"Hey Ave!" Jacob called as they met face to face in the corridor. She'd met Jacob a few weeks before she'd gone back down to the surface, they had been in the same Ga'Revali class, before Avery had discovered that she was a Grand Master.
They'd gotten along pretty well and she'd hung out with him and his group a few times. It was surprising how laid back they were to let a 15 year old hang around with them.
"Hey old man Hemsworth," Avery replied, high fiving him. "Hey Bossco, Dave."
"Yo," Ross greeted, saluting, while Dave tipped an imaginary hat.
"We're going to go harrass Jas at work," Jacob explained, referring to one of the other members of their group, Jasmine, who worked in one of the restaurants.
"Oi guys!" a voice from down the hallway exclaimed.
Avery turned to see the last member of the group, Emma.
"Avery!" Emma excitedly yelped, running over to them and throwing her arms around the other girl.
"Emoo!" Avery laughed, hugging her back. "How've you been?"
"Busy studying, but not busy at work. Ballet's off for another three weeks. You?"
"Just got back from the surface. Two weeks at the Bahamas. It's all good. Now I'm just dividing my holidays between here and Tulsa," Avery explained.
"Meanwhile, some of us are working all holidays," Jacob complained, throwing in a huge sigh.
"Cry me a river," Ross joked. "How many people need phones on a space station anyway?"
"You'd be surprised," Jacob answered. "And anyway, we do the intercoms and stuff too."
"Sounds taxing," Avery teased.
Dave snorted. "Don't get him started. Oi, what are you doing tonight?"
Avery shrugged. "Hadn't planned that far, why?"
"Dave's playing at Zen Bar, so we're all going for solidarity. We're going to have dinner before though, at Jugglers. Around six. Want to join us?" Emma asked.
"Sounds epic, count me in," Avery replied.
"Tres cool." Jacob nodded. "Well, we better get going, Jas isn't going to harrass herself. See you at six at Jugglers?"
Avery gave him a thumbs up as she started down the hall to her room again. "Seeyoubye!"
She eventually got to her room, located her key card thingy, swiped it and dumped her stuff inside, then headed for the basketball courts, where she figured Libby and the boys would be.
"Hey, hey good looking," Josh greeted as she walked in. He was sitting on the bench with Trent and Matt.
"Hey Sposhie, Trent, Matt," Avery replied.
"Yo yo." Matt looked up and gave her a peace sign, then grinned. "You're looking different."
Trent stood to give Avery a handshake. Midshake, they went to hug and patted each other on the back. "Peace."
"Fo shiz," Avery replied.
"But seriously player, you are looking pretty good. I like the change. Did you change your nose?" Josh asked.
"Mmmmhmmm, my friend's sister can alter bones and she fixed it," Avery explained.
Josh looked her up and down and gave a wink. "I like it. I like the new clothes too."
Avery slapped him over the head. "Jackass. Anyway, I didn't come here for you losers, where's Libbo? And Dan?"
"Dan's down on the surface for like another week, I think, then he's back up here," Trent started. "And Libby's on her way as far as I know. At least she was 5 minutes ago."
Avery nodded and sat down on the floor, stretching her legs out in front of her. She caught Josh looking at her legs, which were just about all revealed in her grey shorts, coupled with a white halter neck breezy shirt that revealed her golden shoulders. Her blonde hair fell down her back in little ringlets. She raised at eyebrow at Josh and he blushed, looking away and murmuring something about Libby being late.
Trent let out a little giggle at the exchange. "Busted custard."
Libby
"Sorry I'm late guys," Libby said, as she entered the courts, "Vette shanghaied me on the way with more of her stupid wedding plans. Ugh."
Then her eyes landed on Avery.
"Avie!" she exclaimed, running over to give her a hug, "Welcome back!"
Avery
Avery stood and gave Libby a hug.
"Hey Libster, taa muchly. Good to be back, although would still love to be hanging on the beach, but you know."
"We do what we must do," Trent said, making the 'too much rock for one hand' sign.
"Did you learn that from my BROTHER?" Avery asked.
