "Isn't that Avery Turner? What the hell is she doing ?" Therefore, everyone was suddenly quiet, and turned around to see what was wrong with my brain. With the sudden disappearance of the noise, the danger group looked up as well.

Gemma laughed. The cheerleaders laughed. The football team was controlling whatever emotion they were feeling and that's when Kyran turned around. He smirked when he saw me. My mind was screaming at me to run back, but I had come too far now. I knew the entire cafeteria was trying to listen to what I was saying so I lowered my voice.

"Um, hello. Could I speak to Kyran?" I asked apprehensively. They all looked at each other and Kyran's smirk got bigger.

"Look Everly, I still stand strong that Macbeth is better than Hamlet and this is not a conversation that I want to have with you of all people. So, why don't you go and... sit in a library or something?" he said, laughing.

"Look, I couldn't care less about your trashy opinion. I need to talk to you. Preferably in private," I told him, ignoring the giggling cheerleaders. I didn't understand what was so funny.

A redheaded one spoke up. "Look, you might suck teachers' dicks but Kyran is not available for that shit," she joked as everyone around her laughed. I really would've punched her right there and then, but I kept my cool. Avery Turner in school is calm and collected.

Calm and collected.

Alright, if they wanted to play the game this way, let's go bitchy.

"Are you sure Kyran? If I were you I wouldn't want anyone else to hear it," I said sweetly changing the tone of my voice. He looked up at me and hesitated but seeing the smirk on my face, he decided to favor his ego.

"It's fine," he said and I grinned.

"Okay then. Your choice." I pulled out his report card from my bag.

"Ms. Walton told me that you are in dire need of tutoring, Kyran. Although you might have the perfect ability to play football and criticize my opinions, your grades say otherwise. With 3 C's and 4 D's, you won't be able to get a scholarship to... even the community college.

"Since I happened to be the only person willing to help your hopeless case, I've been tasked with this. Trust me, I didn't want to but Ms. Walton said that your amazingness in football is useless if your grades are a pile of shit. I sent you a follow request on insta. I'll let you know when and where," I finished and looked up to see everyone staring at me with their jaws dropped. The cheerleaders were suddenly uncomfortable. Kyran was shifting around in his seat and I happened to notice his face slightly flushed.

Feeling triumphant, I turned away when he asked, "Why can't you just give me your number?"

Mom's face flashed in front of mine, and I said, "My mom checks my phone. And, you're not an acquaintance I want to be associated with."

"So, you do have mommy issues," he stated as I was crossing the uncrossable line back into the cafeteria. Glaring, I turned back and showed him my middle finger. He rolled his eyes and grinned while the cafeteria was still dumbstruck. I would've expected Kyran to be angrier, but I knew what he did. He deflected the attention off of himself, and onto me, and my supposed mommy issues.

I mean, he wasn't wrong and I hated that.

My mom called me that afternoon. I was sitting at the reception when I felt the phone vibrate on my thigh. I knew it was my mom, she was the only person who messaged me during school times.

"Hi, mom?" I said, nonchalantly while handing over a schedule to a senior who happened to change their mind about their classes for the third time today. I watched as the figure in front of me retreated into the hallways while my mom's shrill voice rang through my phone.

"Where are you? You need to come home, now," she said angrily as I stacked up a pile of folders next to me. Dumbstruck, I protested. I needed to finish another hour of work. My phone beeped once again, while my mom was on call.

Kyran has accepted your friend request.

There was that too.

"Mom, I have classes till 6, I can't come now. What happened?" I questioned, taking a seat, and clutching my head. My head was starting to throb all of a sudden. Maybe it was because of the immense stress I have been under so far.

I could hear my sister scream from the other side of the phone. "Eliza has an exam tomorrow and you need to teach her," she said simply as my headache worsened. My knee accidentally hit the metal edge of the desk, and a sharp pain raced through my leg and I winced.

"Ow, um, mom. I really have to go though. Please. I'll teach her when I get home," I pleaded as the silence near the front door turned to a deafening one.

"It won't kill you to take a couple of classes off! How dare you talk back to me like that. Wait till you get home," she screamed on the other end of the line as tears threatened to fall. I tried to resist, and persist the urge because I knew this was not the place. This was not my bedroom, where I could cry in solitary.

"But, Mom I have classes. I can't leave in the middle," I whispered, scared that someone would hear my conversation.

Some unnatural force seemed to hit the door because I heard it creak. Warily, I looked up to see no one and put my attention back to the phone call.

"It won't kill you to miss some classes! How dare you talk back to me? If you want to stay in my house, you listen to what I say, no contradictions. Do you understand?" she screamed and luckily, no one was around. It was 4 p.m. after all. Most people were either gone to their club meetings, catch-up classes, or at home.

I didn't want to go home.

"But-" I started to protest but she cut me off. "So, you're not going to listen are you-" she trailed off as I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked around to see Ms. Walton standing behind me, confused. She could hear my mom screaming even though the speaker wasn't on. She had come close enough to hear it.

She suddenly grabbed my phone. "Avery Turner. You know it is against the school rules to be using your phone during school hours!"

She put the phone to her ear, and asked, "Who is this? I'll need to inform Avery's parents about your call. This is unacceptable during school hours," Ms. Walton firmly stated and my mom's voice quietened down.

I couldn't hear anything she said anymore because Ms. Walton kept talking to her.

