CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
Fairytales
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(PRESENT)
JJ's voice was muffled in her ear.
Feeling his hand moving in hers, Avery knew that this was the moment she had been preparing herself for. She wanted to scold the boy for stepping back and letting her handle it herself, knowing that it was not his place. Even though JJ would stay with her if she asked, in fact, he wanted to stick by her side.
Avery's eyes stayed latched onto his, watching him take little steps back from her. His fingers remained touching hers for as long as he could, only letting go when they fell out of reach. She would usually be reassured by the smile he flashed her, yet, it didn't ease the nauseating feeling whirling in her stomach or her racing heartbeat.
Forcing every bone in her body to move, Avery finally looked away from JJ. He waited until the dancing crowd blocked his view of her to turn around. A hand clapped his shoulder, his gaze flickered up to see Rafe standing in front of him.
"Hey, Dad," Her voice was brittle and delicate. Avery hoped that it won't fail her. She slowly twisted on the balls of her feet to come face to face with the man she loved wholeheartedly, but was afraid of. Her eyes closed and she spoke fast, "look, I know that I have so much explaining to and I–"
Her body was grabbed by two larger hands wrapping around her forearms and tugged her forwards. Feeling the contact, her eyes snapped open just as she was pressed against his body. It took her a long second to register and she fought the urge to cave, to hug him back. But when she did, wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her head on his shoulder, Avery felt a burst of bliss.
For so long, she had convinced herself of some many things. Avery feared that when she was to face him again, after everything she wouldn't see her father, the man she once knew. Yet, some man that morphed into some monster that made her run and never turn back.
But right then, she was in the arms of her father.
With her head resting on his shoulder, she felt her throat tighten and tears casted over her pupils, making her vision extremely blurry. He felt her body sharply jolt, hearing a snuffle, and carefully tightened his hold around her petite frame. One of his hands lifted and he placed it on the back of her head, like he used to when she was small. This action only made her whimper even more, burying her face into the crock of his neck.
After a prolonged moment, they pulled away from the hug and took a single step back. Avery sniffled and looked up, blinking away her tears as she cautiously wiped under her eyes, not wanting to ruin her makeup a little more. Noah rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head lightly, staring at the girl in front of him.
"I'm sorry, I just had to– you know," He mumbled and lifted his hand to his hair, pushing it back. Avery couldn't hold back the smile and hummed. Noah sighed, "I know that there is a lot to talk about. But for now, like right now, I just want to be here with you"
"Me too. And I'll tell you everything, I promise" Avery nodded frantically, cracking a smile at the sound of her father's airy laugh.
His matching hazel eyes dropped to take in her appearance. The sight of the golden dress hanging from her body made his heart ache. He still mastered up a wider smile, "that was your mom's favourite dress"
"Oh," Avery dragged out and looked down at the dress. "Yeah, yeah it was"
"How— how did you get it? I thought I had put it away in a box and never told you about it" His forehead crinkled at the realisation.
"Funny story actually. Before the party, I got John B to drive us to the house and JJ kind of broke in. I found it years ago and never told you" Avery muffled a laugh, slightly nervous to get his reply.
"Those kids," Noah playfully scoffed but his daughter didn't cipher it correctly. She was about to defend her friends when he softly smiled, looking out at the crowds and spotted Kiara and Pope in the distance. "They really would do anything for you"
The words made Avery smile like a child. It was true and she never wanted to forget it, or ever take them for granted. She nodded curtly, "yeah, they would"
As if on cue, JJ's voice loudly erupted. The Creed's immediately looked through the crowds to see the blond boy being escorted. In true JJ fashion, he wasn't making it easy. Avery raised her eyebrows and pushed out a breathe, watching her best friend steal a drink and down it within seconds, making security pull him away from the table.
"It's okay, everybody! Do not panic. Leave it to the men and women in uniform, huh? Let's hear it for them!" JJ shouted and gestured with his hands, clapping before the guard harshly grabbed him again.
"Hey!" Noah hollered, bringing some attention. He was starting to bubble in anger at the sight of JJ being manhandled by the suited Kook.
"Let go of him! You can't just boot him!" Kiara stood on the porch in her pretty purple dress. "I invited him here. I'm a member of this club!"
"Oh shit" Avery laughed in disbelief, noticing JJ giving the guard a hard shove. She gasped as the man fell into the table behind him.
"Hey, mandatory power hour at Rixon's, Kie," JJ called out, pointing over at the girl before twirling around to see Pope. "Pope, you as well, all right? Rixon's Cove. Let's roll"
Anxiously turning back around to her father, Avery forced a smile. Tonight was not meant to go this way. It was meant to give her and Noah time, to make up for everything that had occurred. Now she was torn between staying in Kooklandia with her old man or to join her friends.
A whistle shot through the air and made Avery peer over her shoulder to see JJ pacing backwards, pointing directly at her, "come on, princess. Let's run!"
"Go," Noah told her. He knew that she would be debating and that whatever her friends were up to, she was apart of it too. "You don't have to hold back anymore, kid"
A beaming smile stretched across her lips at his words. She bent down slightly to pick up her dress, raising it above her ankles. Letting go of on side, Avery clumsily tried to push the flower crown up her head before it fell off. Her father reached over and fixed it for her, pulling her into him to place a quick kiss on her hairline.
"I'll— I'll be back, Dad, I promise. I'm not gonna leave again!" She shouted to him, pacing backwards.
Feeling a hand snatch hers, Avery looked up to meet Kiara. She intertwined her fingers with the brunette and let her pull along. The two were giggling together as they ran, wobbling in their heels, towards the boys. Dropping Kiara's hand, Avery diverted her direction to head for JJ's open arms.
"I got you!" He bellowed with an enthusiastic smile on his lips.
A loud laugh escaped her mouth as soon as her body collided with his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, feeling her feet lift from the floor. He hugged her waist and spun around with her, making her tighten her grip around him.
Once her feet were on the ground again and she had untangled herself from him, Avery's hand slipped into his. He was surprised by the action, glancing over at her, missing her gaze as she was looking at John B. The brunet gave her finger guns and made her burst into giggles.
"Now, this is want fairytales are all about" Her laughter was dying down but the smile never left her face.
Avery gently tugged on his hand and picked up her pace as they continued running from the scene. JJ gazed over at her, his blonde locks falling in his face and his bow tie had gone askew. He noticed her cheeks were rosy and other hand was holding the crown on her head.
Even though they probably had stirred more trouble, a lot had come clearer in that one night. Especially for Avery and JJ.