The Avery Shaw Experiment

At that everyone broke out into a round of clapping and cheers. I took an exaggerated bow, pretending like it was no big deal, but it actually felt kind of awesome knowing I’d done so much all by myself. Well, it wasn’t completely on my own. I totally owed the science squad.

“I think this calls for a celebration. What do you guys say to some applied physics for science club today? My treat.”

“Applied physics?” Owen asked.

Now I understood why everyone laughed at me the first time I’d heard that term. The horror in Owen’s voice was hilarious.

I slung my arm over his shoulder. “Don’t worry. It’s not as scary as it sounds.”

“Sounds like a party in here.”

Avery’s quiet voice broke the scene like a sledgehammer through a window. She stood in the doorway to the classroom, blushing from the way she’d brought everything to a stop. She’d been so nonresponsive lately that she’d faded into the background both at lunch and here in science club. We weren’t used to her speaking up anymore, and I wasn’t the only one surprised when she’d interrupted the conversation.

Of course, we were also shocked because of who she’d dragged with her to science club.

Libby was the first to snap out of it and answer her. “It is,” she said. “Today a miracle has occurred, and we are celebrating.”

“Miracle?” I laughed. “Gee thanks, Lib.”

“Grayson’s going to get an A in physics!” Tara blurted, then promptly turned bright red.

“An A?” Aiden gasped. I rather enjoyed his shock. Jerk.

Avery wasn’t shocked. Actually, she shocked me when she said “I’m not surprised,” and her face lit up with a bright smile. I hadn’t seen her smile like that since her birthday. It made my stomach get all fluttery. I had to look away from her before I blushed like some stupid tween experiencing his first crush.

“It’s not a sure thing,” I mumbled, looking anywhere but her eyes. “We still have to finish our project before the science fair this weekend.”

“Well, then it’s definitely a sure thing.”

Surprised by the excitement in Avery’s voice, I looked up and found her beaming at me. “We’re done!” she squealed. “I’ve reached the final stage!”

I didn’t know what to say. My eyes fell to her and Aiden’s clasped hands. Whatever happened between them at the museum on Saturday obviously went well enough to pull her out of her depression and find acceptance.

I wasn’t sure it counted as acceptance if she simply got what she’d wanted in the first place. Did she really get past the heartbreak, or did he just un-break it when he asked her out? There was a difference. But she looked so happy, and she’d clearly forgiven him for everything he did to her, so I didn’t point that out.

I swallowed back bile and forced myself to smile at her. “That’s great, Aves. I guess we have more than one reason to celebrate today then, huh?”

Avery nodded enthusiastically. Then she glanced at Aiden, and her smile died as if she’d just remembered my brother and I were not exactly getting along right now. She mustered up her courage and then asked the entire group, “Do you mind if Aiden comes with us? Debate is over, and I’ve been trying to convince him to come back to science club for the rest of the year.”

I felt everyone’s eyes turn to me, waiting to see what I thought so they could follow my lead. I was surprisingly touched to have earned the geek squad’s loyalty.

I wanted to say no. Aiden didn’t deserve to be welcomed back with open arms when he’d abandoned everyone in this room. I also wanted to tell him to get lost because I couldn’t stand the sight of him and Avery together. I’d told myself this was coming, but seeing them standing so close to one another with their hands woven together was way harder to stomach than I’d anticipated. I wasn’t sure I could survive them being a couple, but I had to find a way because Avery needed someone right now, and as much as I hated it, that someone obviously wasn’t me.

“Sure,” I forced myself to say. “If he wants to come.”

Avery asked me to ride in Brandon’s van with her, but I hopped in Owen’s car with Libby and Tara. Was I avoiding them? Hell yes. I needed the ride to mentally prepare before I had to spend time with Avery and Aiden, The Couple.

At least no one else seemed to be having such a hard time with Aiden’s presence. It helped keep the awkwardness to a minimum. Everyone was laughing and joking around as we all laced up our shoes.

“So you geeks want to explain to me how bowling is physics?” Owen asked.

Everyone laughed and Levi started spouting off words like velocity and inertia until Brandon interrupted. “No! No physics today. This is a celebration. Today we just play and have fun.”

“I get Avery, Grayson, and Owen on my team,” Levi said. “Losers buy the pizza!”

Libby stopped entering names into the computer and said, “No way. It’s boys against girls. Wi

“But I don’t kiss boys,” Owen argued.

Libby rolled her eyes at him. “Duh. But you won’t be wi

I smiled to myself, feeling a “friendly wager” coming on. “Whatever the stakes, it can’t be pizza. That’s on me today. I really do owe you guys for my grade.”

“Hey, yeah. Speaking of that, do you guys do math at all or just science?” Owen asked. “I’m getting a D in calculus.”

Brandon sighed—probably because Owen looked like another dimwitted jock living up to the stereotype.

“Libby tutors calculus,” Levi offered.

I snorted. It had to be Libby.

Owen cringed. “Does anybody else tutor math?”

Everyone laughed, and the game got started while I went to order the pizzas.

Just as I finished paying, someone walked up behind me. I knew without looking who it was. Besides the fruity smell that always followed her everywhere—today it was a tart apple smell—I could just feel it. I could feel her. My body was aware of hers on some sort of chemical level. Is that even possible? Someone should do a science experiment on that.

I knew Avery well enough to recognize that her tiny voice was on the verge of breaking when she said, “I’m sorry, Grayson.”

I took a second to slam a poker face into place before I turned around. “It’s okay,” I lied. “I just want you to be happy.” Well, that much was true anyway. I did want her to be happy. I just wanted to be the one who made her happy. “We’ve all been worried about you, Aves.”

Avery cast her eyes down in shame. “I know. I’m sorry I let things get so out of hand.”

“That wasn’t really your fault.”

Avery clearly disagreed, but she shrugged it off. “I went to see someone. She gave me medicine. She says it could take a week or so before I start to notice any differences, but I already do feel a little better.”

I had a feeling it wasn’t the meds making a difference. I didn’t really want to have this conversation right now, but we needed to hash it out or else things would be awkward between us forever, and I didn’t want that.

I gestured toward a couple of stools at the food counter, and Avery nodded. “Are you feeling better because of Aiden?” I asked once we sat down. I kept my voice as neutral as possible, but it still sounded a little strained.

Avery nodded again. “We made up.”

“I noticed.”

“He actually had this great hypothesis about finding acceptance. I was trying to forget about him, but people don’t forget about their deceased loved ones. They make peace with them being gone. I needed to make peace with Aiden. I needed closure.”

Closure? It didn’t look like closure to me when they showed up holding hands, but whatever. If it made her feel better. “I’m happy for you.”

Avery frowned at the false note in my voice. She put her hand on down on my arm. “I’m sorry I pushed you away.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I started folding my pizza receipt into a tabletop football.