Snapshot

Chapter 8

Peace seemed to reign over the next few days. Kaden locked himself in his room after the next few shows and even seemed to be more positive while working with Jack. Their shows were more fluid, and everyone seemed to mirror his optimistic mood. Everyone, that is, except for Jack. He scowled and tapped away at his phone as Kaden hinted at a new song that he was writing on his own.

Ava had called the label in excitement, and everyone seemed to be waiting with bated breath. The old Kaden was back. Avery could not help but wonder if her pep talk had anything to do with it. Her suspicions were confirmed when Kaden caught hold of her before their rehearsals one day.

“Promise me you won’t go to rehearsals,” he asks breathlessly.

“Why not?” she teases.

“Please, I have a surprise for you,” he pouts. She nods at him, his earnest expression melting her to the spot. He gives her a lopsided smile and jogs to the stage. She sighs and turns to leave. Just as she leaves, Kole runs past, nearly knocking her over. He grins at her and winks before running off. She shakes her head, happy to have been wrong about the band falling apart.

That night, she’s in her usual place in the crowd, enjoying the set, when suddenly, the band stops playing. The audience quietens as Kaden approaches the mike. His skin glistens in the spotlight and his hair is perfect. The audience holds their breath, although some girls can’t help but let out excited squeals as he stares intensely at the sea of faces before him.

“This is a new song,” he breathes in his signature husky voice, “and it’s for this girl,” the mob in front of him lets out a roar of approval. He gives them his famous crooked smirk and winks. Avery is rooted to the spot and lifts her camera to her face. The room fades away, and she swears that it’s just the two of them. For a single moment, he meets her eye through the lens, and she feels her breath hitch in her throat.

“You know who you are,” he claims, his voice breathy, “and it’s called ‘Today’.”

Kole and Jack step forward, playing a low beat on their respective instruments. Kaden holds the mike and counts the beats in his head. The crowd waits in anticipation, and Avery feels as though her heart has stopped beating.

“I met her today,

the girl with blue hair,

I ran right past her,

She said, ‘that’s okay,

You owe me one.’”

Kaden smiles into the mike, and Avery has to laugh a little. She has this funny feeling inside her chest, like something inside of her is waking up. Behind him, someone begins playing a few keys on the piano, and a violinist walks on stage. The more he sings, the more elaborate the song gets.

“Today I saw her face, and my heart stood still,

It feels like something’s ending,

And something else begins…

You’ll end my my wa-ar.”

The thousands of fans don’t know how to react yet since the song seems to build up to something. Even though the beginning is slow and soft, she knows that this song will not be like all his others.

“Say goodbye to what you knew,

This is what you’re waiting for…”

He stops singing and takes a deep breath. And even though Avery knows he can’t see her, she nods at him in ecstatic bliss, every nerve on edge. This is more than anyone has ever done for her. For the first time in a long time, she feels something other than the crushing emptiness. The silence ends as Levi bangs out an infectious beat on his drums while Kole and Jack join in on their electric bass and guitar.

“Today! She said,

We’ll do better than yesterday,

Tomorrow we’ll do better!

I live by your words, they’re my promise,

Today!

You’re my tomorrow…”

Avery freezes. She is jostled by the crowd as they scream and dance around her. The song will be a massive hit. Everyone will love it; the whole world will be in love with it. And then, when that song played on the radio, somehow, he will hear it. And he will know.

***

“Thanks for helping me,” Clara said brightly, giving Avery a genuine smile.

“That’s okay,” Avery said, blushing. Clara was the type of girl who made you feel special. She made you feel as though it was a privilege to be her friend.

“I need all the help I can get,” she admitted sheepishly.

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Avery said, waving her hand dismissively.

“You’re so nice,” Clara gushed, laying a hand on hers, causing Avery to beam with pride.

“She’s right, though,” Sheriff Dennings interrupted, “You don’t need as much help as you think.” He hugged his daughter, the pride and love shining in his expression. Avery looked away, a shaft of pain slicing through her heart. Clara rolled her eyes.

“You’re home early, dad,” she said, a forced smile on her face.

“I thought I’d cook for my little girl,” he said, scratching around in his food cupboard. Avery moved her notes to the side as he approached the table with an armful of ingredients.

“I should get going,” Avery said reluctantly.

“No, don’t be silly,” Sheriff Dennings said dismissively, “I can make enough for all of us. Besides, I want to get to know Clara’s new friend.”

“Are you sure?” she asked apprehensively. The sheriff made her uncomfortable. He knew about her father. He was the one who put him behind bars. Avery knew why he did it, but that did not change the fact. That and her extra-curricular activities could land her in the same place as her father.

“Thank you,” she said with a forced smile.

“Of course,” the sheriff said with a knowing smile. He held her eyes for a second longer, causing her to squirm in her seat.

“Daddy,” Clara said sweetly, causing her father to look at her indulgently, “are you going to make your yummy lasagne?”

“What else?” he joked, turning to wash his hands in the sink.

“But we don’t have ice-cream for after,” Clara realized, looking at her father with wide eyes.

“We don’t need it this time,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Oh,” she said softly, her shoulders slumping.

