Liar, Liar | Ginny & Georgia

Chapter Twenty-Nine

IT WAS MONDAY.

AVERY and Ginny's door opened simultaniously and the blonde scoffed as she hurried down the stairs first. She didn't stick around to see what Ginny did. She didn't even stick around for breakfast. "Aves-" Paul was cut off by his daughter. "I already took 'em, relax!"

Then she was gone, stopping by blue farm before school. She was clad in a gray zippy shirt with a black hoodie over it and some dark blue bell bottomed jeans. Her hair was straightened and there was a velour choker tied around her neck a few times.

Once she actually made it to school, she was immediately greeted by Max. "Guys, I'm gonna throw up and explode, and then die, and then be resurrected as a zombie and then die again," she rambled. Norah, who had been admiring the black highlights in Avery's hair, shared a look with the blonde as Max fell down dramatically. "The winter musical auditions are today, makes perfect sense," nodded Avery, replying to Gavin's text.

Max inhaled. "Timed of death, 8:15."

Avery bit her lower lip. "I think it's unfair what the Wellsbury Tribune wrote, you guys were awesome." Max nodded. "And a Chicago rip-off? Who do they think they are?" continued the mayor's daughter. "Sorry. You know what? What they actually said is that they walked into it expecting it to be a complete rip-off of Chicago. And then it wasn't like Chicago, and they were like, 'what the hell? This isn't anything like Chicago. I love Chicago. I would've loved it if I wasn't expecting Chicago.' But they were the ones who said it was going to be like Chicago in the first place."

Avery merely shook her head. "What a bunch of amateurs."

"Dude, it's not that deep. You were great," stated Norah. "Screw 'great', you were marvelous," corrected Avery. "Really?"

"Yes," laughed Norah, "we've said that." Max leaned in to cup Avery's cheeks. "I love you."

"Love you more," rebutted the blonde. "So what's the winter musical?" asked Jordan. Avery had honestly almost forgotten he was there. "Oh, it's awesome. No one can accuse us of being a rip off. It's this period piece, set in Regency England. It's about these noble wealthy families debuting their daughters for marriage. It's called 'Wellington.'"

Max and Jordan began to bicker, but then Norah spotted Hunter, just as Avery did. "Oh, hey there, break-up-hair." Norah was in a teasing mood. Gavin sat down in the armchair next to Jordan and Norah, inviting Avery to sit on the arm of it. "Yeah, well, what are we talking about?"

"Chicago is not at all like Sing Sing! and anyone who thinks so is an imbecile."

Avery snorted, leaning into Gavin. The two of them had grown closer over the span of the time Marcus and Avery had been broken up. Brodie sat down next to Max. "Yeah, your ass looked good in that though," he murmured. "Right? That's what I'm saying."

"Don't objectify her!" scolded Norah. "No, no, objectify me, please. Helps me feel better."

Avery leaned down. "What's up, baby? Can I put you in my pocket and take you home with me?" Avery raised her brows and bit her lower lip as they all laughed. It was a bad pickup line, but it filled Max's desire. "I'll objectify you," offered Press. Max grimaced. "Not you."

Hunter wasn't laughing with them, because he had spotted Ginny. Max followed his gaze, as did Avery and Max pursed her lips. "Nobody say anything."

"Hey, Ginny. It's nice to see you."

Avery coughed into her fist. "Treacherous-" another cough, "bitch." Max laughed maniacally, as Ginny slowly walked past them, trying to ignore them.

IT WAS ODD, TO think that Avery and Ginny were now going to live together. The blonde hadn't given it much thought when Ginny was out of town, but now, she could feel the anger, the hurt.

So, Avery did what she usually did when she was angry; she smoked. The blonde packed a few blunts in a bag into her jacket pocket and then left the house. She barreled down the stairs, looking at Georgia and Paul. "I'm gonna go take a walk," she stated, glasses on her face.

Paul nodded and then she was off.

The girl shut the front door after her, airPods in her ears and 'Fourth Of July' by Sufjan Stevens playing in her ears. The song and it's daunting chords was enough to block out the world around her. During the week Ginny was gone, it was peaceful and Avery got things done, checking off her mental checklist. Sure, she was sad and hurt, confused, but she hadn't allowed herself to dwell on her feelings, wanting to bury them.

Avery was almost a regular at the rage rooms, now. It helped, taking her anger out of inanimate objects and listening to classical music as she did.

As Avery walked, she realized she had made her way to Gavin's street and the boy was out walking his dog, Tito. It was a Boston terrier and he had always been ecstatic to see Avery. The girl kneeled down, taking out her airPods and then allowed herself to be licked on the cheek by him. "Oh, who's such a good boy? You are, yeah, that's you!"

Gavin smiled. "Nice to see you, too."

"Hey, Gavin."

"Hey."

Avery got up, as Tito made his round by her legs, sniffing her and licking her ankles that stuck out of her sneakers. Gavin swallowed. "How've you been? With um. . . everything?"

She appreciated that he didn't really want to mention Marcus. "It's. . . been slow. Kind of, uh, weird, I guess." Avery ran a hand through her black and blonde locks. "I mean, you go from a two year relationship to nothing, not even seeing the guy and him calling and texting, trying to talk. But, I have my fictional husband Ransom Drysdale and he's telling me to be a vicious little bitch, so that's what I'm going for."

Gavin chuckled, but it died slightly when he noticed her shivering. "You wanna come in?" He motioned at the door. Scrunching her nose, Avery shook her head lightly. "I don't know. Would I be intruding?"

"No, no, not at all. The house is practically empty, save for me and Tito. Mom moved out about six months ago and dad's stuck in the office most of the time."

It was a sad admission. "Sure, I'll come in. But, just for an hour. We have school in the morning."

Gavin smiled lightly, "yeah, okay."

They walked up to the front door and Gavin unlocked it. "We can sit in the living room, or my room."

"Your room is fine."

"You remember where it is?" His question was teasing. "I remember, Gav," she replied, rolling her eyes. The nickname flowed through her lips like water from a fountain. Avery nudged off her shoes and then walked up the stairs in the foyer, heading for the last door on the right, when she got to the upstairs hallway.

She pushed the door open and her lips parted when she noticed his room.

It had changed, just like him.