Trent quickly dropped his hands to his sides. "No."
Libby
Libby giggled.
"Sprung!" she declared. "Hey guys, Trent's a closet Hanson fan!"
"I am not!" Trent objected.
Avery
"Or he's just a closet case," Avery said, grinning.
Trent opened his mouth to object, then closed it, then opened it again.
"Stop it, you look like a fish," Josh told him.
Libby
"Trent's speechless," Libby mused. "I guess that means it's all true and he has no way to refute it."
"You know," Matt smirked, "I bet if you ask Avie really nicely, she might agree to get their autographs for you. And by really nicely, I mean getting on your hands and knees and begging."
"And I'm sure offering at least a week of slavery wouldn't go astray," Libby grinned, "Right Aves?"
Avery
"Right. And maybe you'll have to be Lib's slave too, I haven't decided yet," Avery said, laughing.
"I don't like Hanson!" Trent protested.
Avery faked a sob. "But... they're my family!"
Libby
"You've go no way out of this one, cuz," Josh smirked.
Trent looked around helplessly.
"I think that you should beg Avie's forgiveness for hurting her feelings," Libby nodded.
Trent started to scrowl at her, then it was light a lightbulb went off and he turned to Avery:
"It's not you or your family I don't like. It's their music. I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't like their music. I'm sure if I met them they'd be likeable people."
Libby's eyebrows went up. Crud, if Trent (or any of the boys for that matter) insisted on turning into a diplomat, why, all their fun would go out the window. Hmph.
Avery
"Trent, kiss me," Avery said suddenley.
"Uh... whaa?" Trent stared at her, speechless, not knowing if she was being serious.
Josh burst into peels of laughter. "Oh man, your face!"
Avery joined in his laughter and turned to Josh, high fiving him.
"Player!" Josh exclaimed. "That was truly awesome."
"Homie-dawg," Avery replied, then nodded. "Thank you, I do try."
Trent was still faintly blushing. "I didn't believe that you wanted a kiss, I was just trying to work out how we'd made the jump from your family to kissing. Unless you kiss your family?"
"I do," Avery joked. "Zac and I, Ike and I, Tay and I, we all make out when I go home. Why do you think I go home so much?"
Matt grinned. "I wish someone we didn't know would've walked in then and heard that. They would freak out."
Libby
"I kiss my family. On the cheek. And I usually only kiss Harry to gross him out," Libby nodded. "He's such a little dork."
She smiled, remembering the looks of pure disgust and the shrieks of 'ewww' her little brother would produce.
Avery
"The family that plays together..." Avery started.
"Stop right there!" Trent protested. "No more! I'm sorry, let's start fresh!"
Avery grinned. "Ok. So, what are you losers and Libby up to?"
Libby
"Nothing much. Basketball mainly," Josh replied. "And we're not losers."
"I don't know," Libby said, with a sly look at Matt, "it sounds like a good name for our group: Libby and the Losers. Except, Avie's here at the moment, so it would have to be Avie, Libby and the Losers because clearly Avie is not a loser."
"Doesn't have the same ring to it," Matt replied solomnly.
Avery
"Except I don't play basketball," Avery pointed out. "I moreorless just stand around and cheer for Libby and hope one of you guys will fall over."
Matt made a face of mock hurt. "But you love us!"
Libby
"And that's why she hopes you'll fall over," Libby replied. "Imagine what she hopes for for her enemies."
Libby nodded.
"Wow," Josh commented. "If Avie loves us, and hopes we fall over... how must she feel about you? She must really love you if she cheers for you instead. Really love you."
He waggled his eyebrows at them.
Avery
"Oh, you have guessed my secret... I am in love with Libby," Avery said, giving a fake sigh.
Josh grinned and nodded. "I always suspected."
"You knobface. Anyway, what are you guys doing? I'm free until a little before six, then I'm going to go get changed, and head out to Jugglers Cafe with Jake and his group for dinner. Then Zen Bar."
Matt and Trent shared a knowing look.
"Well, we were going to play some ball, but I suppose we can change our plans for you," Matt said, rolling his eyes good naturedly.
