CHAPTER ONE
Big John
‿︵‿︵‿︵
(NINE MONTHS AGO)
It's crazy how one day can simply change everything forever.
Avery Creed didn't handle change very well. There hadn't been a lot of things that stuck in her life. Losing her mother was the biggest change she had to face and it was the one thing that created her fear. For a little girl, it was confusing and made her cling to the consistent things she had.
Only yesterday, the news was given out to the island about a missing person. The officials stated that they were lost at sea and had formed a search. Nothing had occurred over the last twenty four hours. When Sheriff Peterkins turned up on the doorstep, Avery knew, although she was still struggling to accept it.
The girl swore to stick close to her best friend from that point on. Along with her other best friend, she stayed overnight at the Chateau and wasn't planning on leaving until John B kicked her out and changed the locks.
The bedroom was untouched. There were wrinkles in the duvet and a cup that had a mouthful of cold coffee left in the bottom. The windows were ajar, letting a warm breeze squeeze through and blow under the pages of the books that sat on the windowsill. The space gave her comfort, made her feel a little closer to the man that craved a soft spot for her over the years.
The girl stood by the window, gazing out at the two figures walking up from the docks. She reached down for the frame and slowly pushed it close, the last draft of air passed through the books and tickled the exposed skin on her stomach. Her eyes glanced down to see a familiar book, a copy of The Wreck Of The Mary Deare that she lent Big John a while ago.
Tears burned at the back of her eyes and throat, gradually making her vision blurry. Avery reluctantly took the book from the top of the pile and stepped backwards. She timidly reached up for the door handle and slowly pulling the bedroom door, she let out a shaky breathe as the latch clicked.
Silence sat between the two friends as they sat on the porch, letting their own thoughts run wild. The blonde stepped out of the house, a smile twitching at the sight of the sun setting. The sky that was painted with oranges and pinks, fading into a navy blue and stars are already poking out from the darkness.
Avery took a seat on the top step, not saying a word to either of the boys. They didn't think anything of it, hardly acknowledging her returning presence and continued to let everything sink in. Another thing she couldn't handle was silence, it made her incredibly uncomfortable. Usually she would crack a joke to start another conversation but she had to refrained herself from doing, knowing how to chose her comedic timing and right now definitely wasn't the time.
The blond boy sitting on bottom step, next of her high top cladded feet, his legs outstretched across the dry grassed ground, could hear the faint sounds of the jewellery rubbing together and turned his head. He immediately noticed the nervous habit of hers, watching her subconsciously pick at her fingers and twiddling her rings.
Avery felt his gaze and shifted her eyes down to meet his, staring as he passed over the joint with a small smile, reading her easily. He didn't often offer her a taste, usually smacking her hand away and ignoring her pouty lip. He didn't particularly like when she smoked, not even with him but after the last few days they had dealt with, he knew it would ease her. She returned the smile and got the stick between her fingers, brushing them across his hand as she did.
Taking a hit and letting the smoke roll out her mouth, she felt the drug sink into her system and very slowing relief her for a short moment. Passing the joint back to JJ, she looked up at the brunet that was leaning against the balustrade. Tears were balancing on his waterline as the dusky lighting casted over his freckled face. Her heart ached at the pain hiding within his honey eyes, a pain that she was far too familiar with and had been battling for the last few years.
Although she was never as close to her mother as John B was with his father, there was still moments that stained her memory and she held on tightly to. She knew what it felt like to lose someone close without an explanation. Big John was a good father, better than what others assumed. He had a character but Avery was fairly fond of the man.
"I don't think anyone just goes missing," Avery spoke up quietly, dragging John B's gaze to meet hers. "I think that they either planned it or there was a reason for it"
"How do you reason with a missing person?" The blue eyed boy asked. There was no hostility in his tone, instead he seemed curious as the two that looked at him had lost someone in the same way.
"Easily, if you think about it. everything has to aligns somewhere. Like an earthquake, there has to be a epitome" She shrugged her shoulders and stood up, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"You believe he is still out there?" The bruent asked with a small frown.
