Little Wolves (gxg)

Chapter 8 - Wine Time

It was right before I blinked. Right in the split second before my eyes closed, that the Auden's front door ripped open again and sent my world into slow motion. 

A girl shot out of the house. She was really tan, had these short, black gym shorts on with a worn peach t-shirt; undoubtedly from a surf shop. I couldn't see the details of her face, but I know I stopped breathing. I didn't have to wonder who it was. Somehow, I knew. Her hair was relatively short, the longest pieces of her shallow wolf-cut reaching her collarbone.

My mind was completely preoccupied. I could only watch, with my eyes wide open, and lips getting ready to part.

Avery leapt over the railing, sprinting for Logan who was almost to the edge of the lawn. I thought maybe she wanted to catch up with him or something, but I was wrong.

Right before she reached Logan, she jumped into the air and grabbed him by his neck, tackling him to the ground. The pair skidded across the rest of the lawn. One laughing, one extremely angry.

"Fuck off!" Logan thundered as he got back on his toes. "You're so fucking annoying!" The shotgun had fallen off his shoulder during the fall.  Avery was laughing her ass off, and I couldn't peel my eyes away.

The base color of her hair was brown, yet she had streaks of beach-blonde. It was splayed across the lawn; she was laying on her back. A combination of straight and wavy, a little kinked and tangled from long exposure to salt water and ocean air.

Logan marched over to her and tried to ram the butt of the shotgun into her chest. It made me gasp and lean forward, but she rolled out of the way just in time.

"Quit bein' a baby!" she exclaimed, dodging another one of Logan's attacks as she stood up. After Logan missed for the second time he huffed and started heading off towards the woods again. Avery flipped Logan off as he stomped away.

Her other hand was on her hip, and as she was turning in my direction, she ran a hand through her hair.

My lungs stopped working.

Avery was looking directly at me, frozen in her last movement, just like I was. Then, she smiled, and I think I melted. I have never seen someone so gorgeously addictive.

Her smile was so bright, so white, even from this distance. She had a lean frame, muscular but not bulky, and I would have felt like a creep for staring if she hadn't been staring right back at me.

Keating nudged me with her elbow.

"You guys met, yet?" she asked. I looked at Keating like I had just been asked how to operate a nuclear reactor. My mind was still so shaken up from making eye contact with Avery that it took me a long time to respond.

"Wh... Who? What?" I stuttered helplessly. Keating laughed at me.

"You and Avery, have you met?" she clarified. I whipped my head towards the Auden's lawn again.

Avery wasn't on the lawn anymore. Instead, she was in her Jeep, fiddling with the radio or something. Still barefoot and now biting her lip to stop from smiling so wide. The car started and I immediately heard loud reggae-type music playing. Pulling out of the drive, it didn't take her long to speed around the corner.

"Hi Keating!" she yelled absently. Oh, man, her voice was perfect. It was velvety and beachy. It fit her just right. Keating waved with an amused smile as she passed. Watching that made something twist in my gut. I wanted Avery to say hi to me, not Keating, and I hadn't the faintest idea why.

"Helloooo, earth to Nelly..." Keating broke me away from my staring contest with the receding Jeep. I blinked as I looked at her.

"What? Sorry," I apologized quickly. Keating scoffed playfully, like this was the best form of entertainment in the world to her.