He sighed and turned to look at her. He looked good for a man in his fifties. He still had most of his hair, and his stomach was only a little flabby. All in all, he did not look like a dad. He rubbed at the stubble on his chin, half of it grey. His eyes were tired, but the grey depths sparkled a little when they settled on his only child.

“Well,” he conceded, running his hand through his thick black hair, “I guess I could go get some.”

“No, daddy, let me and Avery go.”

“No, no,” he said tiredly, “I have to get some cheese too.”

“Really?” she perked up.

He nodded and grinned when she launched herself at him, giving him a massive hug. The entire scene made Avery look away again. It was so special, it hurt. She could not identify the emotion inside of her.

“Now, remember,” he told her, grabbing his wallet from the counter and shrugging his jacket on, “today we are better than yesterday…”

“And tomorrow we’ll do better,” Clara finished for him, sitting down again.

“That’s my girl,” he said proudly, letting the door close behind him.

“That’s sweet,” Avery commented, trying to bury this new feeling inside of her.

“My mom used to say that to us before we left for school and work,” Clara said casually, getting up to pour herself a drink, “do you want one?”

Avery shook her head. She felt sorry for Clara in that moment. Everyone knew how she had to look after her mother when she was sick with cancer. And how devastated she and her father was when she lost the fight.

“It’s nice that you have that tradition,” Avery said softly. Her mother never said things like that. All her mother did was yell. And leave. And not come back.

“It’s stupid,” Clara scoffed, sitting down in her seat. Avery gave her a strange look. “Don’t get me wrong, the old man is okay. It’s just that he’s like a sweater that’s two sizes too small. Suffocating.” She chuckled at her own joke, but Avery did not see the humor in it.

“Don’t be such a wet blanket,” Clara chided, leaning back in her chair, and crossing her legs primly, “he’s just so clueless about how to handle me. I’m like a wildfire, and he’s like a too small fireplace.”

“You have such a gift with words,” Avery said sarcastically.

“I am a writer, darling,” Clara said proudly, “I need adventure and excitement. We thrive on it. How else am I going to be great? I need to live. Experience things.”

“You can experience plenty here,” Avery said seriously.

“As if,” Clara scoffed again, “there’s nothing here but a bunch of old people.”

“Well, you’re going to have to deal with it for another year and a half.”

“Who says I’m going to wait that long?” Clara said mischievously, leaning forward on the table.

“What do you mean?” Avery asked in confusion.

“Can I tell you a secret?” she asked in a hushed tone, looking around as though she thought someone was listening. Avery nodded and leaned forward too.

“Jeremy and I were thinking of leaving.”

“Where?” Avery asked, her voice suddenly high-pitched and afraid, “When?”

“Soon, we were thinking of pulling a Holden Caulfield and just going on an adventure…”

“Are you sure?” Avery asked, feeling very dizzy, “Jeremy doesn’t seem like the type to run away.”

Clara shrugged and leaned back, her eyes sparkling with her vision of her future, “whatever, I have a back-up plan anyway.”

“What do you mean? Avery asked, startled.

“Nothing,” she said dismissively, “come on, let’s focus, I’m not going to pass Chemistry at this rate.”

***

“Avery?”

She ignores the knocking on her room door and continues throwing things into her bag. She needs to leave. She has enough cash to buy a bus ticket. Nigel will understand. He will come and fetch her as soon as she knows where she’s going.

“Avery!” the knocking becomes more insistent, and she yanks the door open with a huff. She’s about to yell at the person on the other side but stops short when she sees Kaden. In her panic, she hadn’t recognized his voice.

“Go away,” she seethes, trying to slam the door.

“I don’t understand,” he yells, pushing his should against the door and pushes his way in, “I thought you’d be flattered.”

“And I thought you were going to the after-party,” she retorts, trying to zip her bag closed.

“What did I do wrong?” he asks in bewilderment.

“You came up here instead of following your bandmates to the club,” she quips, trying to walk past him.

“No,” he stops her, holding his hands up and blocking her way, “usually when I write a girl a song…”

“What?” she snaps, her hold tightening on the strap over her shoulder, “She falls madly in love with you?”

“No!” he protests, his brow creased, “usually it’s a better reaction than this. What did I do, Avery? I thought I was thanking you?”

“You ruined everything,” she snarls, pushing past him.

“How?” he yells, grabbing her bag and pulling it back. She nearly trips, and he holds out a hand to steady her, but she pushes it away.

“Let me go!” she screams, trying to shake her way out of his grip.

“No,” he shouts, “tell me!”

“No!” she screams, trying to release the straps of her backpack so that she can get away.

“Stop running!” he grunts, struggling to hold on. With one desperate burst of strength, he pulls just as she stops struggling. The force sends her flying past him, she puts out her arms to stop herself from falling, and she lands on her hands and knees, her bags all around her.

“Avery…” he breathes, and bends down to help her, “I’m so sorry…” he stops when he sees she’s crying.

“Are you hurt?” he asks worriedly.

She shakes her head. He can’t get a view of her face, so he gently tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

“What’s wrong?” he asks softly. She mumbles something, and he shakes his head. She sighs and looks at him from the corner of her eye. He looks distressed.

“He’s going to find me,” she says a little louder, her tears falling to the floor.