Trust Is A Work In Progress (editing)

15*MISUNDERSTANDING

15* MISUNDERSTANDING (THURSDAY)

AVERY POV

"Avery, wait up," he yells after me. I really, however, just want to be alone. No, not even that, I just want some peace. I don't stop walking until I get outside under a tree. I was going to go to my secret room, but, well, I was being followed.

"Avery, are you okay," I sigh at his concern. Why does he have to be worried about me. It's not his job to take care of me.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I say a little colder then I meant to and one of his eyebrows quirk up.

"Well you just walked out of the cafeteria on your best friend," he says a little amused. Well good for him for noticing the obvious. What does he want, a cookie?

"Your point?"

"Are you okay?"

"Well I've been known not to be so right in the head over the years, but, yeah, I'm peachy," I say sitting down and pulling my lunch into my lap. I stop mid-bite when I feel someone sit by me.

"Is there something else you needed?" I ask not bothering to look up.

"Yes, in fact, sweetie, there's something I need to tell you."

I grow rigid at my evil "nickname" that's only used by one person. I'm suddenly frozen. School is supposed to be a safe place from him.

I look up to see Jack standing in front of me, not Jake, Jack. (Sorry if this causes some confusion.)Jake is speechless beside me not knowing what to do.

What the heck is Jack doing here?!

I stay seated not wanting to let Jake see the sudden shift. My hands are both shaking, and I clasp them both together to hide it. I'm glad I'm still able to move them with how frozen my veins feel right now.

"Can it wait for another time," I ask hoping for him to leave like right now. Yeah that'd be good. Right now.

"I'm afraid not."

"Well that's unfortunate. I have to go. Us two are going to be late for class. This will have to wait for another time." I say forcing the words out of my throat. I force myself to stand and pick up my trey once again. After I glare to Jake, he gets the hint and stands as well.

"I'm afraid it's urgent, Avery." Jack replies sternly and my legs stiffen.

"Fine," I say positioning myself I full view of the front office. "Jake I'll meet you inside, alright?"

"Maybe I should stay to walk you in," he says. I turn in surprise to find Jake's voice so serious. His knuckles are white in his trey. He must sense how much of a, for lack of a better word, d*** Jack is. I mean, it's not hard to tell, is it? Maybe my mom should take some lessons in how to judge men's character.

"She'll be fine," Jack says placing a hand around my wrist keeping me in place. I jerk my hand out of his grip and stumble back to find a hand on my back.

"Maybe you should go," Jake says going into full military mode and places his trey on a picnic table beside him. I suddenly wonder if he really did go to the military because of his hair cut and how ripped he is. He's to young to have been in the military though.

"Avery," Jack says shifting his attention to me, "you should come home immediately. It's Gene. Something's happened." What?! No, he must be lying. There can't be anything wrong with mom.

"Ser." Jake continues with a voice like steel. His face is completely emotionless. Jack gets the idea and backs away to leave.

Jake pulls me back toward the school and I immediately pull out my phone. No answer. Mom didn't answer her phone. I call again. No answer. Maybe there is something wrong. What if she got one of those crazy patients at the hospital? What if she didn't make it home after her night shift this morning. Did Jack do something to her? No, he wouldn't do that, would he? I mean, if he hurt her, wouldn't mean that he has grown tired of her? They've only been married for three years. It felt like a lifetime for me, but it would just have flown by for Jack right.