"ᴡʜᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡꜱ, ɪꜰ ꜱʜᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜱʜᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ
ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɢᴏᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ꜱʜᴀᴍᴇʟᴇꜱꜱ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴛᴏᴡɴ ʜᴀꜱ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜱᴇᴇɴ
ꜱʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ᴍᴀʀᴠᴇʟᴏᴜꜱ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʀᴜɪɴɪɴ' ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ"

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

⋆·˚ ༘ *

"Kyran, what do you know about Avery's life?" Jack asked me in the morning during the three minutes that Avery had left my side to go to the bathroom. It reminded me of why I liked being around Avery, I could get away from bullshit like this.

To be fair, I enjoyed the bullshit when I was in the mood for it. Not right now. Definitely not right now.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I snapped, as I stared at my phone one more time to check the time. Avery Turner better hurry up.

"You know, stuff that she's like a bitch to her sister," he continued, "I mean, I wouldn't put it past her. She does act like a stuck-up bitch most of the time."

My patience wore thin as Jack's words grated on me. Avery might have her flaws, but she was far from being the person Jack described. Anger simmered beneath the surface as I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to lash out at him.

"Did Avery's sister tell you that she's evil? Or, did Gemma?" I retorted, my voice sharp with frustration. "You have no right to judge her based on rumors and gossip."

Jack shrugged, unfazed by my reaction. "Hey, I'm just saying what I've heard. And if you're so defensive of her, maybe you're the one who doesn't know the real Avery."

I sighed, giving up. "Jack, I appreciate your concern. But if Gemma's your source of information, there's something seriously wrong with you."

Jack scoffed. "Who said Gemma was the one who told me?"

His words hit a nerve, stirring doubts in my mind. If it wasn't Gemma, who else could it be? Did I truly know Avery? Or was there a more dangerous side to her that she kept so meticulously hidden? Uncertainty gnawed at me, fueling my already boiling frustration.

"Look, dude. People wouldn't be targeting Avery for no reason, right? You told me yourself that she was a liar. So, why are you so hellbent on being with her? She's hot, okay. She also seems...conniving, you know?" Jack explained and I glared at him.

I gritted my teeth, struggling to keep my composure in the face of Jack's accusations. "You don't know anything about Avery," I shot back, my voice strained with anger. "And if you're going to talk shit about someone based on rumors, then maybe you should take a good look in the mirror."

Jack's expression hardened, his gaze challenging. I knew I had lost a friend right there and then. I destroyed one thing in my life already.

"What, you think you're better than me, Kyran? You think you're some kind of saint because you managed to date one of the hottest girls in the year who hates everyone else?"

I shook my head, my frustration reaching its peak. "No, Jack. I just know that Avery deserves someone who actually cares about her."

Before Jack could respond, Avery came out of the bathroom and smiled. Her gaze fell on Jack, and she frowned again. "Am I interrupting something?"

The tension in the air was palpable. Avery was smart enough to sense the awkwardness between Jack and me. She glanced between us, her brow furrowing in concern, and I felt a pang of guilt for allowing our argument to escalate to this point.

"Nope," I replied quickly, forcing a smile. "Just catching up with Jack."

Avery's gaze lingered on me for a small moment, and I nodded reassuringly, silently urging her not to worry. She seemed to accept my response, albeit reluctantly, and turned her attention back to Jack.

"Hey, Jack," Avery greeted, her tone polite. "Are you joining us for English?"

Jack shrugged. "I guess."

Avery smiled back, and it made me question how anyone could hate her. She was annoying, and crazy – that came with her personality, but she was also nice to everyone. Unless they gave her a reason otherwise.

"I need to get some stuff from my locker, you can go in. I'll be there in five," she said and I followed her.

"No worries. What will I do all alone in that room?" I asked and she grinned.

"Um, look over your essay?"

"You made me do that more times than I can count. I know it by heart now. All your fault," I complained, and she kicked my leg.

"Hey, I helped you finish that essay in the middle of the night. Be grateful!"

"Okay, just don't kick me. I swear they're getting more painful every day," I said, wincing as she grabbed her notebook from deep inside her locker.

