Just Friends [ m. arguello ]

3) Goddess

iii : Goddess

Marcus had known Avery for one month. Within this month he had discovered many things, mainly that she wasn't as annoying as he originally considered her to be. In fact it only took a day for him to decide she was his best friend, was this because he had nobody else to consider his friend? Perhaps, but he didn't think too much into that and neither did Avery. 

Currently the duo were walking down the sidewalk, the street lights flashing on as the sun slowly set behind them. Avery would have stopped to look at it if it wasn't for Marcus who was still steadily walking beside her. So instead she walked alongside him with a smile as she focused on the ombre of bright reds and pastel pinks. 

Marcus was going on about some comic he found earlier that day while he walked, sparing a glance at the girl to see if she was paying attention only for his breath to lodge in his throat and his feet to stumble over each other. 

She looked stunning, the hues of the sunset leaving her with a pink glow as she stood in his hoodie and gave the sky a toothy grin. It was almost as though a goddess was walking alongside him in dingy San Francisco, but instead it was just Avery. Avery Martinez, a woman worthy of the title god in Marcus's opinion. 

He didn't even notice he had tripped over his feet and fell to the ground until she was suddenly hovering over him and worriedly asking if he was ok. Her hands moved to his bleeding knee and he felt like he couldn't breath. "Marcus?" She pulled a napkin and some bandaids out of her pockets as she wiped pebbles off his new cut. 

"A-Avery?" His words came out almost slurred as he forced himself to breathe normally. She tilted her head in confusion and he turned a shade of pink. "Are you alright?" "Perfect," he forced out. 

Avery laughed and he suddenly realized how pretty her laugh was. It was a sound that washed away his worries as all he could focus on was her. 

"Well your knee says otherwise." She put a bandaid over the bleeding skin and shook her head. "You know, I did tell you to tie your shoes properly." "You did," he breathed. "Mhm. Yet you were certain they were fine." She sent him a toothy grin, just like the one she gave the sunset and it made his heart flutter. 

Was he dying? Was that what this was? If so, dying to Avery wouldn't be that bad of a way to go out. As long as she smiled at him like that again he wouldn't complain.

The brunette stood up and took hold of his hand, pulling him to his feet before going to let go of his hand. Marcus had stated that he didn't like holding her hand. It was kiddy. So she abided by his boundaries and went to drop his hand as soon as he was standing. 

Yet he reached out for her hand like a lifeline, wide eyed as he realized he missed her touch. The girl looked back at him confused, yet took hold of his hand again and gave it a gentle squeeze before walking down the sidewalk. 

Marcus smiled at the act and slowed down so he could keep up with her pace, which wasn't much of a hassle considering his slight limp. 

As he walked he watched the girl with a dazed look, smiling as she looked around and took in the sights that the city had to offer at night. Yet the only sight that mattered to him was her. 

The way she brushed her hair behind her ear whenever it fell into her eyes or how she would glance back to make sure he was still there every few minutes and brightly smile once realizing he hadn't left. How the overhead street lamps gave her an ethereal glow much like the sunset. How she had dimples that showed every so often when she would smile. The way she would randomly point at anything she found interesting and happily tell him about it. 

He came to one fundamental conclusion as he walked alongside her that night.

Marcus Arguello liked Avery Martinez.