• October 15, 2016 (One week before Homecoming, Senior Year) •

[ Kara <•> Aviana ]

A: and you're telling me that you're not going to the dance?

K: well...

K: I would be out of town probably.

A: it's homecoming!

A: you can't be out of town that day.

K: ...

A: Kara, come on...

K: alright fine.

A: great!

***

A: where are you?

K: wait, why are you asking?

A: because I am at your house and your mother and sister have different answers to where you are at the moment.

K: ...

K: what are you doing at my house?

A: chatting up with Connor.

K: ...

A: of course not, I came to pick you up because me and the girls had decided to go shopping but you aren't there so...

A: and before you ask, no I am not driving.

A: we pestered Luke and he borrowed his brother's car.

K: right.

A: now Kara, where are you so that we can pick you up?

K: I am about to reach home so stay there. It'll take me just a couple minutes.

***

A: when I said we were going shopping, I hadn't asked you to bring Connor along.

K: what's the big deal? He was with me earlier, he asked if he could tag along and I said yes.

A: if you say yes that easily to anything he asks of you, then be aware that I'm suspecting your sanity.

K: it's not like that 😂

K: besides, he'll keep Luke company.

A: ...

A: fine.

***

A: how are you two related?

K: wym?

A: he is an absolute walking disaster, I can't imagine how you two are related.

K: he's my distant cousin. And if you've met the Kents, then you will be even more surprised.

A: why?

K: because they're the best people you'll ever meet.

K: and his little brother Jonathan is the cutest boy ever.

A: he has a younger brother?

K: yeah.

A: I feel sorry for the poor kid, what a bad influence he's gonna be to him...

K: 😂

***

K: how come you guys can get Luke to do anything? Like there are times when he literally looks as if he would rather die than be stuck with us.

A: ...

A: first of all, that was rude.

K: hey, I just said what I noticed.

A: the thing is Luke is unfortunate enough to be friends with me and Nora since preschool. We've got a whole lot of dirt on him so he stays around to make sure we don't let any of his secrets slip up.

K: that's a little mean, don't you think?

A: but he has his privileges too, don't underestimate him.

K: for example?

A: Luke and Nora are secretly dating but they haven't gone official yet due to some reasons even I don't know about.

K: oh.

A: so these days my major mission is convincing Luke to pick his guts up and ask Nora out to homecoming, but he's way too stubborn to admit that he'll chicken out before asking her.

K: he doesn't seem like that.

A: who's known him longer, me or you?

K: you obviously.

A: yeah, trust me I know.

A: if it weren't for me, all of our class would be falling apart.

K: I figured.

K: you're like our class's newsroom and 911 at the same time.

A: 😂

***

[ Zachary <•> Connor ]

C: yo Zach, I got a question for you.

Z: sure, what's up?

C: I said I had a question, not you...

Z: I meant what's the question.

C: ...

C: oh.

Z: are you gonna ask or not?

C: yeah.

C: on a scale of 1 to 10, how overprotective are you over Aviana?

Z: ...

Z: what kind of a question is that?

C: I mean...

C: it's not like that...

C: I just...

Z: did you ask her out on homecoming?

C: no.

Z: are you going to?

C: yes...

Z: oh.

Z: a 10.

C: a 10 what?

Z: the answer to your question, idiot.

C: ...

C: right.

C: thanks for warning me.

***

Z: seriously Connor, I was kidding.

Z: ask her out, she will be delighted.

C: wait what?

Z: I can't tell you more.

C: why?

Z: sibling secrecy.

Z: and even if weren't that, I would be found be dead tomorrow if Ava found out I told you this.

Z: so my life is in your hands, don't fuck up.

C: okay dude, too much pressure though.

Z: I am not kidding this once, she would kill me for real.

C: my lips are sealed, don't worry.

Z: good.

***

Z: oh and that doesn't mean you get a free pass. I will still be looking out for her so make sure she has a great time at Homecoming or you'll pay.

C: ...

C: I'll keep that in mind.

***

Calling...

Not Worth Talking

00:00

"Good evening, Ava, never thought I would hear from you."

"What the fuck did you say to Connor?"

"..."

"Zachary, I'm asking you something."

"I said nothing. Why would I talk to Connor? He's your friend... Or soon to be boyfriend whatever..."

"He's not."

"Wow, oh I had no idea. I am so sorry. Do you need some ice cream?"

"..."

"Aviana?"

"I fucking hate you!"

"Stop screaming or I might have to rename your contact as White Bellbird instead of just Ava."

"..."

"In case you're wondering, the White Bellbird has the loudest bird call ever documented."

"Do I really care? You can rename my contact whatever you want. And stop dropping off these irrelevant facts about birds or chemicals or whatever new thing you look up on the internet."

"They say spread knowledge like love."

"Who said it?"

"Connor's friend Tim did."

"Oh... I see."

"Oh shoot..."

"So you have been talking to him...?"

"To Tim, yes, he's incredible. A perfect balance of delusional, sarcastic and hilarious. Exactly my type of best friend."

"What the..."

"Connor is so lucky..."

"To hell with Connor and his lucky friend or whatever... The thing is, I know you told him I was waiting for him to ask me out and that is so pathetic."

"..."

"I did NOT want him to find out. Could you not keep a secret, Zachary?"

"Well... Since you're putting all the blame on me, Connor was the one chickening out because he asked me how overprotective I could be over you. And I replied that I could be a 10 if he was asking you out on Homecoming. That might have made him change his mind so I had to take back my words. Like no, I did not take back my words but like told him that he should ask you out while keeping in mind that I would whoop his ass if you had a bad time with him."

"..."

"I did it for you and here you are blaming me as expected..."

"You could be a 10 of overprotective?"

"I mean you are my sister so yeah."

"..."

"Hey, cat got your tongue, bellbird?"

"You call me that again and I'll cut yours."

"..."

"And stop laughing, you sound horrible."

"I do no..."

Call Ended.

Ava

00:05:42

***