Player of Hearts

“So what’s this club like?” Avalee looked to Victor.

“Like any other club.” He shrugged.

“And that would be?”

“Wait, you’ve never been in a club?” Victor pulled up to a red light and glanced down at her. Ava simply shook her head. "Now I know I have work to do."

"Like?" Avalee mumbled

"Getting you introduced to the world," he grinned as he grabbed her hand. "And a couple other things that you might need along the way."

"Just don't kill me on the way."

"I don't plan on it, or letting anyone come close to it," he grinned as he went through the green light, on his way to the Brooklyn Bridge.

"So Ava," Brandon started as he leaned up to her face. "How many boyfriends have you had?"

"What?" she turned bright red. "Uh…"

"Just a simple question," he reminded. "You don't have to say who, just a number."

"Uh," she looked out the window and held up a fist indicating zero boyfriends.

"You're kidding?" Mark said wide eyed as he looked at Brandon with a She's joking right stare.

"No."

"Well damn," Brandon sat back and stared at the ceiling. "We have to get you laid badly."

“I think I’m fine...” she shook my head.

“No, you haven’t lived until-“

“Mark, shut up,” Victor laughed slightly. “Sorry, he’s an idiot.”

“It would seem,” She giggled as Victor pulled up to the sidewalk. “Why are we stopping?”

“To get Jacob.”

“Oh,” She looked back out the window as Jacob walked out of the house and jumped into the car.

“Hey, guys,” He looked around. “No Tess?”

“No, she couldn’t come,” Avalee shook her head.

“Oh,” He frowned. "Bummer."

"Yeah," Avalee said softly as she looked out the window, she could have friends that didn't like her other friends, right?

"Lee? You okay?" Victor asked softly after a few minutes of him watching her ponder things to deep to be thought of.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," she assured him as she smiled a fake smile in his direction.

"You're afraid that she'll hate you for going with us aren't you?" he grinned as she nodded her head slowly. "She won't, she's you're friend."

"She doesn't want me hurt."

"I won't hurt you," he grinned as he looked over at her. "You may have just started talking to me but, I won't hurt you."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Where are we going?" Jacob spoke up from the backseat. "And why are we going so damn slow?"

“We’re going to the Brooklyn Bridge,” Victor explained.

“And we’re going slow because?”

“Good question,” He shrugged and sped up slightly. “I’ll drive slow if I feel like it.”

“Well, aren’t you nice?” Ava looked up to Victor.

“I am nice, just not to Jacob.” He smiled at me and laughed. "Well…sorta."

"That's not comforting," Avalee sighed as she glanced up at Victor; he grinned over to her and patted her head, making her hair fly into different directions.

"Wow, you're hair is so…" Mark threw his hands up meaning something exploded. "Did you touch a light socket?"

"No," she mumbled darkly as she slouched in her seat. "When are we getting there?"

Victor glanced over to her and grinned before he patted her knee. "Don't have a heart attack on me just yet Lee, he means well, even if he sounds like an idiot with no moral boundaries on when it's better to shut up and smile."

"Thanks Vic, you have so much trust and hope in me its heart wrenching," Mark mumbled as he sat back in his seat, folding his hands over his chest.

"Hey Avalee, don't mind us, we're completely innocent in that, dark kind of way, but Mark is an idiot like Vic said, pay no attention," Jacob explained patting Avalee's shoulder, she glared at her feet and nodded her head.

"Why is she so touchy?" Mark mumbled

"It's not that she's touchy man, you embarrassed her," Jacob trying to conceal his whisper didn't help, because Avalee and Victor groaned in annoyance simultaneously.

“What?”

“Just shut up…” Victor shook his head, looking out the window. “Hey, isn’t that your friend?”

“Tessa?” Avalee stuck her head out the window as well, and sure enough, Tessa was walking down the street.

“Ava!” She turned to her. “It’s so lonely walking home…”

“Then get in.”

“But I already said-“

“Just trust me,” Avalee looked at her, she sighed and pulled the back door handle.

“Blond girl!” Jacob gazed at Tess and grinned.

“Jacob,” She smiled at him and sat in between Mark and the door. She then leaned up to Avalee. “Anything goes wrong, I’m blaming you.”

"Of course," Avalee sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest and heaved a heavy sigh, while glancing around her.