In the Shadow of Your Heart
Zeus
Driving to the airport with John and Avery to pick up Harper was the most awkward car ride I had ever been a part of. John and Avery had finally come clean to us about their affair even though we already knew. We decided that it was best if they didn’t go to the airport alone so I was the lucky one chosen to go with them. I wasn’t happy about it. Not only was it awkward, but I was pissed at the two of them. What they were doing was so completely selfish. Plus, I liked Avery but John had gotten to her. I didn’t understand how he always got the girls – even when he had a fucking girlfriend.
“You guys better be damn good at acting,” I said to them as we walked towards the terminal.
Harper had texted that her plane had just landed and she’d be out in about ten minutes. The time was passing excruciatingly slow but I knew it was probably going too fast for John and Avery.
“John!!!” A voice yelled out and the three of us turned to see Harper running into John’s arms while Avery stood there looking as if she wanted to be anywhere else.
“Avery, I’ve missed you too!” Harper said as she hugged her best friend once she unwrapped herself from John.
“I’ve missed you too,” Avery forced a smile. “I…umm…I have to go use the restroom.”
“And I’ll go get your bags,” John said as the two of them left making sure to go in opposite directions.
“So, what are you doing here, Garrett?” Harper asked with a sly smile on her face.
“I just came to keep them company,” I shrugged.
“You like her, don’t you?” Harper smirked.
“What? Who?”
“Avery! You’re in love with my best friend. Yay! You guys would be so cute together.”
I tried to hide the blush forming on my cheeks but failed. “We won’t work out.”
“Why not?”
“We just won’t.”
“Garrett, Avery is my best friend and you’re one of my good friends too. I’ll make it work between the two of you. You guys would be so adorable.”
I hated John and Avery for leaving me here alone with Harper while knowing everything I knew. We finally met back up with Avery and John and headed out towards the car. Harper kept looking at Avery and then smirking at me as I tried to not flip her off. The ride back to the venue was even more awkward than the ride to the airport but Harper didn’t seem to notice.
We had just unloaded Harper’s bags from the van when John finally cracked.
“Harper, I cheated on you.”
Harper slowly turned around and in a very calm yet frightening voice asked, “What did you just say?”
“I cheated on you.”
“With who?” Harper asked but John kept silent. “Tell me who you fucking cheated on me with!”
“With me,” Avery softly said but Harper heard her.
“Wow, really funny you guys,” Harper started laughing but stopped once she realized they were serious. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? John, you cheated on me with my best friend?! And Avery, I sent you here to make sure John didn’t hook up with groupies…not for you to hook up with him yourself!”
“I’m so sorry, Harper. We didn’t mean for it to happen,” Avery said.
“Just shut the fuck up. I trusted you!” Harper screamed as she finally lost it completely.
It was silent for a few moments until Harper finally spoke up again. “Ok, this isn’t an ideal situation but we’ll somehow fix it. Avery, you’ll come back home with me and we’ll see if we can mend this friendship. You’re definitely not allowed to ever be around John though. John, we’ll try to work this out. I don’t want two years to go to waste because of a dumbass mistake. You do want to fix this, don’t you?”
“I…I’m not sure,” John mumbled.
“What?”
“Shit, Harper, I love you but I’m starting to fall for Avery also.”
“So you may want to be with her?”
“I don’t know, Harp. I don’t fucking know.”
I was tired of awkwardly standing there and listening to their conversation so I suggested an idea, “Since John can’t decide what if he takes each of you out on a date and then decide after? It can be like The Bachelor.”
The three stared at me for a couple seconds before John finally spoke up, “Well I guess that’s the best solution to this situation. Harper, I’ll take you out on a date tomorrow night and Avery, I’ll take you out Saturday”
Harper and Avery nodded even though they didn’t look happy about it and the three of them walked off in different directions as I was left standing there wondering how I’d gotten myself into this mess also.
“You guys better be damn good at acting,” I said to them as we walked towards the terminal.
Harper had texted that her plane had just landed and she’d be out in about ten minutes. The time was passing excruciatingly slow but I knew it was probably going too fast for John and Avery.
“John!!!” A voice yelled out and the three of us turned to see Harper running into John’s arms while Avery stood there looking as if she wanted to be anywhere else.
“Avery, I’ve missed you too!” Harper said as she hugged her best friend once she unwrapped herself from John.
“I’ve missed you too,” Avery forced a smile. “I…umm…I have to go use the restroom.”
“And I’ll go get your bags,” John said as the two of them left making sure to go in opposite directions.
“So, what are you doing here, Garrett?” Harper asked with a sly smile on her face.
“I just came to keep them company,” I shrugged.
“You like her, don’t you?” Harper smirked.
“What? Who?”
“Avery! You’re in love with my best friend. Yay! You guys would be so cute together.”
I tried to hide the blush forming on my cheeks but failed. “We won’t work out.”
“Why not?”
“We just won’t.”
“Garrett, Avery is my best friend and you’re one of my good friends too. I’ll make it work between the two of you. You guys would be so adorable.”
I hated John and Avery for leaving me here alone with Harper while knowing everything I knew. We finally met back up with Avery and John and headed out towards the car. Harper kept looking at Avery and then smirking at me as I tried to not flip her off. The ride back to the venue was even more awkward than the ride to the airport but Harper didn’t seem to notice.
We had just unloaded Harper’s bags from the van when John finally cracked.
“Harper, I cheated on you.”
Harper slowly turned around and in a very calm yet frightening voice asked, “What did you just say?”
“I cheated on you.”
“With who?” Harper asked but John kept silent. “Tell me who you fucking cheated on me with!”
“With me,” Avery softly said but Harper heard her.
“Wow, really funny you guys,” Harper started laughing but stopped once she realized they were serious. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? John, you cheated on me with my best friend?! And Avery, I sent you here to make sure John didn’t hook up with groupies…not for you to hook up with him yourself!”
“I’m so sorry, Harper. We didn’t mean for it to happen,” Avery said.
“Just shut the fuck up. I trusted you!” Harper screamed as she finally lost it completely.
It was silent for a few moments until Harper finally spoke up again. “Ok, this isn’t an ideal situation but we’ll somehow fix it. Avery, you’ll come back home with me and we’ll see if we can mend this friendship. You’re definitely not allowed to ever be around John though. John, we’ll try to work this out. I don’t want two years to go to waste because of a dumbass mistake. You do want to fix this, don’t you?”
“I…I’m not sure,” John mumbled.
“What?”
“Shit, Harper, I love you but I’m starting to fall for Avery also.”
“So you may want to be with her?”
“I don’t know, Harp. I don’t fucking know.”
I was tired of awkwardly standing there and listening to their conversation so I suggested an idea, “Since John can’t decide what if he takes each of you out on a date and then decide after? It can be like The Bachelor.”
The three stared at me for a couple seconds before John finally spoke up, “Well I guess that’s the best solution to this situation. Harper, I’ll take you out on a date tomorrow night and Avery, I’ll take you out Saturday”
Harper and Avery nodded even though they didn’t look happy about it and the three of them walked off in different directions as I was left standing there wondering how I’d gotten myself into this mess also.