"Thanks biatch," she replied.
"Well my mom and dad are out, and we did just get that plasma screen... movies at mine?" Trent suggested.
Libby
"Sounds like a plan," Libby said, rubbing her hands together eagerly.
"Yep," Jake agreed.
"What movies?" Matt asked.
"Scary ones," Libby said. "So we can see you boys scream and weep like girls."
Avery
"I just bought a whole bunch of DVDs up from the surface," Avery announced. "Some scary ones too."
Matt gave her a thumbs up. "Awesome. Man, my family and I haven't been down in AGES. I think we're going next week."
The group started to get themselves up off the floor and benches, and Josh linked his arm through Avery's.
Matt nudged Trent as they walked ahead. "Josh wants Avery. So bad," he whispered.
Libby
Libby overheard Matt's comment and grinned.
"Watch this," she said to them as they followed behind Josh and Avery.
She stuck her tounge out of her mouth, and a moment later heart-shaped bubbles started floating around the pair.
"If they were red, they'd be like in the Sims when they have their first kiss," Libby giggled.
"You're obsessed with that game," Matt accused her.
Avery
"I know what you guys are doing," Avery said loudly.
Josh turned around in a slight panic and his eyes widened almost comically when he saw the hearts. He then tried to play it cool in front of the other boys.
"I don't think she wants him though," Trent whispered. "I think it's coz she looks so different now, hey. She's not really the same Avery."
Libby
Libby giggled and let her bubbles burst.
"Yeah," she agreed. "I mean c'mon, Jugglers Cafe? Zen Bar? Jake and his group? I think she's growing out of our group."
A sad expression crossed Libby's face, and Matt patted her on the shoulder.
Avery
"I think something happened on the surface," Trent commented. "When she was there for her brother's wedding. Because she was fine before she left."
Matt nodded his agreement, still patting Libby's shoulder. "You should talk to her Lib. You're a girl."
"Good observation," Trent told him.
"Thanks. But anyway, I don't think she'd tell us anything. I still think it's weird that Jake and his friends even want her hanging around. She is a bit younger than them," Matt continued. "But I guess she's doing what she thinks she has to."
Avery and Josh turned the corner on the way to Trent's place.
Libby
Libby nodded.
"Yeah, good plan," she said. "I'll do that."
She promised herself that she would find a moment during the movies to pull Avery aside for some girltalk.
"Good," Matt said.
"Oh and Matt?"
"Yes, Lib?"
"You can stop patting my shoulder now."
Avery
Avery and Josh stopped outside of Trent's place and leaned against the wall, waiting for the other members of the group.
"So where did Danboy go with his family?" Avery asked.
"I think they went to Canada or something," Josh replied. "I can't remember. He did tell us."
"Nice to see you all care about each other," she joked.
"We try," Josh laughed. "Hurry up guys!"
Libby
Libby, Trent and Matt closed the distance. Trent put his hand on the hand plate and the door opened.
"Welcome to my humble abode," Trent said.
"Trent, you know know what the word 'humble' means."
"I do so. You're the one who so well versed with the word 'arrogant' that you struggle with understanding the opposite."
"Trent?"
"Yes, Libby?"
"Go eat a dictionary."
"He sounds like he already did," Matt grinned.
Avery
"I've never been to your place before," Avery commented as she went inside. "Why is that?"
Trent shrugged. "Because usually we're hanging at the basketball courts?"
"Wow, these ones are pretty awesome. Mine's really basic, because it's just me, so it's a lot smaller," she continued.
Libby
"And I'm stuck with mother, father and little sister," Trent nodded.
It was at that moment that Trent's mother appeared.
"Hi Trent," she said. "I see you have some friends over."
"Yep. Avery, Libby, Matt and well, you already know Josh."
Josh grinned.
"We're just going to watch some movies."
"Okay, but don't have them up too loud, okay? Your father's sleeping."
"Okay," Trent agreed.
"Sleeping?" Libby questioned as his mother departed. "At this time of day?"
