The Cohens

05} Thursday

Chapter 5

Though I tried to fight it by burying my head under my pillow, I was woken by the blinding sunlight filtering through my curtains. For a moment, I scrambled my hands around me in my bed in search for my phone. When I found it, I pressed the home button, revealing the time and day. 07:43, Thursday. Today was the day I was to pick up Logan from the airport, which reminded me: I still hadn't replied to his email. I leaned over my bed to pick up my laptop, and set it on my lap. After turning it on and opening my email, I read it over once more.

Hey Avery,

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner, it's been really hectic over here and hard to get an internet connection. I'm glad to hear you have a good time, but why were you at a party? I didn't realise it was your thing. Also, watch your back with Wade, babe. Don't want you getting into trouble.

Hugs and kisses

- Logan

It was only then that I decided that I wasn't going to respond to the email itself, but just in general, because honestly, I didn't know how to reply, especially since last night with Wade. Here Logan was telling me to keep away from Wade, but there he was clearly devastated. I know I wasn't all for helping Wade in the beginning, but seeing him like that really affected me.

Hi Logan,

Can't wait to see you later! I've missed you. See you at the airport.

More hugs and. kisses

- Avery

After hitting send, I closed my laptop and made my way to the kitchen. From the stairs, I could already smell the sweet smell of pancakes. Cooking up a nice breakfast was something my mum would always do on school mornings, if she hadn't gone to work already. I took my place at the dining table besides Avery, who was sat there already eating her pancakes. While pouring a generous amount of syrup over my pancakes, I could feel the heavy stare of Dad over me.

"What?" I asked, my cheeks reddening. "I like syrup."

He shook his head, and put his fork beside his plate of pancakes. "Avery, last week today when I had to go out, your mother found a bloody cloth in the trash. She hadn't said anything until yesterday because she assumed it was mine, but whose was it really?"

He looked between my sister and me, but mainly at myself. I was a bit shocked about it all, since it was last Thursday that I put it there. It didn't occur to me that anyone would find it. How would I explain that the blood on the cloth belonged to Wade? I tried hard to think of an excuse, but I didn't want to lie to him.

"Last week after dropping Logan to the airport with his parents, I stopped off at the cupcake place but Wade was there," I confessed, sucking in a breath. He was already angry, I could see it on his face. I looked over to my mother for help, but she shook her head and cleared away the mess she'd made from the pancakes. I looked back to Dad, confessing, "Wade got really beat up, but it wasn't his fault, really."

"Yeah Dad, he's actually really cool," Annabeth piped in, trying to help me out with the situation, but I knew full well she'd only made it worse.

"I don't want you around that silly boy, and I'm disappointed that you'd let him around your sister, Avery. If I find out you've been hanging out with Wade Cohen, you're in big trouble, young lady."

"I'm not a young lady," I retorted, suddenly put off my drowned-in-syrup pancakes. It was by far uncharacteristic of me to argue back with my dad, but something really riled me up. "You know nothing about Wade, and clearly nothing about me if you think I'm going to not help someone who has just been battered. I thought we didn't judge people, Daddy, you taught me that."