Avery Randolph looked like a typical, small town girl. Smart, pretty, soft. She was anything but, proven by going on joyrides on weekends, smoking pot and drinking when she had the chance.
But her domain is challenged when new girl Ginny Miller move...
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THERE WAS A DINNER at the Baker house that night. Avery came down, just as food was being served. "How is he?" asked Ellen, swirling the wine around in her glass. "He's sleeping, has been since I read 'Alice in Wonderland'. I think he's mentally exhausted, too. I know how I get when I am," she murmured, grabbing a Waterdrop with peach and ginger. It was a small fizzy cube that was supposed to add taste to the water you drank. Avery was obsessed and she was slowly making Max addicted too.
"Grab one for me too, please," said the brunette, smiling when the blonde found one with physalis and peppermint. "Ginny, you want one?" It was an olive branch, from their argument the night before. "Which flavors are there?"
"Blackcurry and elderberry, peach and ginger, raspberry and elderflower, physalis and peppermint and. . . pineberry and passionfruit."
"Peach and ginger, please." Avery nodded and handed the packets over, before grabbing some tiny metal spoons to stir with. She sat down and sighed.
They began to make small–talk, but Avery zoned out. Eventually, she stood up, grabbing her plate. "I'm. . . god, I feel like such a helicopter girlfriend. I'm gonna bring Marcus some food." Then she left the table and headed for his room, but not before grabbing an extra fork and bringing her glass.
She tentatively walked into his room, putting the plate, cutlery and glass down on his nightstand, before kneeling on the floor in front of him. Avery watched him sleep, only pausing when Padma softly knocked on the door, bringing him his homework. The blonde sighed. "Thanks, Padma."
THE FOLLOWING DAY, AVERY skipped, in favor of 'playing nurse' as Marcus so charmingly put it. But she was allowed a little break, when Max knocked on the door to Marcus' room. The boy was sleeping and then Max told Avery what happened between her and Sophie.
The older of the two had broken up with Max, saying it wasn't going to work out, once Sophie went to NYU.
"I don't understand," said Max, sniffling softly, between Ginny and Abby, "I thought she loved me back." Avery licked her lips, sitting behind her in the window loveseat. "Oh, babe. I don't know. She's just immature, ok?" Abby tried to soothe her. "She doesn't know what she's missing, Maxy." Avery rubbed her shoulders.
"She's not on your level," supplied Abby. "But I want her on my level," protested Max. "My level is, like, lonely without her. I can switch levels, right?" She looked at the girls. "Like, what level does she want?"
"Maxy, you never grade down, you grade up." Avery squeezed her shoulders. "Max, she sucks," Ginny stated. "Yeah, she is so sucky," agreed Norah.
"The suckiest," mumbled Avery, sighing. "Good one," commented Ginny lowly. Avery felt horrible for Max, who had lost her first real girlfriend in the blink of an eye. "You know what? I've already forgotten about her. Sophie who?" remarked Abby, furrowing her brows lightly.
"Who the hell is Sophie?" agreed Avery. "Isn't she that basic bitch, that posts thirst traps on social media?"
"Her thirst traps!" cried Max. "God, she was so hot!" Max rolled her head against Avery's shins "Yeah, well, I'm looking at the hottest girl right now! You!" affirmed Avery, letting her fingers run through her brown locks.
"I'm never gonna date someone that hot ever again."
Avery paused, meeting Max's gaze "Is that what you think? You think I'm not hot enough for her?" pouted Max. Her eyes were still glassy. "What? No, no, no, no, no. Not with your cheekbones!" rebutted Norah. "Max, you shouldn't even get sad. You should be mad instead."
Avery looked at Ginny. "Since when has anger solved anything? Honestly, we should write some very weird things on white plates and then smash them to pieces."
"Mad is healthier."
"Mhmm. Right. Thank you, dr. Phil," scoffed Avery lightly.
"Screw her! Who does she think she is? I'm. . . I'm just over it. She's dead to me!" Abby interrupted. "That bitch is dead." Avery quickly agreed. "Dead. Buried."
"Bottom of the ocean." "Fish food." "Mh-mmm." "Yeah. Yeah! Fish food!"
Avery smiled softly at Max. "Fucking fish food." Max nodded vigorously.
"Mad." She tried to be, but her eyes filled up with tears. "Yeah," She whimpered. "Okay. Okay. You know what's gonna make you feel instantly better?" Abby was cradling Max's head.
"Death?" she sniffled. "No," came Abby's response. "Oreos. Norah, get the Oreos." Norah scrambled up from her seat. "Oh man," sniffled Max.
"It's ok. It's gonna be ok," soothed Avery, as she heard the crackling of plastic. Norah handed over an Oreo to Max, who picked it apart and ate the cream first. "I feel like there's just this pit. . ." she licked the cookie. ". . . in my chest." Avery moved here hands around on her scalp and gave her a head massage. "And, like, I can't stop thinking about her and wondering if she's thinking about me." Avery moved her hands further into Max' scalp and she stilled for a moment, just enjoying the massage. "And she just bailed." Avery nodded. Max let out a sob. "She bailed. I just didn't think love was like this."
"Really? Hang out with my family for a bit. See why I've never had a boyfriend. Goddamn," sassed Abby.
"Hey, ok. Look, Max, love is not always like that. And when the right person loves you, you'll feel it," said Norah, trying to cheer her up. "See?" Abby held up her hand. "This is love. This is love," she stated. Max chuckled and Abby hummed. "This. . ." Avery moved her hands around. "is love." Max closed her eyes and leaned into the blondes touch.
MAANG could be chaotic at times, but when it truly mattered, they were always there for each other. Sure, they might have the occasional disagreement, but they always stuck by each other. Abby handed the girl a bottle of water and Avery fished out a Waterdrop with physalis and peppermint, which she hoped would cheer Max up.
"I'm going to order you a lifetime supply of these," said Avery, holding up the fizzy drop. "Because it's love?" asked Max. "Yeah, because it's love. And Maxy, my dear, I would do it a hundred times over if it meant I would get to see you smile."
Avery meant every word, because friendship would always mean the world to her.
Max sighed, sniffling and then headed for her bed, where her phone lay. "Max," said Avery, "no."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes!"
Avery looked to Abby. "Get Ginny, we might need assistance."
