Chapter Text
Chapter 2: Age 12. One year Later.
The first couple weeks of 8th grade had crawled by in slow succession and Ava’s head was pounding. She wasn’t sure if the persistent drumming between her brows was due to a lack of sleep, stress, or just the general anxiety of starting a new school year. To make matters worse, it didn’t help to know that Auden hadn’t made it home until well past 3am. With her worries and fears compounding, Ava wasn’t ready for the day.
The thought of Sara, waiting for her at their usual spot was the only thing keeping her going at this point. If she didn’t show up on time, there was no doubt Sara would be annoying. Ava could already see the patented Sara Lance pout in her mind’s eye. Her bottom lip protruding out and the corner of her mouth turned downward in the most dramatic way.
In the full year that Ava had known her, she had lost count of the amount of times that Quentin had teased his daughter over this tiny detail. Often throwing in the exclamation of, “Pouty pants strikes again!” Just to get under his youngest’s skin in only the best way that a father would know how.
Not that Ava had much experience in that department to fully understand such a dynamic. Being around Sara and the Lance’s the past year had at least given her an idea. They had welcomed her to their tight knit group with open arms. It’s just how they were. How they operated. Ava had no choice but to love them all.
She admired the way Laurel dressed. The way she held herself. She was confident and warm. Laurel said Ava’s name like she was always happy to see her. Laurel was only three years older than both Sara and Ava, but being around Laurel in the way of an older sister felt different to Ava than what she was used to with Auden. Laurel was lighter. It was like having an older sister without the extra added burden that also came with being her guardian.
Ava didn’t know when she had started to feel Auden’s transition between her sister to her guardian. But she knew enough to notice the distinction. Auden worked two jobs to support the both of them. She spent her days pulling shifts at the local diner a few blocks over. Her nights and some weekends were occupied bartending at the new and popular downtown night club, The Waverider.
To no fault of her own, Auden was barely around. An inconvenience that had given Ava what she considered to be one of the biggest blessings to come out of Star City. The Lances.
Ava often stayed at the Lance’s when Auden was forced to work a double to keep their lights on and bills paid on time. Quentin had taken to calling her his, “honorary third daughter.” Each time a smile bigger than the last gracing Ava’s stoic features. Ava adored him too.
Ava knew she wasn’t the first to be charmed by Quentin Lance’s big goofy grin and fierce protectiveness of his daughters. There were times that Mr. Lance reminded her of her own mother. The way he would drop in every night before lights out to look Sara in the eye one last time and remind her she was loved; Almost as if he couldn’t bear the idea of her shutting her eyes without that reassurance.
Amelia had been similar. Never going a day without showing both of her daughters just how much she cared. Ava could still see it clearly if she focused hard enough. A memory seared into her head, “I love you, bug.” Amelia’s strong arms spread wide, waiting for the moment that Ava would jump into them full force with a hug. “I’ll never stop.”
As she pondered on it now, Never was a word that held so much finality. Never had no end it sight. Ava held on to the belief that her mother’s love mimicked that concept. Final. Transcending from the other side. No end in sight. She still felt it sometimes. Maybe most on those quiet days spent with the Lances. Especially during those stolen moments spent with Sara.
Sara’s family truly had become important to Ava, but the youngest Lance held a special place in her heart.
Making friends had never been something that Ava had been particularly good at doing. Keeping them a whole different story as well. Sara made it easy. Sara, with her larger than life personality and can do attitude. When Sara Lance wanted something, she made it happen. It was one of the things that had drawn Ava towards her in the first place. Ava was powerless to stand in the way of what Sara wanted. If Sara wanted the taller girl’s friendship, Ava had no problem conceding to that notion.
Making her way to the bus stop, Ava realized she had gotten lost in her thoughts. Today was going to be a rough one, but Ava had no doubt Sara would crack some ridiculous joke and make it at least bearable.
The first words out of Sara’s mouth upon seeing Ava’s disheveled appearance are not what she’s expecting, “Geez Aves, You look like crap!” Her confusion evident. Her brow creased. “It’s nice to see you too, Sara.” Ava rolls her eyes with her reply.
The shorter blonde comes closer. Her blue eyes carefully searching Ava’s own. Getting into Ava’s personal space the only way that Sara knows how. Sara Lance was the only person Ava ever allowed to get away with popping her carefully constructed bubble. “What happened last night?” Ava can tell her friend is concerned. They had been texting all night and suddenly Ava’s replies stopped coming. “Oh nothing really. Auden didn’t show up when she said she was going to. I was worried and I couldn’t sleep until I heard her come in.”
