Avery Benjamin.

Billie's POV:

I recently saw Avery Benjamin again. 

Running into someone you loved intensely as a child brings about a joy inside of you that is difficult to describe. 

The last memory I have of Avery, as a child, are of the two of us holding on to each other the day she and her family moved. 

Both of us were crying, but she was hysterical. I promised her that we'll write to each other and that you will call each other all the time...

  

Avery's mother had to pull her daughter away from you and sit with her in the backseat of their pickup truck to stop her from jumping out as her father drove away. Finneas put his arm around your shoulders and tried consoling you. "Everything will be okay, Billie. You'll see." At that moment in time, it didn't feel like anything would ever be okay again. 

 Avery was a part of your family. Your mom and dad treated her like one of their children. 

You remember waiting for a letter in the mail or a call with her new contact information. 

Waiting, waiting, waiting. She said she would let you know. 

She promised that she would. Cross her heart and hope to die.

The call never came, nor did the letter.

You cried every night for months after Avery moved.   

You promised yourself that one day when you grow up, you'll trace her down somehow and go fetch her. She would live with you and your family forever and ever.

Sometimes, in the middle of a regular day, Avery's face would appear in your mind.

You'd be busy riding your bicycle or at dance practice... and all of a sudden she'd stand in front of you, clear as a bell. 

Weeks turned into months. Months into years.

Sometimes... loved ones slip from your thoughts and that will forever be something that you hold against yourself.

You met on the first day of elementary school. 

Avery stood alone next to the classroom door, waiting patiently. Her two, long pigtails bouncing  whenever she took a nervous look around her at the other children and their parents. 

No adult stood beside her.

After the bell rang, the children were let into the classroom. Your mom and dad hugging you tightly.

Entering the classroom, your eyes searched for the two pigtails immediately.

Avery sat alone, quietly looking around at the classroom.

Standing next to her, you introduced yourself. "Hello, my name is Billie. What's yours?" You asked confidently. 

"I'm Avery. Nice to meet you Billie." She said shyly, apprehensive about making direct eye contact with you. 

"May I sit next to you?" You asked friendlily. 

That was how you met. The beginning of a friendship.

Other children didn't like Avery for some reason. They treated her differently. Finneas explained that it was because the Benjamin family were poor.  

You didn't care about that at all. Avery was kind, and in your mind, she was the most beautiful girl you had ever seen. She was really clever too. She helped you with anything you struggled with in class, especially mathematics, which made your tics worse.

She rarely came to school with lunch, so you asked your mom to pack an extra lunch for her.

Her eyes would grow wide over the meals your mom prepared for the two of you. 

Seeing her smile, brought you immeasurable joy. 

Whenever the children wanted to pick on her for the clothes she was wearing, you'd come to her defense. Standing in front of her, ready to pounce on anyone who dared to say anything nasty to her within hearing distance.  

One day you couldn't take it anymore. After school, you took a bag and packed all of the clothes that were too small for you in it. Your mom just smiled and walked you to Avery's house, down the street. Avery's face lit up like sunshine when she saw what was in the bag.    

Your parents thought Avery was very sweet and well-mannered. 

They'd ask you to invite her over to play and to do homework together on most days. Afterwards, you would all have dinner together as a family, then you and Finny  would walk Avery home. Avery's parents didn't seem to mind where she played or where she did her homework or where she ate her dinner. They didn't seem to care much about anything at all.

You two were playing in the park one afternoon. There was a boy who kept on being mean to Avery. He was bigger than either of you. She didn't say anything to him and she told you to not pay any attention to him. You tried ignoring him, but when he stuck a piece of gum in Avery's hair, you ran up to him, punching him right on his nose. Blood running over his mouth and down his shirt as he let out a loud wail. 

"Serves you right, you bully!" You screamed at him.  

You took your friends hand and walked her to your house. 

You and your momma tried getting it out, but it spread worse. As your mom fetched the scissors, tears were pooling in your eyes, threatening to flow over. 

"It'll grow back, Billie. Don't worry." She said, comfortingly. 

You never told anyone, but you put her cut hair in a container and hid it in the treehouse your dad built for you and Finneas. You couldn't bear to think of something as lovely as Avery's hair being thrown in the trash.