"You did great out there," her new boss compliments, cleaning his lens with the corner of his T-shirt.
"Is that a compliment, boss man?" she asks in amusement.
He shakes his head at her. They just finished up her first concert, and she has to admit that she had fun. It has been a while since she has been around so many people, and the atmosphere had been electric. The band was great and the fans had been in a frenzy. She had gotten a few shots, and she was pretty sure that she had a few commission-worthy ones too.
"You can call me Trevor," he says with a smile, and she knows that she's just made a friend.
"Come on," he tells her, slinging his arm around her shoulder, "it's time for the best part."
"What's that?" she asks with a smile.
"The after-party," he whispers in her ear with a mischievous grin.
"Actually," she starts, starting to feel uncomfortable, "I have some unpacking to do..."
"No can do, new girl, Kaden himself requests your presence."
She feels herself deflate. Parties are not her thing. Parties suck. Do you know why? One, her friend had been killed at one. Two, the venues are always crowded, loud and suspiciously dirty. If we were meant to be pressed up against so many people, we'd be born as conjoined twins or something. Bottom line, parties suck, and she didn't want to go.
But it's very hard to say no to your enthusiastic new boss-friend named Trevor who you feel guilty about calling a "great guy". So, that's why she finds herself in an overly crowded, overly loud and suspiciously dirty space.
"There you are!" Kaden yells boisterously, hanging on two girls at once.
"I didn't think you'd make it," he slurs.
Avery wrinkles her nose in disgust. He's drunk.
"Come on, meet my bros!" he says happily, ditching his two girls and dragging her behind him.
With each step, the music becomes unbearable, the sickly sweet smell of marijuana and tobacco assaults her senses. Her head begins to ache from the flashing lights, and she wants to throw up.
***
"We're about to raise. This. Roof!" Clara yelled loudly, nearly falling from her perch on the coffee table.
They're all at yet another house party. This was their third one this week. It was Wednesday. The crowd gathered around Clara cheered, and they all began knocking beer glasses together as they toasted to her crazy ways. She giggled, feeling utterly thrilled by the attention.
Avery just sighed and looked away.
The only way she dealt with so many parties was by not drinking. She and Lexi came up with that idea after they learned a few hard lessons. Speaking of Lexi, she was pretty sure her eyes were about to melt they were focused so intensely on Clara.
"If you hate her so much, why are you watching her?" Avery asked tiredly, "go on, have some fun, Lexi."
"I can't," Lexi growled, focused on Clara with an intense rage that could be seen from her expression.
It was surprising that Clara hadn't burst into flames yet.
"She just waltzes in and wrecks our entire dynamic. And what's up with Jeremy bringing her to the races like that? How do we push our merch while the sheriff's daughter is hanging over our main man?"
![Sex And Writing|| 18+ [{Completed}] de mercifulmeh](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/189117754-80-k464514.jpg)
"Your main man," Avery corrected with a smile.
Lexi huffs, and Avery knew that she's hit the nail on the head. Lexi was gorgeous. She stood head and shoulders taller than most people and had a unique pear-shaped body that she carried with confidence. Her thick hair was always dyed a crazy color, but now it was dyed black. To reflect her mood. She was rarely, if ever insecure, but something about the red-head bombshell that was Clara, made her feel out of place. Lexi did not like the feeling.
"Besides, maybe we shouldn't be pushing so much merch?" she suggested innocently.
Lexi rolled her eyes and smiled at her petite friend, nudging her with her shoulder.
"We do it for you, honey, we can't stop now."
"I don't want you guys to do this anymore. It is time for my dad to get what he deserves," Avery said sadly.
"They won't hurt him, they'll hurt you. You know we can't stop. The Tigers will come after you and it won't be pretty."
"But he won't be done with his sentence any time soon. He is paying for his debts."
"You know he doesn't just owe the law, and you're the one who has to pay."
"I can do it on my own," Avery said stubbornly.
"Sure you can, that little angel face screams honor roll, not a drug dealer. But it's too dangerous."
"There's my baby!" Clara shouted, directing the crowd's focus to an embarrassed Jeremy.
Lexi clenched her fists and shook her head in disgust.
"He won't tell her," Avery said softly.
"He could," Lexi said bitterly.
"He won't snitch on me," she said with conviction.
Lexi looked at her friend with pity, and wrapped her arm around her, bringing her in for a quick hug. She didn't say what they both were thinking. The Jeremy they used to know was being replaced by someone much darker.
They walked away, leaving Clara and Jeremy locked in a very public display of affection.
***
"This is Avery!" Kaden yells, his blonde hair tousled in front of his face.
Three young men look up, all with varying degrees of amusement on their faces. They're all still in the clothes they wore on stage, and she has to admit that they look incredibly handsome.
"This is Felix, resident drummer," Kaden announces, and a young man with a wife beater tank top on to showcase his tattoo sleeves gives her an amused salute.
"Say hello to Jack, our bass player," Jack has black hair and a starving artist look about him, she inclines her head and he does the same.
"And finally, this is my brother Cole, I got the looks and he got the keyboard."
Cole gives her a shy smile, and she finds that he vaguely reminds of her of a puppy.
"Welcome to the Fairly Chaotic experience!" Kaden yells, and the people around them cheer.
Avery gives him a thin smile and waits until he's turned his back. She then takes the opportunity to escape. She takes a deep breath as she makes it to the roof of the venue, and doubles over, retching the vile air out of her lungs.
"Hey, are you okay?" a voice asks.
She turns around to see Jack, eyeing her cautiously.
"I'm good," she rasps, straightening up.
"I see so," he tells her, raising his eyebrow.
"Why did you follow me?" she asks in confusion.
"You have sad eyes," he says cryptically, taking a seat on the wall and staring up at the sky with an artistic expression.
Yes, there's such a thing. Jack's busy doing it right now. Hush up and watch the pompous artist try and pick up the new photographer.
"I have what now?" she asks bluntly.
"Like, you're lonely in a crowded room. You see ghosts in every corner. People think you're stuck up, but really, you're just shy."
"Oh boy," Avery mutters, bending over again, this time to keep from laughing.
"It's okay though, I see you. I see you even behind that mask you wear," he tells her pompously, his fake British accent becoming thicker.
"Hey, Jack, some reporter wants to ask you some questions. She said something about wanting to interview the new face of the band?"
Jack perks up and touches her cheek. He leaves, but not before giving her a long, and searching look.
"I believe it's two for one now," Kaden boasts, walking up to her.
"I didn't need your help," she tells him, going to sit on the spot Jack had just vacated.
Kaden looks taken aback, and slightly hurt.
"When I said that you owe me, I meant that your debt will be settled with a currency I ask for."
"Where did you even learn to speak like that?" he asks, looking incredulous.
She smiles at him but doesn't answer. She has a lot of experience with debts. He cautiously takes a seat across from her and tries not to look at her face. A heavy silence settles over them, and she contemplates leaving.
"He was right you know," he says softly.
"Right about what?" she asks patiently.
"About you having sad eyes."
