Wrong Quarterback | ✓

10 | capulets and montagues

The skirt of her dress flutters around her thighs as they're hit by the ocean breeze and Avery mimics Lea, throwing her head back to join her in a hollering laugh, letting it slip into the night.

♡♡♡

Nic lifts one of his shoulders in a half-shrug as he catches Avery's gaze, her eyes narrowing as she swirls the liquid around the plastic cup in her hand, eyeing the beer suspiciously. He knows just as well as she that it's not exactly her first choice of alcoholic beverage.

"You didn't say there'd be Easters around."

At Lea's words she looks up, seeing her friend shoot Nic a look as she takes the plastic cup he's holding out for her. He shoots her a mirroring look. "When aren't they around?"

Judging by the scowl on Lea's lips, Avery has a feeling she's not only referring to the teenagers already in the crowd and as she turns her head over her shoulder she spots the newcomers having caught her friend's attention.

            Matthew Puckett, already louder than everyone else there, leads the trio across the sand dunes towards the gathering by the bonfire, shouting something to someone stood down by the shore. Ethan comes sauntering behind, his lips in a wide smile as he laughs with the girl he has his arm thrown around – Rhea Georgiou – part of Ace East's cheerleading team.

          "Just ignore them," Nic continues, nudging Lea in the side, before shooting a pointed look Luke's way as his lips pull into a grin. "Or start a fight, if that's what you're in the mood for."

Avery averts her eyes back to her friends, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as Luke pauses with the rim of his cup against his lips. "Oh shut up," He lazily wraps his arm over Avery's shoulder, adding, "Besides, you should be telling Ave – not me."

Avery's lips part. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just saying."

"True," Callie hums in agreement as her eyes examine the crowd as if to see who's there, who she knows and who she should do her best to avoid. She raises her brows as her gaze comes to linger on Avery. "What? It is true."

"No it's not."

Luke leans his chin on the top of her head. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

"Can you blame her?" Chase – who Nic and Luke found somewhere along the way back from the kegs – asks and Avery doesn't miss the way Lea's eyes flit to him, as if momentarily having forgotten about his presence. "You know what they say about Capulets and Montagues..."

Avery rolls her eyes and lets her gaze wander away again, her lips pressing together as she spots someone, stood in another circle of people across the crowd, already looking at her. She barely lifts her free hand in a wave. He barely nods. Then they both turn away.

         Lifting her cup to her lips, she grimaces at the taste with the first sip. Nose scrunching up, she extends the cup to Luke and leans into his embrace.

Callie, having caught the expression of disgust, laughs and laces her fingers around Avery's wrist, pulling her with her before motioning for Lea to follow them.

"Come on babes," She says. "Let's find Avery something to drink."

♡♡♡

She's sipping orange soda – which they brought with them from hers – mixed with champagne, courtesy of Marlene on Lea's volleyball team. Why the girl brought champagne with her in the first place is a bit of a question mark but Avery's not complaining about the bubbly buzz it adds to her soda, not about the girl happily wanting to share either.