In the Shadow of Your Heart
Adonis
“I can’t believe Harper sent Ava to spy on me,” I muttered as I looked across the venue at the petite brunette who was taking pictures of Jared and Kennedy warming up.
“Avery,” Garrett said.
“What?”
“Her name is Avery and she’s actually very nice, a little shy but nice; which you’d know if you took the time to get to know her. We’ve been on tour for a week and you’ve barely said two words to her.”
I rolled my eyes at Garrett but knew he had a point. “Fine, I’ll go talk to her.”
“Be nice, John Oh.”
“Aren’t I always?” I smirked.
Garrett just gave me a look before turning around and heading back towards the dressing room.
As I walked towards Ava Avery I thought about how opposite she and Harper were. I knew they were best friends but it was surprising. Harper was tall with blonde hair and was the center of attention whenever she walked into a room. Avery, on the other hand, was shorter with dark hair and seemed to blend into the background.
“Whatcha doin’?” I asked and Avery immediately jumped.
“John….you scared me,” Aver said in a soft voice. Another difference between her and Harper who was loud and boisterous. “But, I’m….umm….I’m just editing some photos and uploading them to my portfolio for school.”
“You go to school?”
“Yeah, Oregon University. Right now I’m just taking online classes since I’m on tour with you guys.”
I continued looking over her shoulder at her computer screen as I said, “So I’m assuming you’re majoring in photography.”
“Photography and business. I want to eventually own a photography studio.”
I nodded as I scrolled through her portfolio. “These are really good, Avery. Harper said you were good but I didn’t realize you were this good.”
“Thanks,” Avery blushed.
“So what made you get interested in photography?”
“My dad. He was always big into taking pictures and he got me hooked on it. As time goes by memories get hazy but you can always look back on a photograph and remember…I like that aspect.”
“You’re dad sounds like a great man.”
“He was,” Avery answered and then continued after I gave her a questioning look. “My dad passed away when I was 16.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Avery shrugged. “It’s been a few years and I have plenty of pictures of him that I look at whenever I start feeling sad.
I’d been so wrapped up in talking to Avery that I hadn’t noticed the music coming from her computer until after that statement. “You like Tom Petty?”
“I love Tom Petty. That’s something else I got from my dad,” Avery smiled and a weird feeling came over me. Avery had one of the most genuine smiles I had ever seen and it was obvious that she didn’t use it very often. I wanted to make her smile as much as I could.
I should have stayed away from Avery after that but I didn’t and that was the beginning of all my problems. Avery was unlike any girl I had ever met before. Most girls were predictable but with Avery you had to pull back her layers one at a time. She intrigued me and I constantly wanted to find out more. There were many times I should have halted our friendship but I didn’t. I should have stopped “forgetting” to call Harper so I could talk to Avery instead, I should have stopped finding excuses to go eat with Avery alone, and most of all I should have stopped kissing her after it happened for the first time but I didn’t. I did none of these things and I found myself in a huge mess. I was in love with Harper but found myself falling for Avery. I wanted to spend every waking moment with her. I didn’t think of the consequences that would face us once we arrived home. She thought of them but I told her not to worry.
“John, we have to stop doing this. Harper’s my best friend and she’s your…” Avery started but she didn’t finish her sentence thanks to the moan that came out of her mouth because of my kissing her neck. We had the van to ourselves and we were taking full advantage of it. The guys were out at some bar but I’d claimed I was tired and she had said she had school work to do. I was sure the guys knew about Avery and me – her hickeys weren’t just appearing out of nowhere – but they never said anything about it.
I stopped kissing Avery and looked into her eyes. “Ave, I like you. I really fucking like you and I know that we shouldn’t be hurting Harper like this but I need to see what we could be.”
Avery bit her lip but nodded before leaning up to kiss me again.
The next interruption didn’t come from Avery but from my cell phone.
“Fuck,” I mumbled as I saw who was calling. “It’s Harper.”
“You better answer it. She’ll get worried if you don’t,” Avery said.
I nodded and answered, “Hey Harper.” It was weird talking to my girlfriend while I was on top of her best friend. No doubt about it, I was going to hell.
“Finally, you answer your phone! I was worried you were screwing some groupies or something,” Harper exclaimed and I cringed. “So I have some good news,” Harper continued. “I’m flying out to spend a long weekend with you!!!”
“What? I mean…umm…that’s great, Harp,” I stuttered.
“Isn’t it? It’s been two fucking months since I’ve seen you and I miss you so much. But my Friday class was cancelled so I’m flying out next Thursday evening to go to your guys’ concert and then we can spend the entire weekend together.”
“I’m really excited, Harper. I’ll see you next week.” I managed to spit out before hanging up.