"He works the night shift," Trent replied, leading the way into the TV room.
Avery
"No, he just says he does, so he doesn't have to see you. He gets up when you're going to bed, so he only really sees you for maybe an hour, and that's how he likes it," Josh joked.
Avery laughed. "Poor Trent. His own cousin just turned on him."
"Well, it's better than turning him on," Matt added.
Libby
"You have a dirty mind," Libby informed Matt.
"Took you this long to figure that out?"
"Okay," interupted Trent, "who wants to watch what first?"
Avery
"Something scary!" Avery announced.
"You could just watch Trent in the shower for that," Josh joked.
"And you know it's scary? Have you watched before?" Avery asked.
Josh made a face. "Ok, admittedly, I didn't think the repercussions of that statement through. Let us move on."
Libby
"How about this one?" Trent suggested, holding up a movie.
"That's not a scary movie," Matt objected.
"Yes, it is," Libby joked. "Yvette's in it."
"I knew I'd get that reaction," Trent grinned, putting it back down again, and picking up another. "Better?"
"Much."
Avery
"Hot," Avery announced, nodding her approval. She flopped down onto the couch, resting her feet on the stool in front of her.
Trent set about putting the movie on.
Matt nudged Josh, trying to make him sit next to Avery.
Libby
Libby decided to help by moving to the other two-seater and spread herself out on it.
"I was going to sit there," Josh said.
"There's a seat next to Avie."
"Aww, where can I sit?" asked Trent.
"You can sit next to me."
"Aww, why does Trent get to sit next to you, and I can't?" Josh complained. "You got the hots for him?"
"Yes," Libby replied with a straight face. "I want to get is his pants so bad..."
"Okay, I didn't need to hear that," Matt declared.
Libby chuckled evilly, and Josh sat next to Avery. Trent hit the play button.
Avery
Matt snickered and pulled a beanbag from the corner and plonked it in front of the TV. He collapsed down on it.
Avery made some room for Josh, then spoke. "Hey guys, we need junk food."
"Yes, we do!" Josh agreed.
Matt looked up. "Food?!"
Libby
Libby batted her eyes at Trent.
"Trenty-baby? Would you mind?"
"Aww man..."
"Well, this is your home. You know where everything is."
"True. On one condition."
"What's that?"
"Stop batting your eyes at me. It's disturbing."
Libby chuckled, but complied, and Trent made his way to the kitchen.
"Ahh..." Matt nodded. "So that's why you wanted Trent to sit next to you."
Libby grinned.
Avery
"I wonder if Dan did anything interesting on the surface," Josh mused.
Avery shrugged. "Haven't you emailed him or anything?"
"We only hear from him occasionally. I think they're like on holidays somewhere, so he doesn't get a lot of time on the internet," Matt explained.
Avery nodded at this, then jumped slightly as her new cell phone started singing. She pulled it out of her pocket and flipped it open, laughing as she saw Jacob's face on the other end, on video call.
"Hey Spavie," he greeted.
"Hey faceache," she replied, getting up from the lounge and heading into another room.
Josh and Matt looked at each other.
Libby
"She's still hanging out with us," Libby said, glaring at them.
"Yeah, but for how long?" asked Josh glumly.
"Do you suppose she's... y'know?" Matt asked. "And that's why they let her hang out with them?"
"What's 'y'know'?" Libby asked.
"Y'know... y'know?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
It was at this point that Trent returned with food.
"Hey who's Avie chatting to?"
"Someone named 'faceache'," Josh replied. "Presumably Jacob, and, or one of his friends."
"I think she might be... y'know," Matt nodded.
Libby frowned at him. She still couldn't figure out what Matt was insinuating.
Boys
"You know, Lib..." Josh said, trying to be helpful.
Recognition dawned on Trent's face. "Oh... that!"
Matt nodded. "Y'know... like... do you think she is doing... it?"
"Who knows... like... Jacob and them, they're all older than us... and other than the occasional 'excuse me', they never speak to us," Josh pointed out.
Libby
"Oh eww!" Libby said. "Gross."
She started hitting her forehead.