As Avery rummaged through her locker, I couldn't shake the unease that lingered in the back of my mind. Jack's accusations had stirred up doubts I didn't even know I had.

Was Avery a ruthless sister? Did her sister have it worse? Was her mom treating her sister worse?

I remember the conversation my parents had on the first day she showed up at our house. They'd said that it was the elder daughter that they saw her mother drag in, right? Not the younger one.

Didn't Avery's sister go to a private school?

I was going to spiral.

Avery turned back to me, her expression softening as she noticed the tension in my eyes. "Kyran, what's wrong?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

I hesitated, unsure of how she would take it. She would probably feel betrayed that I didn't trust her enough. But, I knew I couldn't keep the truth from her any longer.

"Jack..." I began, my voice trailing off as I struggled to find the right words. "He said some things about you."

She sighed. "Yeah, I heard. About how I treat my sister like a piece of shit, right?"

I nodded and she looked at me with a frown. "Well, what do you think?"

"Huh?"

"What do you think, Kyran? No one else's opinion matters," she repeated, and I felt horrible for thinking that way.

"I think he's stupid," I told her, and she smiled.

"Don't lose your friends over me, okay? Just agree with them, or something. I won't take it personally."

Avery's words cut through me like a knife, reminding me of the fragile balance between loyalty and honesty. There was no way I could betray her trust, especially when I was trying to create a friendship that was already once fractured.

"I can't do that, Avery," I replied, my tone firm. "That's just..."

She shrugged and before I could respond, the bell rang. With a reluctant sigh, Avery tucked her notebook under her arm, and we silently walked inside the classroom.

Mr. Sherman was already there, his whiteboard marker ready to either write or throw at someone. I took my usual seat next to Avery who seemed distant. Usually, she'd make some snide remark, but she was quiet.

"Heyyyy, Kyran. I'm having a party tomorrow. Do you wanna come along?" Michaela asked, her voice dragging out unnecessarily.

"I'm busy," I replied as she kept prodding me from behind. "Can you not?"

She moved back, frowning. "Everyone's coming though."

Avery would've snapped by now, but she didn't. It concerned me, and I didn't want to talk to her until Michaela was back to minding her own business.

"You said everyone's coming? Is Avery coming?" I asked, knowing the answer. "I thought so. Now, can you stop?"

Michaela sat back in her seat, and I was relieved that she decided to let it go. Avery was staring out of the window, her eyes intently focusing on the stream that was far away.

"Ave, you okay?" I asked and she flinched suddenly, slightly taken aback.

"Huh? Yeah, all good. Just thinking," she replied, clearing her throat. Just then, Michaela's seat sprung forward again, her hair hitting my face. That was when I snapped, not at Michaela but at Avery.

"Everly, is there a real reason that you're scowling?" I whisper-screamed as she looked at me, shocked. Michaela removed her hair out of my face and sat back in her seat.

Avery glared at me. "Calm the fuck down. I'm not scowling. I'm just having an existential crisis, like the one you had last night."

Ouch.

I knew that it would actually make for a stimulating conversation with Avery when I snapped at her because she wasn't scared of me like everyone else was.

I hit two birds with one stone and successfully got Michaela out of my face and made conversation with Avery.

"Oh, right. Existential crisis," I replied, "I had it once and you seemingly have one every day Everly. So, what got you contemplating the meaning of life today?"

She folded her arms angrily. "Sitting next to you and talking to you instead of doing something more productive."

Michaela, who was carefully listening to this entire exchange seemed to be bamboozled by it. She was whispering with whoever was sitting beside her as if we couldn't hear her. Did I choose to ignore her? Yes.

I laughed, knowing Avery well enough to recognize her sarcastic wit. "Well, I'm honored to be the cause of your existential crisis today Ms. Turner," I said.

She rolled her eyes.

Mr Sherman's voice boomed suddenly from the start of the classroom. "Well, English literates! We finished the analysis of Macbeth as of today. So, today's topic of discussion is Shakespeare's other works."

Just then, I heard a very familiar voice whisper, "I'm sure you and Avery will have a field trip today!"

