What I Can't See

Demetri's POV-2 days later
"Hey honey. How was school?" My mom asked when I walked through the door of the kitchen due to the smell of brownies.
"Mom, I am sixteen now. Do you really think calling me 'honey' is appropriate?" I replied.
She gave me a weird look and then said, "Hey Dude. What's happening?"
"Oh my god, mom." I reached for a brownie.
She smacked my hand away. "Those aren't for you. I invited people for dinner tonight. So don't touch the brownies. You can have some of the next batch."
"What's the difference?"
"These brownies don't have nuts in them." She gave me a stern look. My mom can get angry when it comes to her cooking.
"What, are they allergic to nuts?" I asked sarcastically.
"One of them is." She glanced away. Is she hiding something?
Then a thought came to mind. "Andy is allergic to nuts. Who did you invite?"
She looked me back in the eyes. "I invited Ava and her family for a discussion."
"Great. Just great." I turned around and stalked up to my room.
Why would she do that? Ava hasn't talked to me since Saturday. Two days! I've texted her to try to tell her I was sorry at least ten times. I tried to talk to her at least twenty times today at school and still nothing. She avoided me like the plague. I finally got her to forgive me for hurting her all those years ago and now she thinks I'm even more of a jerk.
I got to my room and slammed my door. I walked over to my bed and fell back on it.
Why am I so stupid?
Ava's POV
I went up to my room after talking to my mom. Apparently we have a dinner to go to tonight at 7:30 with Demetri and his family. I can't believe she's making me do this. But I can't let my anger get in the way of my plan.I checked the clock, 3:27. I've got a good two and half hours before I start to get ready.
So first things first. Homework.
I have it pretty easy tonight. All I have is art. We have been told to draw something that makes us angry and pick a saying that goes with it. So guess what subject I have chosen. Demetri. He is such a jerk. He manipulated me! And what's worse is I fell for it. Even after Lu warned me about it. I feel so stupid. He took advantage of me.
-3 hours later-
Done. Wow. This assignment is due Thursday. Today is Monday. All I need is the saying.
There was a knock on my door.
"Come in. Unless you are annoying and talking to you would be a waste of time. If that is the case then nobody is here at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep. Beep." Wow I am retarted.
My door opened and my dad walked in. "I'm just checking to see if you are getting ready."
"Sorry. I was just finishing my art project." I began putting it away.
"Ahh. May I see it?"
"Since when do you take an interest in art?"
"Since my daughter took an interest in art. May I see it?"
"When we get back. I need to get ready, remember? Now get outso I can do so."
"Alright. I know when I'm not wanted." I opened my mouth to object when he raised his hand. "I know, I know." He turned and walked out of the room.
I turned and walked to my closet. Man I love my closet. It's big and a walk-in. What to where, what to where? What would go best with my plan?
There was something hanging up. A dress? I unzipped the bag. Oh my gosh!I love my mom. She must have known what I would do.I took the dress out and quickly tried it on.
Time to put my plan into action.
My jaw dropped.
Demetri's POV
My jaw dropped.
She looks amazing. She's wearing a red dress that comes just above her knee and it's strapless. Oh my god. What am I doing? I'm drooling over a girl who wants nothing to do with me. Although, I am marrying her. No, no, no. What am I saying? She's going to divorce me as soon as it's over with. I've got to get a hold of myself.
Oh crap. She's coming over here. She'll probably tell me to stop drooling over her and then slap me.
"So when does this party actually become a party, huh?" She gave me a playful smile.
"Wait- what- but you- because I- and then- what?" Oh my god. What is wrong with me? I can't form one sentence.
"You really thought I was mad at you? You should have seen it coming. Wow, men really are stupid. You played me, I played you."
"What do you mean?" I asked stupidly.
"What I mean is, you manipulated me into thinking you were upset and I manipulated you into thinking I was angry. Yours may seem worse, but mine lasted longer so now we're even."
My mom gave us a weird look. "Ava, would you like to finish this conversation out on the back porch?" I asked to get away from the curious glances from our parents.
"Sure." I gestured for her to go out first. We walked through the kitchen and out the back door.She seemed almost distant when she spoke again."Wow. I forgot that you have a pool and a garden back here. Howthe gardenhas a pond and everything." We walkedover to the bridge that goes over the pond.We just stood in silence for a few minutes."I remember when we used to run around out here after getting out of the pool. We'd play tag and hide and seek. I miss those days. So much energy, no worries, and every single day was an adventure. It wouldn't matter what you did or who you were with. It just felt good to be alive. Always happy and never sad. I miss it."
"Yeah. Don't you just wish you could just go back to those days?" The image of the two of us running around, laughing, and playing without a care in the world. I guess I do miss those days.
"Every second of every day. I just wish that for a little while that I could just have that kind of carefree life of a kid." That gives me an idea.
"Has it really been that stressful for you lately?" I hope that's not the case. If it is I am going to feel bad. This whole thing is my fault. She has to marry me because I won't let her out of it.
"Kind of. But what can you expect? This is a nightmare. I'm being forced into this whole thing. I'm confused. I can't sleep very well at night since this happened. My appetite is messed up. Then to top it all off, you messed with my feelings. But I'm over that last bit. It's the rest of this that is so hard for me to get passed." Now I feel like an ass. She turned to face me. "But don't worry. It's getting easier and I'm getting happier as it goes."
Is she saying what I think she's saying? No. There is no way she means me. Her friends must be telling her things to make it better. "Why? Is Emily giving you ideas on making my life miserable once we're married?"
"Maybe. But that's not what I mean." She took a step closer.Her gaze never left mine.
"Is the garden bringing back happy memories?" I asked taking a step back.
"Not the garden. But good memories are flooding my mind right now." She took another step forward.
Before a single thought could cross my mind, her lips were on mine and her body pressed against mine. God she felt good against me. What am I thinking?
She ran her hands through my hair. My god.
"Ava?" I mumbled into the kiss.
"Yeah?" My god she's amazing.
"I lo-"
"Dinner!" my mom called out.
We both jumped in surprise. And since we were leaning against the edge of the bridge, we fell in.
I came up first.I looked around for Ava but I didn't see her. Where is she? Is she drowning? Why is she still-
I was tackeled from behind into the water. We both came up laughing.
"You are so in for it," I said starting to chase her.
She screamed and ran out of the pond. I finally caught up with her as we passed the dining room. I wrapped my arms around her waste and started spinning her.
"Let me down," she screamed.
"I don't think so." I laughed.
"Let her down." I turned to see her father giving me a stern look. I immediately set her down.
My father walked in and stood next to him. I opened my mouth to explain what had happened but he held up his hand to silence my unspoken words. "I don't want to know. Just go upstairs and change." He turned to Ava, "And you go upstairs and ask Lucy if you can borrow something of hers. You two are about the same size right?" She nodded and turned to go upstairs. I followed her. I turned into my room. Time to put my plan into action.
Julie's POV(Ava's mom)
"You do know what's going on here, don't you?" I asked Kate(Demetri's mom).
"Love on the horizon," she replied simply. "It's about time."
"Yeah it it," I lied.
We heard laughing in the hall.
That's my girl.