Where Life Takes Us

Chapter Twenty-Two

A/N: Some minor changes from past chapters have changed, so please ignore those! Hope you like this new update, and don't forget to vote if you enjoy it and comment your thoughts on it as you read through this chapter :)

Chapter Twenty-Two

A V E R Y

Wade was always one to surprise me.

        When we misunderstood each other, we somehow made up by opening up about our pasts. Then, I watched Wade overwork himself for his family, a side I never saw because of rumours people said about his reputation.

        However, ever since his hospitalization, Wade surprised me by acting differently. He willingly smiled at others and cracked jokes more frequently than before.

        It was nice to see Wade happy, despite everything during those days. As weeks passed, Wade surprised me once again; I couldn't say I was happy with this sudden change.

Slowly, Wade went from hanging out with me whenever he could to barely even saying anything to me when we were together. The only explanation I had was maybe he was still uncomfortable around me because of our past arguments.

I couldn't blame Wade, but it hurt watching his behaviour towards me change without a reason why.

"Avery, you're shopping with us later to find dresses for the dance, right?" Ellie inquired, interrupting my thoughts as Willow, Ellie, and I moved up the lunch line.

Scrunching up my eyebrows, I asked in confusion, "What dance?"

"You know, the Black and White Ball? The Valentine's Day themed dance the school brought back, which is next Friday?" Willow reminded, as they looked at me in disbelief, "We love you, but sometimes we think you live under a rock. You're definitely coming with us."

The truth was, I didn't want to go to the Black and White Ball. Since it was Valentine's Day themed, it was inevitable that I would see couples dancing, kissing, and acting incredibly sweet with each other.

It was nice to know others were lucky to feel that way with someone they truly cared about. However, it was merely a constant reminder of my unrequited feelings for Wade, knowing he would never like a plain, ordinary girl like me.

As I was about to tell Willow and Ellie that I wasn't going, their faces lit up while they talked about attending the ball altogether. When they asked me again, I knew I was selfish. I was going to the ball, only because of them to which they squealed in delight.

How was I supposed to be happy with newfound chaos surrounding me?

Wade never brought up my feelings for him after our argument. Day by day, Wade slowly ignored me, as if we never made up. It was why I was afraid to like him in the first place; it ruined our friendship. Here we were, drifting apart once again.

"Wade again?" Willow asked, while I defeatedly nodded. "You need to stop worrying. He'll explain everything, just wait."

From the lunch line where I stood with Ellie and Willow, Wade and the boys goofed off and guffawed at their lunch table. As usual, a wide grin was on his face with the corners of his eyes crinkling when Wade laughed.