I turned around to see Max taking the seat diagonal to me. Avery suddenly looked up and the sound of her name and smiled at Max.

"Max, what are you-", I began but Mr. Sherman started talking before me.

"And we have a new addition to this class, Max Walls who has decided to join us for the rest of the semester."

I gaped at him. He was more of a STEM guy, so why was he suddenly taking AP Lit?

"Shakespeare's best works? Any takes?" Mr. Sherman asked and to everyone's not-so surprise, Avery's hand shot in the air.

"Hamlet. Mr. Sherman," she stated as many people groaned. "After analyzing his other works, I still think that there's something so special about Hamlet. Shakespeare created a character that is as ruthless as Macbeth, as passionate as Othello, as dramatic as Julius Caesar, and as philosophical as Lear. But Hamlet remains unique with more charisma. He just seems more relatable and like a real person, not just an archetype."

I just had to disagree. She never viewed stories as stories. For her, everything is related to real life. I understand that she feels the need to connect everything to how human life works, but it doesn't need to be like that.

"I think you mean Hamlet is complicated. Obviously, his character seems like that because he's based on a real-life person. But why don't we view it as fiction? In that case, Macbeth's characters are as compelling as stories. The characters' deterioration of the moral compass? That's iconic."

Avery's expression shifted, her eyebrows knitting together in a mixture of surprise and mild irritation. She seemed to think that I would accept her argument when it was the reason we talked after many years.

She turned to me, a hint of challenge in her eyes.

This was going to be fun.

"Kyran, you really think that Hamlet's complexity stems from being based on a real person?" she asked, her voice tinged with skepticism.

I shrugged, meeting her gaze evenly. I heard some groans around the classroom. "It's possible, isn't it? Shakespeare often drew inspiration from historical figures and events."

Avery's lips pressed into a thin line, and I could tell she was formulating a response.

"So, what's your favorite?" she asked me, as Mr. Sherman nodded along, seemingly enjoying this argument way more than I expected.

"Macbeth," I said and she sighed deeply.

Mr. Sherman walked over to our desks. "Okay, Kyran can you give us a reason why Macbeth is the best Shakespearean play?"

I sat straighter in my seat, pushing back slightly. "Macbeth is more sinister, more complicated, and imaginative. It's a story and it teaches the audience more than Hamlet does. No offense Everly, but Macbeth had plans. He had an ambition. He had a reason for doing what he did. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark or whatever doesn't care about Denmark of course because he's way too busy getting freaked out by a ghost, and the idea that his mom has a sex life."

At this, a lot of people who'd probably no clue what Hamlet was about, sniggered. Avery narrowed her eyes at my words, and I could tell that she wasn't going to let this go. The noise around the room increased and Max whispered behind me.

"Dude, what do you do in your spare time? Read Shakespeare to argue with your girlfriend?"

"Very interesting um, take on Hamlet, Kyran. Maybe um, tone down the language a little bit?" Mr. Sherman warned as he heard the various giggles around the room.

I looked up, confused. "Sorry sir, I just thought some people in the class would need an understanding of Hamlet in common words."

Mr. Sherman gave up. He just moved back to his desk and leaned against his desk as he watched us create a very stimulating literary argument.

"Let's hear another point of view. Yes, Jack is it?"

My eyes darted towards the back of the classroom to see Jack, sure enough, with his hand up.

"Thanks, Mr. Sherman. I was going to say Romeo and Juliet actually," he announced as some people agreed with him. Way to go, choosing the most popular Shakespearean drama in existence.

I sighed inwardly, already anticipating Jack's predictable choice of answer.

"Well, Mr. Sherman. Romeo and Juliet is marketed as a normal tragic love story. But, I think we fail to see how manipulative Juliet is. There are so many people saying that Romeo is the dumb one but Juliet? She detected weaknesses. She acts childish and innocent and is super selfish to get what she wants. And that to her is more important than anything else."

If Jack was trying to provoke Avery, he was doing a great job.

"Nowadays, we have a lot of people saying feminism. We should bow down to women and listen to everything they say because they're women. Juliet literally ruined Romeo's life by controlling him, getting him to do what she wants, and also making him kill himself over her."

