The Game Of Falling

Avery Bennett’s phone vibrated in her hand. Luna: GIRLLLL, WHERE ARE YOU? Avery stared at the message, her fingers tightening around the phone as she texted back in frustration. Avery: YOU'RE THE ONE I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR TWENTY MINUTES! Luna: I'M AT A PARTY. Avery: The book, Luna. I need it tonight. Luna: Come and get it, baby. I'm at Clyde's. Avery: Uhn?. Luna: MY BROTHER'S HOSTEL. DUH. Avery looked at the time and swore under her breath. 7:18 p.m. She needed to leave campus before the evening got any later. She hurriedly shoved her phone into the pocket of her oversized hoodie, grabbed her bag, and sat to quickly tie the rope on her trainers. Her roommate glanced up. "Let me guess. You'll be gone all weekend and you’ll be back by Sunday night again?" "Yup," Avery answered, not looking up. Her roommate eyed her suspiciously. “Where do you always go every freaking Friday and come back on Sunday?. I know it's definitely not a party in those clothes, so where?" Avery slammed the door behind her without answering Abby's questions. No one had to know where she always went unless she felt them worthy enough of being told. The evening air hit her face as she stepped outside. The campus was alive with the aftermath of Westwood University's basketball victory, countless students wore black-and-gold jerseys in celebration. The team had beaten EastFall by six points that Friday, and everyone was talking about their star player, Asher Joseph. His name was difficult to avoid. His face appeared on university sports posters, student blogs, and the occasional promotional video that popped up on Avery's feed when she was unfortunate enough to forget to mute the university's athletics account. He was tall, athletic, dark-haired, and annoyingly attractive. Avery had never understood the obsession. Playing basketball didn't make him a god. Yet students spoke about him as though he had personally invented the sport. As far as she was concerned, he was a university athlete with an impressive jump shot and an ego that probably needed its own dormitory. Avery walked faster. By the time she reached the residence hall where Clyde lived, the music was loud enough to vibrate through the concrete walls. The entrance stood wide open, and students streamed in and out carrying drinks, shouting over the music, and behaving as though the university had officially suspended every rule that applied after sunset. She stopped at the doorway and pulled her hood over her head and entered. The ground floor was packed with dancing sweaty bodies singing along to the playing song. She frowned as she maneuvered her way through sweaty bodies. She found Luna near the staircase, surrounded by three girls and a boy whose arm was draped around her shoulders. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was falling out of its carefully arranged brown curls. Avery stopped in front of her. "Luna." Luna turned slowly. For a moment, she stared at Avery as though she had materialised from another dimension. Then her face brightened "AVERY!" She threw her arms around her best friend, nearly knocking the bag off Avery's shoulder. Avery caught her by the elbows before she could stumble. "Easy. I need that book, and I need it now." Luna burst out laughing. Avery stared at her and realized she was drunk. "Luna, the book." "Oh! Yes!" Luna snapped her fingers, looking delighted that she had finally remembered something. "It's with Clyde." Avery groaned. “It's his book. Why do you need a children's book in the first place?" Avery inhaled slowly through her nose. She wasn't going to tell her either, "Where is he?" "Upstairs. His room." Luna pointed vaguely towards the staircase. "With the boys.” Avery left Luna laughing and headed upstairs. The music became louder with every step, and by the time Avery reached the second floor, she could hear guys shouting over one another, accompanied by the occasional burst of laughter. Clyde's door stood open and she walked in. She had known Clyde for nearly two years as Luna's elder brother, and although they weren't exactly close, they had always gotten along. He was funny and easy going. He also had a habit of treating Avery like he was trying to impress her. Avery paused just inside the doorway. Seriously? The room was a disaster. Almost the entire basketball team appeared to have squeezed into it, along with enough girls to make the place feel like a nightclub with terrible ventilation. Empty pizza boxes covered the desk, bottles sat on the floor. Most of the players were making out with different girls in different corners, the smell of sweat was even worse here. "Clyde!" Avery's voice cut through the noise more sharply than she expected. A few heads turned but she ignored it. Clyde, who was sitting alone in a chair with a plastic cup in his hand, looked up. His expression changed the moment he saw her. "Is that you Avery?" He straightened so quickly that the cup nearly slipped from his fingers. He had short curly brown hair, a broad frame, and the kind of easy smile that made him popular. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Luns said you had the book. The Brave Rabbit." Clyde grinned. "I was surprised when Luna asked me to bring it last time I visited home." “I couldn't order the book online and Luna said you had it growing up and I got her to make you bring it. So where is it?. I need to leave.” Clyde stood, swaying slightly before catching himself against the bedpost. He cleared his throat when he caught Avery's eyes, “You could stay yunno. We won, and everyone's celebrating." "That's nice. Congratulations to the team." "Thanks." "Now, the book?” "Still as terrifying as ever, Avery Bennett." "Book!. Now!.” "Over there." He pointed towards the other side of the room. "It should be on the little table beside the window." Avery followed his finger. Of all the places in this ridiculously crowded room, the book had somehow ended up on a small table directly behind the person she least wanted to encounter tonight. Asher Joseph. He was sprawled across a chair near the window, wearing a black Westwood basketball jersey that stretched over his broad shoulders. His curly dark hair was slightly damp, one muscular arm rested around the waist of a blonde girl sitting on his lap. Asher didn't appear to notice anything beyond her. His mouth was pressed against hers, his hand resting at her waist as she leaned closer. Avery looked at the book, then at the two people occupying the entire area around it. You have got to be kidding. "Clyde," she said through her teeth. He followed her gaze and winced. "Oh. I forgot he was sitting there." Asher's hand slid around the girl's waist as he pulled her closer, completely oblivious to the fact that his body was blocking the only thing Avery had come here to collect. She had places to be, a schedule to keep, and precisely zero interest in watching Westwood University's golden boy demonstrate his kissing skills. The thought of speaking to him was almost as unpleasant as the scene in front of her. Avery took a step forward. Asher Joseph was about to discover that not everyone at Ravenwood University was interested in worshipping the ground beneath his expensive sneakers. And judging by the way he was kissing that girl, he had absolutely no idea what was coming.