"Bad images! Bad images! Get out of head!"
Josh snickered.
"But... she could be? I mean... why else would they hang out? Y'know?"
"Maybe because she finds older men much more mature than you dweebs," Libby replied.
Silence.
"Bad! Bad images!"
"Libby... stop hitting yourself," Trent said. "It's a fact of life. Get over it."
"But... but not Avery... Not yet. And besides, she would have told me, right?"
Silence. No one needed to point out how distant Avery had been lately.
Boys
"Well, don't you think it's entirely possible?" Josh asked. "Well maybe not that she's doing it with all of them, but like, that she is at least y'know... with Jacob."
"But Lib has a point," Trent said. "Maybe Jacob and her just have things in common. I mean, they are both in Ga Raveli together. Telepaths tend to stick together."
"In any case, I think she did it with that JD guy," Matt pointed out. "Why else would it have affected her this much when they broke up. Come on, the Avie from before would never have dressed like this, or cared about what she looked like."
"Well..." Josh began. "She might've just needed a change. But, I agree. I think, even if she's not doing it with Jacob or any of that group, she did at least do it with JD."
Libby
"It was a rather radical change in her," Libby considered. "I suppose she could have done, and then regretted it, or JD spurned her afterwards or something. Of course, that doesn't really explain why she's hanging out with Jacob..."
"Unless she felt the experience aged her or something," Trent replied, "then she might look for older people to hang out with, y'know, because she doesn't think we'd understand?"
"Say, maybe if we all do it with Lib, then we would," Matt suggested with a mischevious glint in his eye.
"Matt?" Libby said, with a dark expression on her face.
"Yes Libby?"
"If you ever suggest anything like that ever again, I will suffocate with with one of my bubbles."
"Someone's been told," Trent smirked.
Avery
At that moment, Avery's footsteps were heard in the hall.
"So, we should really roast marshmallows," Matt said, changing the subject. "I haven't had them in ages."
"Me either actually," Trent agreed. "Not since we first moved here. Well before then actually. Not since we left Earth."
"Marshmallows?" Avery asked, raising an eyebrow as she snapped her phone shut. "This was the topic of discussion?"
"You know us, food is important, especially the mallowy kind," Josh grinned, patting the seat next to him. "So Avery... tell us about yourself."
Avery sat down next to Josh, giving him a weird look. "Have you gotten weirder since I've been away?"
"He's always been weird, but Dan was always weirder, so you probably just didn't notice. But now that Dan's not here, you're finally seeing the full extent of Josh's weirdness," Trent explained.
"I see," Avery replied.
Libby
"But he does have a point - for once," Libby said.
"Thank you," Josh said.
"You haven't really filled us in on what's been going on lately. We're feeling a little out of the loop," Libby went on, batting her eyes at Avery.
"Yeah, like why are you hanging out with Jacob and his friends now?" Matt asked. "Don't you love us any more?"
He gave Avery a puppy dog look.
Avery
Avery suddenly got the feeling that they'd been discussing this topic in length, before she entered the room.
She shrugged. "I don't know, I started out helping Jake with his telepathy, and we just sorta became friends from that."
Trent decided to be the one to ask outright. "Have you had sex with him?"
Avery stared at him for a long moment, eyes widening. "Um no. Why would you think that?"
Realising his mistake, Trent tried to start back-pedaling furiously. "Oh, well, I was just curious, because if I were hanging out with an older girl, I'd probably have sex with her, but that's just me, you know, I'm not saying that you are like that or anything. Even if you may have done it before, which you probably haven't, but yeah!"
Libby
"Trent?"
"Yes Libby?"
"Shut up."
Trent saluted Libby.
"Sir, yes, sir."
"Good attitude. Keep it up," Libby nodded. "Don't mind Trent, Aves, he's an idiot. Actually they're all idiots who think about sex way, way too much."
"We are guys. It's our duty to the species to spread our wild oats," Matt grinned.
Avery
"So, have you spread your wild oats?" Avery asked, an eyebrow raising in amusement.