"Weirdly enough, yeah" She curtly nodded and sighed, resting her head on John B's shoulder as JJ stamped out the joint and stood up as well.
"You are only saying that because it's what you have convinced yourself" Her best friend blurted out, not even meeting her eyes as he stared at the horizon.
"What's that supposed to mean?" John B was quicker to respond. He had felt her body tense against his and felt a pang of anger at how carelessly JJ spoke on the overly sensitive topic.
"She can't encourage you to believe delusional bullshit. It didn't get her anywhere, did it?" His blue eyes flickered over to meet hers, softening as soon as he saw the glossy hazel pair look back at him.
"Shut up" She bit, narrowing her eyes at the boy.
Without another word, JJ stormed up the wooden steps and passed her. His jaw clenched as he realised that she hadn't followed him, knowing that he had messed up because of his own emotions that he recently couldn't grasp at all.
The sound of a door slamming made Avery flinch. She peered over her shoulder and her face twisted into a scowl. Without doubt JJ would emerge sometime later, sulking out of the spare room and smoother her in a cuddle, mumbling his reasoning and apologising. Until then, Avery was going to dwell and try to focus back on John B.
"He didn't mean that, Aves" John B softly spoke up.
"He never does, it's okay," She shook her head, stepping back to lean on the opposite side of the balustrade. "I mean what I said, John. If you believe, that's enough to make anything happen"
"Do you still think about her?" He carefully asked. His brown eyes scanned her face for any sign, ready to give himself a kick for asking, especially after JJ's outburst.
"Yeah, all the time" She quietly responded, bowing her head and blinked away the tears that threatened to fall.
Night had fallen by the time JJ had emerged from the room. He spotted John B in his room, laying on the bed on his back as he stared at the ceiling. At the sound of the door opening, the brunet turned his head to see his friend, curtly nodding his head towards the back door. He knew that JJ would go find Avery before he does anything else.
The blonde sat on the worn couch, John B's shirt around her shoulders. He draped it over her after she told him she wanted to stay outside a little longer, not choosing to question further as he took a good guess as of why and knew she liked to spend her time outside while thinking, apparently it kept her calm.
After he left, she had made her way down the yard and climbed into the stripy hammock, watching the stars twinkling above in the dark blue sky. The sound of chirping crickets and the tiny waves hitting the dock was enough to ease her mind for the time being.
Trying his best to not startle her, JJ crept towards the hammock and paused in his tracks to admire the girl. In the darkness, her features were still visible, especially her eyes that reflected the stars, speckles dotted around her irises. There was a faint outline of a smile on her lips, making his heart swell, he knew she adored the sky, it had always fascinated her.
"Hi" she spoke up first as she sensed his presence, her voice barely above a whisper
"Flower, I'm–"
"I know," Avery titled her chin up to get a better view of the boy. She offered a small smile and shuffled over, "come on"
Letting out a low chuckle, JJ obeyed and stepped closer to the hammock. He awkwardly stepped onto the fabric, making it rock frantically and Avery giggle quietly, greatly amused as she watched him fumble to get in besides her. Once he successfully got in and wiggled into a comfortable position, Avery cuddled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Aves," JJ whispered. Feeling the girl's cheek vibrate against his shoulder as she hummed in response. "I can't lose you"
"What makes you think that?" She leaned her chin on his shoulder, looking up at him as he stared up at the sky.
"I don't know, with your mom and Big John. It just feels like a pattern and I don't want to lose you" He opened up, taking a deep breath at the thought that haunted him.
Avery let out a halfhearted chuckle and promised him, "you aren't going to lose me, loser. Even if you did, I know you would find me"
"Always" JJ mumbled. He peered down at the girl resting on his chest, a smile tugging at his lips.
AUTHORS NOTE!
the first few chapters will be set before
the plot takes place. i'm hoping to begin avery's story and show the relationships she has. also am planning on including "flashbacks" through out as things start to build up and change. personally, as a reader, i find it breaks up the originality from the series and see behind the plot, like the development of the oc and other additional things.
but this is the first chapter!!
you don't wanna know how many times and long it took me to write this and actually like it. but i got there and i really like it, and hope you do too!