Oh, Jack. As they say in England, you're a goner.

I looked beside me to see Avery's expression remain impassive, her eyes fixed on Jack as he expanded on his ridiculous interpretation of Juliet's character. I could tell she was resisting the urge to probably punch him.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sherman observed the exchange with a mixture of amusement and curiosity, clearly oblivious to the impending tragedy this classroom was going to become.

Just when I thought Jack couldn't get worse, he turned to Avery, a smug smirk playing on his lips. "What do you think, Avery? Am I onto something here?"

Yeah, he's gone.

Avery's jaw clenched, her eyes narrowing at Jack's audacity. She took a deep breath, visibly struggling to maintain her composure in the face of his provocation. Her hand was shaking, and without warning, I grabbed onto it to her surprise.

She calmed a little.

"Jack, your interpretation of Juliet is not just simplistic and ridiculous. It is deeply flawed," she retorted sharply. "Who stalked Juliet at the ball? Romeo did. Who randomly showed up near her balcony? Romeo did. Everything she's ever done is to be able to live with Romeo, who managed to single-handedly mess everything up. Calling her manipulative and selfish is just...dumb."

Jack's smirk faltered as Avery delivered her rebuttal with unwavering confidence. His attempt to provoke her had backfired spectacularly, and he seemed taken aback by her fierce response.

"Come on, Avery, don't tell me you're buying into that whole feminist narrative," Jack scoffed, trying to regain his composure. "Romeo was just a lovesick fool, and Juliet manipulated him into making bad decisions."

Avery's grip on my hand tightened, and I could feel the tension radiating from her. She was on the verge of exploding, her patience wearing thin in the face of Jack's ignorance.

"Romeo and Juliet's tragedy is a result of the toxic expectations placed on them by society, not some supposed manipulation by Juliet," Avery argued, her voice trembling with barely contained frustration. "They were victims of their circumstances, not villains of their own story."

Jack opened his mouth to retort, but before he could utter another word, Mr. Sherman intervened, sensing the escalating tension in the room.

"Alright, let's not turn this into a battlefield, shall we?" Mr. Sherman interjected, his voice firm but calm. "Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation of literature, but let's remember to respect each other's opinions."

I scoffed. "Mr. Sherman, don't you think that Jack should be explained what feminism even is? Because it seems like he has a very wrong interpretation of it."

Mr. Sherman sent me a piercing glare. "I'm going to collect your essays," he said shortly.

As Mr. Sherman collected our essays, the tension in the room was overly lingering. Jack avoided making eye contact with Avery or me, aware that he had crossed a line. Avery, on the other hand, remained silent, her expression a mix of frustration and indignation.

Her grip on my hand loosened, and even as we handed our essays, she seemed taken aback. Once Mr. Sherman retreated back to his desk with a stack of papers, Avery turned to me.

"Thanks," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Um, should we get that coffee now?"

I smiled. "Of course, Everly. A pleasure as always." I didn't know what she was thanking me for, but she cheered up slightly as we gathered our belongings. Avery hurriedly left the classroom.

I was left slightly behind as the classroom emptied out. I couldn't shake the image of Avery's trembling hands and the haunted look in her eyes when Jack talked about how Juliet had everyone at the palm of her hand. Something had triggered her, something more than just Jack's insensitive digs. There had to be something more...

I made a split-second decision to run after her. Ignoring the various greetings from others, I grabbed my backpack and hurried after Avery. I found her standing at her locker, her back turned to me as she rummaged through her books inside. Taking a deep breath, I approached her, unsure of how she'd react.

"Ave?" I called out and I watched her stiffen. She froze momentarily, before turning to face me, a forced smile plastered on her lips. "Hey, Kyran," she replied casually.

"Jack is just dumb okay? Some people just have random opinions," I began. "Are you okay?"

Avery's smile faltered slightly. "Oh, that? Yeah, I'm fine. But he was talking about me, wasn't he?" she asked and I hesitated.

"What do you mean?"

"He means to say that I manipulated you into being my boyfriend much like Juliet," she said sadly and I shook my head, stepping closer to her.