"Erm... well no," Matt replied. "But I intend to, when I feel I am ready, or the opportunity presents itself."
"Good to know."
Libby
"Or when he can con Libby into complying," Josh grinned.
"Will never happen," Libby replied, giving them a dark look. "I'm not your whore."
"Gasp! I'm surprised you even know that word."
"Oh, I know a few of them. Slut, ho, bitch."
"Harlot, prosititute, hooker, call girl, escort, lady in red, tart, floozy, streetwalker, loose woman, trollop - " Trent rattled off.
"Trent? After you ate that dictionary, did you have a thesaurus for dessert?" Libby inquired.
Trent grinned.
Avery
Avery looked at Matt and then at Libby.
"Actually, I hate to say it, but I think you guys would be an alright couple."
"Score," Matt said, giving a thumbs up.
"I said an alright one, not an awesome one," Avery reminded him.
"Unlike you and Jooooosh," Trent teased.
Josh looked alarmed. "What? Why did I get brought into this?"
Libby
"Because we all know you have the hots for her," Matt nodded.
"No, I don't," Josh denied - in vain.
"Uh huh, you soooooo do! Josh loves Avie! Josh loves Avie!"
Libby looked at Matt, and then at Avery.
"And this is the guy you think I'd made an alright couple with? Eww."
Avery
"Well, he is just acting his age," Trent pointed out. "Maybe this is why Avery likes older men?"
Avery grinned. "I just like people other than you guys."
Trent feigned hurt. "Oh you couldn't!"
Libby
"I don't know why you're so hurt," Libby said. "I mean, clearly none of you are actually people. Matt's a dork."
"A dork's a penis, right? Are you trying to tell me that all I think about is sex?" Matt inquired.
"Or urinals," Josh nodded.
"Josh is a dweeb," Libby went on, ignoring them.
"Am not."
"And Trent is a neurotic bookworm."
"Neurotic or erotic?" Matt asked.
"Dork," Trent and Josh said in unison.
They looked at each other and laughed.
Avery
Matt pouted. "Well, what's Dan?"
"Scared of girls," Avery answered. "Like chronically afraid. Once, Lisa hugged him, and I thought he was going to scream."
"That's because she's got boobs," Trent pointed out. "And Dan's not used to being around girls with boobs, coz he hangs out with you two."
Avery slapped him over the head. "Please never talk about our boobs, or lack thereof, again."
"Well, Libby has more boobs than Avie. Avie, you're like... teeny boobs," Trent went on.
"Do you want me to hit you again?" Avery threatened.
Libby
"Yes, yes he does," Matt nodded. "Because, y'know, he likes it."
He waggled his eyebrows. Libby sighed.
"Avie? Can you remind me why I hang out with these doofuses? I forget."
Avery
"I have no idea," Avery replied. "I can't even remember why I do."
"But you don't all the time," Josh thought to himself, forgetting Avery's power for a moment.
"Did you just brain fart, Sposhie? Coz I totally heard that," Avery informed him.
Josh looked sheepish.
Libby
"Oooh, Josh is whispering sweet nothings in Avie's ear," Matt teased.
"Jerk off," Josh glared at Matt.
"He does. Regularily," Trent grinned.
"I think we must be like, masochists or something," Libby decided. "It's the only logical explanation for hanging out with you guys."
Avery
"How do you know he does regularly?" Avery asked.
Trent looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Well, he's 14."
"So are you," she pointed out.
"Yep," Trent said, drawing the word out.
"Oh dude!" Josh protested, wrinkling his nose. "Some things cousins should never share!"
Libby
"Some things friends should never share. Ugh," Libby said, wrinkling her nose. "How'd we get on the subject anyway?"
"We were inquiring if Avie's been doing it, and who with, and if that's why she doesn't want to hang out with us any more," Matt nodded.
"Oh. Right."
Avery
"Even if I was still doing it, why would that make me like you any less than I already do? Libby not included, I always like her, as she is not a moron," Avery asked.
"Well," Josh started. "The theory sounded good in our minds."
"Trust me, I've been in your mind. It didn't sound good in there."
