Two Is Better Than One

I wrapped my arms around her small body. She circled her thin arms around my neck and held onto me. I liked it. No, I loved it.

"Averi...I can't believe how much you've been through. I'm so sorry about everything; your family, and your band, and....everything. Our lives are kinda similar, aren't they?" I questioned, just now realizing the startling similarities our lives posessed. She pulled away from me and looked into my eyes, then quickly looked away.

"That's another thing I have to tell you." She said. "I've been so horrible to you. And there's no excuse for it. But, I guess I can try to explain. Like you just said...we're a lot alike. And that's why I was so mean to you; I had just gotten my life back on track, had been sober and clean for a year, and had just started to play music again. And that was my first concert since the accident, the one that we met at. I had been a big fan of Black Veil Brides for a while now, about six months. So of course, I recognized you guys. But you...what had happened to you with the drugs...I couldn't take it. You reminded me so much of myself, that it hurt me. I was afraid that if I became friends with you, I would go back to doing all that again. But now...I realize what a nice guy you are. You really have changed, haven't you?" Averi looked from her hands to me, squinting as if observing me. She now spoke barely above a whisper. "I'd like to start over, if that's alright." Her eyes didn't leave mine as she waited for my response.

It all made sense now. I completely understood. I understood the situation, and I understood her. So well that it was frightening. I could read her as if I were her. "Of course." I whispered. A smile grew on her face, and I knew we were friends. But what if I wanted more than that?

**************

We broke out into laughter. The bottle of wine we had been drinking was nearly gone, and I could feel that we were both getting a little tipsy. As our laughter faded, and we sipped our wine again, a question popped into my mind. The biography I read on Google about Averi didn't match up with what she told me. Was she lying to me? No, she couldn't be. I decided to ask her.

"Averi?"

"Mmm?"

"I looked you up on Google...it said that you were a Playboy bunny, and that your parents died when you were young and your brother and sister were the ones that died in the plane." She studied me, her eyebrows forming a "V" shape. To my surprise, she started laughing uncontrollably.

"I may have been good, but I sure as hell wasn't that good, buddy," She tipped her glass in my direction and sipped it once again, still smiling. I laughed, too.

"Why the fuck did it say that on Google?" I asked, chuckling. She reached over and grabbed my phone. The page I had been on when I looked her up was still on my screen. She showed me it. Well that made sense.

"Wikipedia," I read out loud. As soon as the word was out of my mouth, she started laughing hysterically. I joined her. The sweet sound of her laughter echoed through the night.

I didn't know it now, but a few years later when I would look back on that night, I would realize it had been the glorious moment when I fell in love with her.