Ready to Love

LIAR TO LIARS

"Where have you been?!" She was shaking when her mother exclaimed.

After sleeping at Xanthite's mansion. Avery immediately went home at 7 am, since her class starts at 9 am. Xanthite's personal driver drove her which makes her parents even more mad.

"Who's the owner of that car, Avery?" Her Father asked her while looking at her fiercely.

"I want you both to calm down, okay? Let me explain." Her Mom crossed her arms as she waited for what Avery would say.

"Last Saturday. I made a promise to a friend--"

"Who? You have no other friends except for Neria and Yuna. We called them last night and they said that you told them that your Father will pick you up."

Oops! Another trouble.

"Dad, Mom. Can you please listen to what I have to say?" She glared at her brother who is now forcing hisself not to burst a laugh.

"The Friend whom I am talking about was Xanthite Anderson, he's my schoolmate and I was about to take him to the Hope last Sunday but we flew in San Francisco. He got a high-fever because of me and I took care of him since his parents were not home and it is my way of saying sorry. I didn't told my friends it's because I also need a secret to keep from them. Like, I'm so exposed to them and they don't have a single idea that I befriend someone like Xanthite."

She looked down and waited for her parent's reaction. She's expecting a loud rebuke from her parents but she was surprised when her Mother pulled her into a hug.

"We're so worried about you! If this will happen again, don't forget to text or call us."

"I will. I'm so sorry again."

.

Her Father will be dropping her off the school and when the car stopped because of the heavy traffic. Avery started to think about what will she reasoned out to her friends.

"Bye, Dad. Love ya!"

"Love you too. Be excellent in class." She kissed her Dad goodbye before jumping off the car.

She's on her way to her classroom when she saw Ivan walking towards her.

"Avery, right?" Avery simply nodded. She don't know why but the sparks in Ivan's smile faded. Is it because of the upsettedness she felt towards her friends and all the members of The Liss?

"Anything you need?" She asked with a short smile.

"You're a Catholic, right?"

"For the 2nd time, yes. I'm a Catholic." Her eyebrow raised when Ivan was getting something in his pocket. Avery saw a small paper on his hand when he handed it to her.

"I just thought that maybe you're interested in joining Our Church's Young Professionals." Avery received and read it. It was just a small information about the Church and its Youth.

"Sorry, but I'm also a Young Prof in our Church." Avery saw disappointment in his eyes after hearing her respond.

"I-it's okay. So, see you around?" He smiled at her and was about to leave when Avery called her.

"Why?" Avery took her phone out of her pocket. She scanned her fingerprint and handed it to Ivan.

"Can I have your phone number, please?"

"Sure, sure." Ivan chuckled before typing his number.

"Thank you so much."

"Umm... Avery."

"Yes?" She responded.

"Can I have yours too?" Avery laughed before giving her number to Ivan.

.

Avery remained her expression as Neria and Yuna hugged her tightly.

"Where have you been yesterday?" Yuna asked her after pulling away from the hug.

"Yeah, your Mom called us last night and you said that your Dad will be fetching you." Instead of feeling nervous, Avery smiled at them confidently.

Liar to Liars.

"I was with Ivan, yesterday."

"So, what is going on between the both of you?"

"There's really nothing going on between us. He just invited me to serve in their Church and he treated me with some milktea, you know." Avery is confident that her friends will be convinced. It's because she puttedst some details in her lie to make it more believable.

"S-so, you lied? Why didn't you told us?" And the show was about to start.

"Why should I?" She said sarcastically.

"We are your friends, Ave."

"Exactly! Then why did you both lied about dating Anthony and Michael?" They both froze and nervousness are visible on their faces.

"Cat got your tounges? You know what, I'm mad not about you two having boyfriends but because you, guys, lied. I don't see any reason for you to lie. It makes me feel sick, knowing that you don't trust me. What is there to keep, huh?" Avery annoyingling cried out at them as she burst out her tears. Neria and Yuna started crying too.

"We are very sorry, Ave. We are just scared that you mig--"

"That I might feel jealous, is that it? Well, I am really jealous! Jealous and left out because I don't have a single idea that my bestfriends already found their happiness. I feel like I'm a stranger to the both of you that I don't have the right to know your relationship status." Avery's tears are like heavy storms and floods. Her tears didn't stop from flowing.

"It's not that, Ave. We really want to tell you, we just need a perfect timing." Neria sobbed.

"Just need a perfect timing and you would tell me? or you, guys, doesn't have any plans in telling me at all?" She forced a laugh when she's right.

"I-i think, I gotta go but before that I really want to tell you that you both really disappoints me." She said before walking away from them.

Her tears didn't stopped from flowing. Her eyes and face began to redden. She covers her mouth and nose with a towel as she doesn't want anybody to look at her and feel weird.

Not far from where her kitchen-classroom is. She saw Xanthite standing while looking at her.

"Hey." She said in a low voice to prevent her voice from cracking.

Xanthite just responded a nod and a petty smile before he went inside. Avery followed him and sat on her seat. She rested her head on the island as she secretly wipe her nose and face.