Libby
Libby giggled.
"Okay, well, why would you rather hang out with Jacob then?" Matt asked. "Do you have a crush on him or something?"
"Matt, just let it go, okay?" Trent advised.
"No. I don't want to. I neeeeeeeeed to knooooooooow."
Avery
"No," Avery said, shaking her head. "He's just a friend."
"But come on, Avery, he's like a billion years older than us!" Matt pressed.
"So, obviously, the only reason he'd want to hang out with me would be because I was doing him or one of his friends? Wow, nice to see that you think highly of me." Avery's features shifted from hurt to anger in a milli-second.
"That's not what he meant," Josh said, trying to fix the mess that had apparently just occurred. "We don't mean that's the only reason, it's just... well, they don't talk to us, but all of a sudden, you're buddying up with them, and we're kinda curious. Especially with this new look and attitude you seem to have at the moment, it's only natural for us to wonder..."
"Wonder if sex is the reason why I'm like this?"Avery asked, her voice a little softer this time.
"Well... yeah," Josh replied. "Ever since... ever since you broke up with JD, you've been different. And I'm not being mean, I'm just being honest here."
He looked her in the eyes.
"I miss the old Avie."
Avery looked back at him and for a long moment, there was silence.
"The old Avie doesn't exist anymore."
Josh looked at his feet.
Libby
Libby, Trent and Matt looked at each other, uncomfortably aware that Josh and Avery were having a moment.
"We're not being critical either," Libby added. "I mean, hey, I love your new look. It's just that we now feel like we have to compete with Jacob for your attention, is all."
"Matt was planning on prositituing himself if that's what it took to keep you with us," Trent nodded.
"I was?" Matt asked. "Oh yeah, I was."
He nodded vigourously.
Avery
"It's not a competition," Avery said quietly. "I like hanging out with them, they're fun, but I like hanging out with you guys too. I don't get why this is an issue."
"You do know why," Josh replied, just as softly. "Because we've started feeling like maybe you're moving on from us, and there's nothing we can do to stop you from leaving."
"All we're asking is that you stop being so distant," Trent chimed in. "We get that you went through some stuff that you don't want to talk about, that's fine, but don't shut yourself off from us altogether. We're still your friends, right?"
"Yeah," Avery said. "You are."
"And just for the record... we liked how you were before too. The dorky, too tall, purple haired telepath with the lame musician brothers," Matt told her. "That Avie was fun as well. She didn't have to change because of some guy, if that's why you did it. But either way, we'll still be your friends regardless if you have blonde hair or no hair."
Avery snorted. "Thanks. I think."
Libby
Libby grinned.
"See? Just when you think these guys are complete dorks, they surprise you by saying something deep and profound," she said. "But y'know, they're right for once Aves. We love the old Avery, and we still love the new Avery, we just don't want to lose you because of some stupid boy who doesn't even live locally, so we can't track him down and beat him up for hurting you."
"Plus, I could heal him, and we could beat him up again, and I could heal him, and we could beat him up again and on and on and on until we decide to stop," Matt nodded.
"And the dork is back."
Avery
"And on that note, I better go unpack and get ready for tonight," Avery said.
Josh gave a half shrug, but managed to keep his facial features under control.
"So, we'll see you...?"
"Tomorrow? I'm going to see Tanya tomorrow morning, but then I'm free."
Libby
"Okey-dokey," Libby said.
She got up out of her seat, and stood by Avery in order to give her a hug when she stood up too.
"Aww, so soon?" Matt said. "We haven't even finished watching the movie."
"We were so busy talking, I don't think any of us were watching the movie in the first place," Trent pointed out.
Avery
Avery stood and gave Libby a hug, before heading for the door.
"I'll catch you guys later."
She sketched a salute and left.
Libby
"See ya!" Libby called after her.
Trent walked Avery to the door, like a good little host. When he returned he rubbed his hands together.
"Okay, so... now what?"
"Why don't we take the movie back to the beginning and watch it this time?" Josh suggested.
"Sounds good to me."
And so it was done.