Chapter Text
The cracks of the fireworks spewed outside, people cheering and screaming with joy. Whilst Avery, was not. Staring into his screen, the Minecraft death screen plastered across the pixilated face, tears streamed down his cheeks. Hands shaking, head pounding, tears streaming, he suddenly got a call from his mother. The cellphone buzzed besides the shaken Avery, scaring him, though he immediately picked it up and put on his best smiling persona.
"Sweetheart, why aren't you out here? The fireworks have already started and we have green apples out here! Your brother misses you, you know." His moms voice was laced with concern, and with drunkenness. Her words softly grumbled together as she hiccupped. Avery sighed.
Avery's mother had been drinking since his birth, always claiming it was stress relieving. What it really was, was abuse. She had ignored her husbands worries, her sons bruises, and the countless puking in the middle of the night. It was nothing but a mess of pure puke and heartbreak.
Avery sniffled, still wiping his tears as he leaned down to clutch his stomach. He felt like he needed to throw up, or shit himself, or both. "I-I got tired... I'm sorry. Tell Lucas that I miss him too." His voice was hidden badly, his mom quickly noticing his voice cracks. But Avery didn't give her time to be concerned, and immediately hung up. He sighed.
"Why... Why Derek?" Staring up at the ceiling of his room, he whispered those words. "I'm so sorry..."
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RIIIING. The alarm screamed in Averys ear, startling him up. He almost fell out of his chair as he arose from the deep slumber that took him over last night. Looking in front of him, he saw a black screen. Bumping his mouse as he ruffled up his hair from the, what felt like, restless night, the screen illuminated. The death screen was still there. Avery paused, staring in front of him. "God damn it!" He screamed, slamming his hands on the battered down desk. His PC then died from being on all night. "Oh, and now you turn off? Fuck you!" He groaned, tears swelling in his eyes. Don't cry, you have school today.
Avery stretched, grabbing his headphones and throwing them onto the keyboard. He stood up, looking in the mirror ride in front of his bed, facing towards the other wall. It showed Averys tear stained face and sleep deprived eyes. He wanted to throw a mug at the mirror. He hated how he felt. It didn't make any sense. You don't even know who he is. Stop acting like you've known him for years, man.
He groaned, but slowly rumbled towards the dresser that was besides his desk. Grabbing the first thing he saw, he ended up in gym shorts, a Minecraft themed T-shirt, and a hoodie with a sword pattern across it. Putting on some accessories like a couple necklaces and nice sunglasses, he enjoyed his outfit. Quickly after, he heard his brother screaming at him to get downstairs. "I'm coming! Hold on!"
Avery ran downstairs, quickly slipping on some untied converse, and zipping out the house with his brother.
The silence was loud as his brother drove. Lucas knew something was going on last night, but he was simply too scared to ask, fearing that Avery would yell and say he was prying. The only other thing he could think about was trying to start a conversation.
"Why weren't you out last night? I came over around 1 am after Mom called me, but you weren't there." Lucas' voice spoke softly, trying not to seem annoyed or upset with Avery. He's honestly never seem Avery this quiet, and it worried him.
Avery mumbled something under his breath, looking out the window in the passenger seat. "I was just watching a sad movie. Got pretty affected on it, is all." Avery spoke, not daring to face his brothers empathetic face.
"Well, what movie? Titanic? You always cry during that one." Lucas focused himself back on the road, smiling at warm memories of their family crying together during the Titanic's deaths. But Avery did nothing but stare outside.
"I forgot the name. Sorry." Lucas watched as Averys leg started to shake, and his hands started to fidget together. The picked at skin and the small chewed up nails showed how bad this so called 'movie' was. Lucas simply just sighed, deciding not to pry on it more. Yet, he couldn't help but worry about his younger brother.
Avery has always been a bright and kind kid. His empathetic heart and shining eyes always welcomed anyone who came towards him. He tended to be rather impatient and sometimes a little dumb... But Avery is more than a brain in a bone cockpit piloting a skin robot. He's always there for others, always lends a helping hand, and always tries the quickest option rather than wasting hours for one little lake. Lucas has also always been close with his brother, sticking together like glue since he was born. Lucas knows his younger brother with his heart. He knows more about Avery than the army, and he's been in the military for five years practicing hard to protect the country. So when Avery is looking out the window, saying a sentence with less than 10 words in it, and with a monotone type voice, he knows something is wrong. But he can't be seen prying on his brothers personal stuff, that'd be a bad brother move. So, Lucas stayed silent.