Ava’s hand reaches up to try and alleviate the pain of her compounding headache once again. Apparently Sara doesn’t like this answer. Her reaction says it all. Back straight. Tension coiled in her body, face aflame with nothing but good intentions for her friend. “Aves, how many times do I have to tell you that you don’t have to be her keeper. She’s the one who should be worried about you!” The venom in Sara’s voice stings just a little. It’s not like she’s wrong, but the hard truths about her sister have always been difficult for Ava to hear.
“She is worried about me...She’s working all of these late nights just so she can take care of me. So she can take care of both of us. I just know what she’s going through and I don’t want to make anything any harder on her than it already is...She’s only 19. She shouldn’t have to worry about what her little sister is doing at all. But this was the hand she was dealt, so if I have to stay up all night to make sure that she’s okay too, then that’s exactly what I will do.”
Ava’s pain is evident in the way her voice breaks at the end of her sentence. Her eyes focused directly on Sara, “No one else is going to worry for her. I’m all she has.” Ava turns her head away. Her Grey blue eyes staring straight ahead at the stop sign across the road from their stop. Sara’s eyes soften. She knows Ava is shutting down. Talk of her older sister completely off the table.
Sara lets out a quiet sigh and runs a hand through her hair. She briefly turns her back to Ava to pick her backpack up from off the ground where she had it laying. Without saying a word, she goes to stand next to the other girl. Her shoulder lightly brushing against her best friend’s arm.
Ava stays quiet. Takes in the heavily charged moment. She’s grateful for Sara. Grateful for how protective she always is of her. Sara had never been one to shy away from being vocal about her opinions, especially when someone she cared about was involved... Ava, too strong for her own good, prides herself on showing no vulnerabilities. She hates it, but Auden is always a soft spot.
After a few moments, Sara finally finds her voice once more. Not one to keep what she’s thinking inside for too long, “I’m sorry, Aves. I wasn’t trying to talk badly about Auden in any way. I know she’s only trying her best...I know how much you love her & how much you worry about her because of everything you both have been through.”
Sara stops for a moment. Collecting her thoughts. She’s aware that what she is about to say next, Ava might have trouble hearing. “Auden isn’t the only one who lost Amelia. You did too. You were dealt the same hand, Aves. All I’m trying to say is to give yourself a break. Auden can take care of herself. You shouldn’t have to worry about her to the point that you’re up all night panicking and losing sleep. She wouldn’t want you to and with everything that you’ve told me about your mom, she wouldn’t want that for you either.”
With that, Sara is finished. She takes a deep breath and angles her body in a way in which she’s looking up at Ava, their bodies still touching. Sara’s head now resting gently on Ava’s shoulder, her right hand intertwining with Ava’s left. For a moment, it’s all too much. Ava can feel the tears threatening to spill over her eyelids. Wiping them away quickly, she welcomes the shorter blonde’s affection. “How do you always do that?” Ava questions, finally looking back down at Sara. “Do what? Make you cry?? Because that’s really not what I was going for with any of this.”
Ava throws her head back and laughs. Sara’s heart swells at the sound. A bright smile gracing her delicate features once again. “Nooo silly. Not that. Besides, you didn’t see that. Ava Rhae Sharpe, does NOT cry. Ever.” Ava turns her head up in disgust at the thought. Sara just rolls her eyes and scoffs.
“Okay tough guy, my mistake. Must’ve been dust in your eye or something.” Sara will let her have this one. Just this once. Ava snickers and continues with her thought, “What I was going to say was that you always know just what to say. Even when I don’t want to hear it.” Ava says the last part quietly, but Sara still takes in every word.
Her only response is a simple shoulder shrug followed by, “Dunno, Aves. It’s a gift I guess. Call me the Ava whisperer. I know exactly what my best friend needs!” Sara smirks in that holier than thou way that drives Ava up the wall on most days. Today it just makes her feel warm inside. Not letting the shorter blonde in on that little revelation, Ava lets go of Sara’s hand and pushes her away with a laugh. “Okay, okay whatever you say...What I need right now is for the stupid bus to get here! We’ve been waiting for almost 20 minutes! My head is killing me. I just want today to be over already.”
Sara isn’t falling for the taller blonde’s dramatics. Her optimism never fading, she exclaims, “Ohhh come on!! It’s going to be great!! We’ll get to see all of our friends!” Ava can’t help but smile at the way her best friend’s eyes light up. Impossibly blue. Impossibly frustrating and yet she can’t put her finger on why.
Thankfully, the bus chooses that exact moment to round the corner of their neighborhood, heading straight for them. Ava is saved from contemplating the thought of Sara’s eyes any further. The next thing Ava knows, Sara’s hand is in hers once again and the smaller girl is pulling her towards the open doors of the stalled school bus. Sara has turned everything around for her once again and she didn’t even have to try. Ava finds herself happily following behind her best friend, eager to get inside and start the week exactly how they both preferred, together.