"Today, we are going to learn about Kinds of Knives according to use." She listened to Sir Jess as he discussed the new lesson while still covering her mouth and nose.

Xanthite was showing them the different kinds of knives with his eyes locked on her. Avery didn't looked away but instead she looked at him in the eyes intently.

"Kindly get your knives here as we will also want you to learn in how to properly use a knife."

Avery stood up and went to the Master's table and immediately grabbed her favorite knife.

"Avery." Sir Jess called her as she was walking towards her seat.

"Sir?"

"Please be careful. French knife is a very sharp one."

"Thanks, Sir." She nodded.

"Try to learn it on your own, first and be cautious, then Xanthite will go table-to-table to teach or to instruct you, guys, in how to use a knife properly."

Avery held her knife tightly and started to peel her potato. She's good in any kitchen activities and in just a minute, she already finished peeling it.

She sliced the potato into half and started to cut into strips. She was laser-focus and fast on what she's doing.

"Take it slowly." She was surprised to hear a voice behind her and she instantly knew that it was Xanthite because of his firm and stringent tone.

She did what Xanthite told her. She sliced it slowly and accurately.

"You're good." She turned her head around while slicing. She smiled at him widely.

"Thanks--s**t! s**t!" Everyone was surprised when Avery suddenly shouted in pain.

"Give me." Xanthite pulled her hand and let her wound be exposed to a running water.

"It hurts." She moaned as the running water touched her fresh wound.

Xanthite turned off the faucet as he grabbed a towel from the shelf below the island. He gently dried Avery's wound.

"Let me see." Sir Jess moved his head closer to Avery's wound to see it clearly.

"Xanthite, kindly take Riri to the clinic."

"N-no need to take me there, it's just a small wound." Avery disagreed.

"Avery, you are excuse. Xanthite.." Xanthite nodded at Sir Jess before grabbing Avery's arms and went out of the kitchen-classroom.

"X-xanthite, it's not really necessary to take me--"

"It's my fault, if I didn't complimented you, you wouldn't get any wound." Her forehead creased because of his assumption.

"It's no ones fault."

Xanthite urgently knocked when they stopped infront of the clinic door.

"Is anyone there?... s**t, it's locked."

"Hey, stop it!" Avery objected when Xanthite suddenly kicked the clinic door.

"Tss... stupid clinic." He said before pulling Avery's arms.

"Where are we going?" Avery asked him but he didn't answerred.

"Sit." Xanthite stricly ordered her.

"What am I? A dog? Tch." She rolled her eyes as she followed what he said. Avery sat on the bench.

"Don't move. Wait for me here."

"Why?"

"Just do as I say."

"What if I get bored? Just hurry and I will stay here." Xanthite immediately glared at her.

"Bored or not, stay, or you want to lose your entire hand?" Avery instantly silenced as Xanthite left.

And just a few minutes, Avery saw him running with his hand holding a small pouch. Xanthite sat on the bench infront of her and took her hand.

"Where did you get that?" Avery asked her when she saw that it was a first aid kit.

"In my locker." He simply answerred while putting a betadine on Avery's wound.

"Woah. So, next year I would also use a locker?" She excitedly squeeled when Xanthite nodded.

"Why do you have a first aid kit, anyway? Do you often got injured?"

"Kinda. Stay still." Avery sighed because of his short replies. She remained silent and not long after, Xanthite asked her.

"Why did that a*s calls you Riri?"

"Y-you mean Sir Jess? Well, he insisted in call me by that nickname--Ouch!" Avery exclaimed when Xanthite suddenly put alot of pressure into her wound as he stick the band-aid into it.

"I-i didn't mean to do it."

"It's okay."

He doesn't know how to say sorry?

Avery felt sad. She really needs to bring him to the Hope. She knows that Xanthite is suffering from emotional pain, he's just hiding it from everyone.

"Thank you so much. I'm glad to see you and know that you are okay." Avery smiled widely at him. Xanthite replied a fast smile.

"Are we going back now?" Xanthite asked her.

"Nah. I want to stay here and get to know you better."

"How? By asking me questions?"

"No, by this."

The two can hear nothing but a loud throb. They can feel their lungs stopped functioning. Avery immediately pulled away from hugging Xanthite.

Avery saw him froze like a statue. Avery forced a smile and face him.

"Listen, Xanthite. Starting today, I want you treat me as your friend and never hesitate to tell me your problems." She said while looking intently at him.

"What--"

"Ah haha. S-sorry, Xan, but I really need to go somewhere else." She said with awkwardness when she saw Neria and Yuna walking towards their direction.

Avery run as fast as she can and hid behind a wall. She knew that it is her whom they are talking about because their faces were filled with sadness.

Xanthite was left there all alone. His jaw clenched. He saw Avery's friends as they passed by infront of him. He now knew the reason why she left him. Avery doesn't want anyone to know that she befriend him.

"F*ck." He cussed and chuckled sarcastically before standing and went to his locker.

Avery was breathing heavily and waited for her friends to leave and when she saw them turn towards the Quadrangle, Avery went back to where Xanthite was sitting but she didn't saw him.

"I made him look stupid. Gosh, Avery."