Soon enough, they got to school. Avery quickly picked up his backpack and shut the car door behind him, completely ignoring his brother. Lucas quickly rolled down the window and shouted, "Have a good day!" Instead of saying it back, Avery simply just put his hand up to wave good bye. Yeah no, somethings up with him.
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The second bell rang, echoing through Averys ears. Avery yelped, startling himself awake. He had gotten barely any sleep. For someone who usually gets a good eight to nine hours of sleep, running on two isn't the smartest. At least Avery has something to look forwards too. His third hour was Computer Science, which not only includes coding, it also includes his two best friends, Leeroy and Bobby. The Three Dies.
Avery rubbed his eyes, quickly stuffing his pencils and paper into his pockets, grabbing his binder, and rushing outside to see his friends. Quickly behind him, was the sound of someone screaming. Somebody suddenly tackled Avery to the ground, laughing and giggling and hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe.
"Jesus Christ, Lee! Hi!" Avery laughed, quickly standing upset besides his dear friend. Lee laughed and jumped around in joy, kicking her feet in so much excitement she looked like she was going to blast off into the sky with a sparkling rainbow behind her.
"Avery! Guess what, guess what, guess what!" She squealed, grabbing Averys collar and touching foreheads. She stared deeply into Averys eyes, her cute hazel eyes shining with joy.
"Uhhh, chicken butt?" Avery murmured.
"My dads getting me HRT! Eeee!" She squealed jumping up and down and just barely missing the crack in the floor with her heel. Avery was really hoping she would trip and fall, but alas. She had already perfected them.
Avery smiled, grabbing Lee's hands and jumping with her. "Oh my gosh! Congrats, Lee! I'm so happy for you! Do you need any help with the expenses?" Avery tilted his head. Leeroy's family had always been a bit in the lower class, so she didn't have a lot of many for everything.
"No no no, we got it. It's surprisingly cheap actually! Though, I forgot the actual cost... Whatever." She smiled, waving it off like a silly game. Avery rolled his eyes, but still matched Lee's excessive personality with glee.
They started to walk towards their third hour, which was in the lower level of the school. But Leeroy noticed something off about her friend.
"Hey, Avery... Are you okay? I've never seen you this... uh... tired." Leeroy expressed her concerns, trying to find the right words without sounding too rude. She tries her best to find the kindest way to say things.
Avery suddenly looked up from the ground, looking down at Lee's deeply worried face. Her brows were furrowed and her smile was, in fact, not a smile at all, but rather a frown that was plastered on her face like a cartoon at a funeral. "Oh, just say I look bad." Avery laughed. "I, uhm..." Avery's head suddenly rushed into what happened the previous night. He remembered that idiotic death screen, and the littles chats in the corner. He remembered d3rlord... Derek. He barely knew Derek, yet all he wanted to do was save him and understand what was going on. But that caused him...
"Avery..?"
He gasped, snapping back into reality. He looked to his side, noticing that he was already at the door of his third hour class. They had walked all the way there, in silence.
"Sorry." Avery whispered, rubbing his eyes aggressively to try and fight off the drowsiness. "The, uh, fireworks got to me. Yeah."
Leeroy couldn't help but chuckle at Avery's face, annoyed and tired and all the stuff he usually would never be. Leeroy elbowed his side jokingly, "Whatever, girl. Let's just get inside and talk with Dutch"
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Inside, all the desks were set up perfectly in that order that Mr. Hutchins always kept it in. As Leeroy, Avery, and Dutch were talking, someone walked in. Avery barely noticed, but out of the corner of his eye, that someone seemed familiar. He sat in the desk right next Leeroy, so one chair away from Avery.
Of course, Leeroy noticed him. "Hey there! I'm Leeroy, what's your name?" She squeaked.
"Derek. Derek Hutchins."