"Avery, that's not true. Jack doesn't know anything. No one apart from you, me, Yashna, and Max know what's going on. Plus, I'm not a miniature teenager to be manipulated. I'm a year older than you, Everly."

She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. "A year? Shouldn't you be in senior year then?" I saw the slight hint of a smile on her lips.

Let's not look there right now.

"I got held back in kindergarten," I explained with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. Avery chuckled softly, and I felt relieved to see a glimpse of her usual annoying self returning.

"Anyways, Jack's opinion doesn't matter," I continued. "People who care about you know who you are. That's all that matters. And, you're the least manipulative person I know. Trust me, if Jack is calling you manipulative, I don't know what he could be. He made a thirteen-year-old girl seem to be the one who made Romeo make bad decisions."

Avery's smile widened, and I could see the tension slowly melting away from her shoulders. "Thanks, Kyran," she said softly.

I brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face on impulse. "Anytime, Everly."

She groaned. "Why do you call me that?"

"What? Everly?" I laughed, "It means wild boar and it's perfect for you."

She gasped and then took her hardbound book and thwacked my shoulder with it mercilessly. It was the most painful thing ever, close to an immediate concussion.

"Jesus, ow. Okay, that hurts a lot," I winced as she narrowed her eyes at me.

"What? It hurts! This is why I call you Everly."

"Oh great, thanks for that wonderful compliment," she said sarcastically.

I grinned, ignoring the pain. "It is a compliment. Wild boars are strong, independent, and resilient. Like you!"

Avery smiled. "You're impossible, weirdo."

"Only for you, Everly," I replied, with a wink. Just when I thought the pain in my shoulder would subside, I heard someone whack my shoulder again.

"Ow!" I screamed as Max beamed, pushing me aside.

"Avery. Avery. I have to say, that was amazing. You are my new role model. We should go and get coffee sometime next week, don't you think?"

Avery looked hopeful. "I'd love that!"

Max grinned. "Does that mean you two are done? Did you break up? Good choice Avery."

I pushed him aside. "We're going to get coffee today, Max. And no, we're doing perfectly fine together. Everly just wants coffee. Coffee is the love of her life."

Avery laughed at my exaggerated explanation, her eyes sparkling. "Kyran's right, Max. We're just getting coffee as friends. And coffee is definitely the love of my life, but Kyran comes in at a close second," she teased, nudging me.

Max raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, so Kyran is second to coffee? That's quite the honor, Kyran."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, very funny, Max. But seriously, Avery and I are lovers doomed by the presence of coffee."

Max grinned, seemingly unsatisfied with my response. "Sure, sure. Well, enjoy your coffee date, you two. And Avery, don't forget to give Kyran some pointers on how to properly appreciate Shakespeare," he added with a wink before walking off.

Avery and I exchanged glances before turning back to her locker. As she closed it, she turned to me with a smile. "Well, shall we go get that coffee, Kyran?"

I returned her smile, happy that she was back to being the usual her. "Absolutely, Everly. Lead the way."

⋆·˚ ༘ *

My faithful readers,

If you read the announcement I posted a few days ago, you'd have realized that Wattpad and Word were evil to me. I had this chapter written out differently last week to publish on Monday. Wattpad deleted it and of course, Word didn't sync it. It took me a week to rewrite the whole thing. I want to screech loudly right now. 😡

Now that we're on the topic on unpleasant things, we'll talk about more happy things. Firstly, I would like to thank a super friend of mine that is crucial for the development of this book because I get a LOT of feedback and screams and reactions from them. 😆

So, a very special thank you to none other than the amazing Cy also known as DrizzleTheWolf for being an icon. If you're here already because you're nosy, do not read this chapter before you read the others, but there's the reintroduction of Kyran calling Avery Everly. Be nice to me now.

You're welcome. I know I'm fabulous. 😌💅🏻✨

Yes, I've gotten people completely devastated by the lack of Everly in the past few chapters so here it is again. 

So, dear readers of the ton, I don't think you need a life update from me because I'm so behind on virtually everything and we'll leave it at that.

That's all the nonsense for this week and I'll see you guys next week (unless due to unforeseen circumstances) with more nonsense.

Yours one and only,

Audrey. 💕😘