"Oh, of course, Mrs. Turner. Don't worry about that. Just, next time please don't ring Avery during school hours. She's a very bright girl. Yes, such a great student. I wouldn't want her to miss classes. If it's urgent, please call me and I'll let her know. Yes. Thank you."

Ms. Walton handed the phone back to me, and I was subconsciously shaking my leg this entire time. I stopped doing it.

She rummaged around for a little while checking the progress of my to-do list. I was waiting for a response, any response from her about what just happened. But, all I was left with was silence.

"Avery. Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" she asked and I was startled by her sudden question.

"No. Not really Ms. Walton. All's good," I lied and she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Well, it didn't seem like it. I heard the voice loud enough to get what was happening. This is a safe space. We can talk in private if you want."

"I'm fine miss," I said and she nodded curtly before walking back. "Avery, just remember that if you ever need anything, I'm here."

I wanted to hug her right there and then. I knew I couldn't say anything to her, but she guessed enough to intervene. I glanced back and found her working away again and went back to my work. Sometimes, people don't have to do much to make you happy. If they see you unhappy and make an effort to make you feel happier, I guess they are the best people in the world.

I packed up at six. The room was nearly too dark to see in without artificial lighting and there was a great lingering silence by now. The football team, who usually practiced late should be gone by now too. Some of my books were scattered across the desk and I placed them in my backpack along with my laptop. I had been impromptu studying while working because multi-tasking seemed to be my forte.

My mom didn't message me till now, and as the clock hit 6:01, I heard the ting.

Hurry up and don't waste time

I locked the reception door and put the keys on Ms. Walton's desk. She usually worked late as well, but she went to grab something to eat 15 minutes ago. When I exited the school building, I was hit by a familiar gust of wind, and I felt goosebumps forming on my arms.

I walked quickly because I didn't want to risk my mother's wrath. The lights in the stadium were on, meaning that I was wrong to assume that the football team was finished practicing. I folded my arms for some warmth, walking past the fluorescent lights of the stadium when I noticed many familiar faces filing out like a herd of sheep.

Not in the mood for this right now.

Their laughter suddenly stopped when they saw me and between them, I saw the one and only Kyran Drake. He pushed past the others and gave me a mischievous grin.

"Hey Everly, what are you doing this late at night on school grounds? Extra study classes?" he asked as his football cronies laughed at his amusing joke. I didn't understand what was particularly funny about the joke, but they were laughing so I guessed it was.

"I work at the reception part-time," I replied, walking on, knowing that Mom would not tolerate me being out any longer than I needed to.

He ran over to me. "Slow down. God! Why are you walking so fast?"

I ignored him and kept walking at my pace when I saw his smile falter. "Do your parents expect you home early or something? I'm sure they won't mind if you're ten minutes late."

I gave him a look and he shut up. His friends were very behind by now. They were chatting away and talking to each other and I took a deep breath. "Why don't you just go back to your friends?"

"Well, they drive to school and I happen to walk," he shrugged. I felt the vibration again and my mom was calling me. Sprinting at least ten yards ahead, I left a confused Kyran and clicked on the call.

"Yes, Mom?" I said, holding the phone up to my ear.

"Where are you?" she asked and I looked around. "Near Hedge Row mom, I'll be home in 20 minutes."

"Are you with friends? Turn on the video call!" she demanded and I obliged, switching to a video call. I could see Kyran in my peripheral vision, curiously watching the conversation between my mom and me. I turned the camera around to show her where I was until she was satisfied enough that I wasn't with friends.

I resisted the urge to say that I didn't have any friends but I didn't. I expected her to end the call but she didn't.

"Did you tell your principal something about me?" she questioned angrily while on the video call, meaning that Kyran could hear it all. "No, mom. She saw me on the phone and didn't know it was with you," I whispered, conscious of my surroundings. Kyran was smart enough not to come near me now and I mentally thanked him.

"We'll talk about it at home," she replied and cut the call. Oh no, that meant it was bad. I walked even faster reminding myself that the quicker I got home, the quicker this day would be over. I, however, slowed down when I heard footsteps behind me.

"You haven't answered my question," he said and I groaned. I was so done with him today and on my bullshit meter I was on a 10, so I could explode any second now. Yet, I didn't want the entire school to know that Avery Turner lashed out at Kyran Drake so I answered politely.

"What question?"

"Your mommy issues," he stated and I turned to look at him. He was smiling and he had his eyebrows raised, daring me to say something but I ignored him.

"My life is none of your business. Okay? My job is to tutor you so that's all we need to be talking about. So, tomorrow at 10. I booked Room 237 so get your ass there so I can get this done and over with," I told him and he kept smiling.

"I don't know if many people told you, but you're pretty when you're angry," he said to me and turned left while waving at me. Stunned, I walked straight ahead and stole a glance behind me. He was gone into the darkness now and I was left feeling conflicted.

What did he just say?

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Welcome back earthly beings,

Does anyone feel like Avery is such a mood? I feel like she's a smarter, better version of me and my humor. Or, maybe it's a bad coping mechanism. Anyways, I am currently going crazy, with NO CONTENT to watch. What is happening? 😕

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter to be honest. I love Avery's character so much. Anyways, I have one more final for this semester - Physics and yes, I am updating instead of studying. Do wish me luck though.🍀

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please do leave a vote and a comment about your thoughts. Much appreciated!! 

Until next chapter,

Audrey. 💕😘(lying in a ditch because I don't want to study)