You Can't Tell Me to Heal

Halvo was pissed at me, but only because he was worried. I felt bad for worrying him, though, so I agreed to meet his friends this weekend. My mom came back after John and I got everything fixed at my house and sorted out at the police station. Things were mostly back to normal... but not between John and I.

I was pissed at Halvo because he was just being so...Halvo, so I quit hanging out with him for a while. I even started driving myself to my therapy sessions. Dr.Resnick said I was making good progress. The one thing missing at the physical therapy center lately was... John.

We texted every now and then, but I wanted so much more than that...

"H-Hi."

"Avery!" John answered cheerfully after two rings."What's shakin'?"

"I haven't seen you at physical therapy lately," I said after laughing at his greeting. "Everything ok?"

"Oh, I'm done with therapy, Avery." My heart sank. "Why, do you miss me?" John asked teasingly.

"Y...Yeah," I admitted with a nervous laugh. "We should do something today, John," I said, surprising myself with my confidence. There was no noise from the other end. "I-If you're busy or something, it's fine, I -"

"You never wanted to hang out when I asked!" John whined, sounding just as surprised as I felt, which was quite a relief.

Well, it's now or never, Avery. "I don't want to just hang out."

John was silent, but I knew he hadn't hung up on me yet. He never hung up on me. Whenever we called, we played the "You hang up!" game for hours on end. "Avery Lassiter, are you asking me on a date?" John asked in a low, playful, yet completely serious voice.

"John O'Callaghan, you're only allowed to say 'Yes, I would love to go on a date with you, Avery'," I replied in the same tone.

"How come whenever I asked you out you always said no, or made up some excuse not to go?!" John demanded, but I could hear a smile in his voice.

"John, we can argue about this over dinner," I laughed, feeling the adrenaline tush slowly subsiding. I'd never asked a guy out before. "I'll see you at... T.G.I.Friday's, at seven tonight?"

"Only on one condition," John agreed after a moment. "...You have to let me take you out on a date some other time."

I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't excited already. "That's fine with me, but you haven't answered my question," I pointed out.

"Hmm, what was the question again?" John asked jokingly.

"John," I whined, but I decided to humor him. "Will you go out on a date with me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from trembling. He made me so damn nervous.

"Yes, I would love to go on a date with you, Avery," John said in a completely serious voice, but he sounded as happy as I did. "Can I pick you up, though? It's just the way I was raised.... I don't feel right meeting you there... you mean the one in the Tempe Town Center, right?"

"Oh, ok, you can pick me up, I guess... so... I'll see you tonight?"

"I can't wait, Avery."

I tried not to smile too hard. "Bye, John." I hung up, drove home, and practically tore my closet apart looking for something nice to wear tonight.

"Avery, darling?... What on earth are you doing?" My mom asked when she passed by my room and saw the mess it had become.

"I'm getting ready for a date tonight," I said simply. I was surprised she even cared at all.

"Oh, alright. Tell Eric to have you home before-"

"I'm not going on a date with Halvo," I said sharply, deciding on an aquamarine romper and brown sandals. I was trying to look like I wasn't trying to impress John even when I really was.

"W-Well, who, then?"

"His name is John, and he's picking me up at seven," I said firmly. There was nothing she could say or do that would keep me from going on this date.

I played piano until John came, but when he arrived, my mom beat me to the door. "O-Oh, you must be Mrs.Lassiter," John said nervously, self consciously tugging on his plain white v-neck as if to try and hide his tattoos. "I'm John O'Callaghan," he said with a polite smile, offering her his hand to shake. She surprised me by returning the smile and shaking his hand. "Is, um, Avery here?"

"Hey, John," I greeted him, pushing past my mom to hug him tightly. He laughed and returned the hug, but I frowned when I felt his wrist brace still on. "Bye, mom," I said quickly before pulling John towards his car and closing the house door behind me. "You said you were done with therapy," I said slowly, narrowing my eyes at him as he opened my door for me.

John just flashed me a cheeky grin. "You wouldn't have admitted you miss me any other way," he pointed out. I pouted after buckling up, feeling myself blush. John just laughed before leaning over and kissing my cheek. "Don't worry, I missed you, too," John promised, resting his hand on the back of my neck and gently massaging it.

This was gonna be a good first date.