I looked over at Avery and knew she had heard the conversation by the guilty look on her face. In that moment I finally realize how utterly fucked I was.
“Avery,” Garrett said.
“What?”
“Her name is Avery and she’s actually very nice, a little shy but nice; which you’d know if you took the time to get to know her. We’ve been on tour for a week and you’ve barely said two words to her.”
I rolled my eyes at Garrett but knew he had a point. “Fine, I’ll go talk to her.”
“Be nice, John Oh.”
“Aren’t I always?” I smirked.
Garrett just gave me a look before turning around and heading back towards the dressing room.
As I walked towards Ava Avery I thought about how opposite she and Harper were. I knew they were best friends but it was surprising. Harper was tall with blonde hair and was the center of attention whenever she walked into a room. Avery, on the other hand, was shorter with dark hair and seemed to blend into the background.
“Whatcha doin’?” I asked and Avery immediately jumped.
“John….you scared me,” Aver said in a soft voice. Another difference between her and Harper who was loud and boisterous. “But, I’m….umm….I’m just editing some photos and uploading them to my portfolio for school.”
“You go to school?”
“Yeah, Oregon University. Right now I’m just taking online classes since I’m on tour with you guys.”
I continued looking over her shoulder at her computer screen as I said, “So I’m assuming you’re majoring in photography.”
“Photography and business. I want to eventually own a photography studio.”
I nodded as I scrolled through her portfolio. “These are really good, Avery. Harper said you were good but I didn’t realize you were this good.”
“Thanks,” Avery blushed.
“So what made you get interested in photography?”
“My dad. He was always big into taking pictures and he got me hooked on it. As time goes by memories get hazy but you can always look back on a photograph and remember…I like that aspect.”
“You’re dad sounds like a great man.”
“He was,” Avery answered and then continued after I gave her a questioning look. “My dad passed away when I was 16.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Avery shrugged. “It’s been a few years and I have plenty of pictures of him that I look at whenever I start feeling sad.
I’d been so wrapped up in talking to Avery that I hadn’t noticed the music coming from her computer until after that statement. “You like Tom Petty?”
“I love Tom Petty. That’s something else I got from my dad,” Avery smiled and a weird feeling came over me. Avery had one of the most genuine smiles I had ever seen and it was obvious that she didn’t use it very often. I wanted to make her smile as much as I could.
I should have stayed away from Avery after that but I didn’t and that was the beginning of all my problems. Avery was unlike any girl I had ever met before. Most girls were predictable but with Avery you had to pull back her layers one at a time. She intrigued me and I constantly wanted to find out more. There were many times I should have halted our friendship but I didn’t. I should have stopped “forgetting” to call Harper so I could talk to Avery instead, I should have stopped finding excuses to go eat with Avery alone, and most of all I should have stopped kissing her after it happened for the first time but I didn’t. I did none of these things and I found myself in a huge mess. I was in love with Harper but found myself falling for Avery. I wanted to spend every waking moment with her. I didn’t think of the consequences that would face us once we arrived home. She thought of them but I told her not to worry.
“John, we have to stop doing this. Harper’s my best friend and she’s your…” Avery started but she didn’t finish her sentence thanks to the moan that came out of her mouth because of my kissing her neck. We had the van to ourselves and we were taking full advantage of it. The guys were out at some bar but I’d claimed I was tired and she had said she had school work to do. I was sure the guys knew about Avery and me – her hickeys weren’t just appearing out of nowhere – but they never said anything about it.
I stopped kissing Avery and looked into her eyes. “Ave, I like you. I really fucking like you and I know that we shouldn’t be hurting Harper like this but I need to see what we could be.”
Avery bit her lip but nodded before leaning up to kiss me again.
The next interruption didn’t come from Avery but from my cell phone.
“Fuck,” I mumbled as I saw who was calling. “It’s Harper.”
“You better answer it. She’ll get worried if you don’t,” Avery said.
I nodded and answered, “Hey Harper.” It was weird talking to my girlfriend while I was on top of her best friend. No doubt about it, I was going to hell.
“Finally, you answer your phone! I was worried you were screwing some groupies or something,” Harper exclaimed and I cringed. “So I have some good news,” Harper continued. “I’m flying out to spend a long weekend with you!!!”
“What? I mean…umm…that’s great, Harp,” I stuttered.
“Isn’t it? It’s been two fucking months since I’ve seen you and I miss you so much. But my Friday class was cancelled so I’m flying out next Thursday evening to go to your guys’ concert and then we can spend the entire weekend together.”
“I’m really excited, Harper. I’ll see you next week.” I managed to spit out before hanging up.
I looked over at Avery and knew she had heard the conversation by the guilty look on her face. In that moment I finally realize how utterly fucked I was.