Page 26 of One Twisted Lie

Ozymandias

“Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

“I think that’s enough fucks.”

“Shut the fuck up!”

I slam my hands against a bookshelf, rattling it as I do. I feel Carter’s hands behind me, kneading my shoulders, until his cheek presses against my back.

“Talk to me, princess.”

I sigh. Where do I even start?

Sebastian just gathered all of us to talk about Avery. At first, I thought it was going to be some shit-talk session—I guess it still was shit—but he had an actual concern. He told us that he was worried about Avery, that Avery isn’t doing too great—that he seems out of control—and that we need to do something about it.

I’m pissed.

“It’s just…fucking Sebastian,” I snarl, clinging to the bookshelf. “He’sthe one fucking Avery up.”

Carter hums, rubbing his hands up and down my tense arms as he kisses the back of my neck. “I don’t know, man. Maybe he has a point?”

I rip myself away from him and turn on my heel. I throw my hands in the air and curse. “What’s his point, Carter? What is his fucking point?”

He shrugs, tipping his head to the side in the calmness that I’m having a hard time channeling. “Maybe we should do something about Avery.”

“Avery is fine. Avery doesn’t need help,” I state, slamming my fist into my palm for emphasis. “He needs his friends and his space.”

“If that’s the case, why are you so upset?” He pauses and then nods to himself, clicking his tongue in such an annoyingly astute way. “I get it.”

“Wipe that look off your face,” I snap, but it’s no use. Carter has already caught on to what I don’t want to admit, the secret fear I have that I’ve been trying to keep at bay, the shame that’s caused such a violent reaction. “You’re too fucking smart for your own good.”

“You’re afraid you’re wrong.”

Yeah, I really am. I’m not used to being wrong, I’m not used to hearing no, I’m not used to things not going the way I want them to go. I mean, fuck, when I first started this thing with Carter, I was a wreck. Now that we have our footing underneath us and we don’t actively hate each other, I’ve adapted. This is different.

Avery’s always been special, and not in a bad way. He’s just…a lot. He’s filled with passion, energy, and promise for good things. He’s wild and carefree, a wayward spirit that embraces everything. Sometimes that can be exhausting. Sometimes, people need a breather after that. He’s always been like this. He’ll be his true self, crash, be his true self, crash, again and again, and again, but he’s always fine.

He’sfine.

But still…

“If I’m wrong, that means that Avery has been hurting this long because of me,” I admit lowly, burying my face in my hands. “If I’m wrong, this is my fault.”

I can’t be the one who makes Avery suffer. Avery is awesome. He’s incredible. He’s a great person and an even better friend. If I had any part in something being wrong with him…I couldn’t take it.

Hands tug at mine and force them down to my sides. “It’s not your fault, Oz.”

“It feels like it.”

“You’re a good friend,” he whispers, placing a cool hand on my cheek. “I’m sorry that I ever doubted that.”

I shrug, letting out a deep breath, letting his hand on my cheek and his hold on my arm calm me. “I didn’t give you a reason not to.”

“If Avery needs us, I know you’ll be there,” he states, like it’s a law, like it’s the infinite truth, like there’s no other possibility. “That’s all that matters.”

I nod and smile slightly. I’ve calmed down now. I show him my appreciation by bending down and kissing his cheek. “Thank you.”

When I pull back, he’s looking at me funny. Before I can ask him about it, he’s kissing me. It’s not like our usual kiss. Sure, our embraces have gotten softer over the weeks, but this is different. He’s giving me short, sweet, closed-mouth kisses that make me dizzy. He brushes his thumb against my cheek, inhaling me as I melt into him. When he stops, I lean forward, trying to chase that feeling.

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