All Chapters of The Jock & The Wallflower: Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

Avery’s POVI was already seated at the corner table in the library when Bryson strolled in at exactly 3:30, looking annoyingly confident. He'd clearly made an effort. His hair was still damp from what was probably a post-practice shower, and he was carrying actual textbooks instead of just his phone.Small miracles."Right on time," he said, sliding into the chair across from me. "I'm impressed with myself.""Don't be. Being on time is the bare minimum of human decency.""Harsh." He grinned and opened his advanced chem textbook. "So, what torture have you planned for me today?"I pulled out my notebook, deliberately avoiding eye contact. "We're starting with molecular geometry. VSEPR theory, electron pair arrangements, bond angles.""Right. About that." He leaned back in his chair, looking entirely too relaxed. "Shouldn't we figure out what this competition actually involves first? I mean, we don't even know what we're supposed to be doing."I stopped writing and looked up at him. "W

Avery’s POV"Come with me to a party," Tara said, barging into my room without knocking.I looked up from the chemistry textbook I'd been reading, raising an eyebrow at her dramatic entrance. "Hello to you too.""I'm serious. There's a party tonight, and I need moral support.""What kind of party?""Bryson's party. Specifically."I nearly dropped my book. "What? Why would I do that?""Because I'm asking you nicely." She plopped down on my bed, giving me her best puppy dog eyes. "Jake's going to be there, and I think I might finally work up the courage to ask him out. But I need backup.""Tara—""Besides," she continued, her eyes taking on a mischievous glint, "we both know Bryson will be all over you the second you walk through the door. And what better way to mess with Brooke's head than showing up right in front of her face? Does that sound good or what?"The idea should have been appalling. The last thing I wanted was to voluntarily put myself in a situation where I'd have to watch

Third Grade - Fall"You're doing it wrong," Avy said, crouching down next to where I was trying to tie my cleats."I am not.""You are too. Look." She demonstrated with her own sneakers, making perfect loops that actually stayed tied. "Over, under, around, and through."I tried to copy her movements, but my fingers felt clumsy and the laces kept getting tangled."Here, let me." She knelt in the grass and started re-tying my cleats properly. "There. Now they won't come undone when you're running.""Thanks, Avy.""You're welcome. Now show me how to throw the ball again."I picked up the junior-sized football my dad had gotten me for my birthday and demonstrated the grip. "Fingers on the laces, like this. And when you throw it, you want to flick your wrist."She tried to copy me, but the ball wobbled and fell awkwardly to the ground instead of spiraling smoothly."It's harder than it looks," she said, frowning."You'll get it. It just takes practice."We spent the rest of the afternoon i

Bryson’s POVThe thing about playing Mario Kart with Avery was that she took it seriously. Way too seriously.She'd positioned herself on the very edge of the couch, controller gripped tight in both hands, her tongue poking out slightly in concentration. It was the same expression she'd worn as a kid when she was trying to beat me at anything….totally focused, completely determined to win.Some things never changed.I was trying to take it as seriously, but kept getting distracted. It was the way she leaned into the turns like it would actually help her car take the corners better. How she muttered under her breath when she hit a banana peel. The fact that she was wearing my shirt and it was way too big on her, slipping off one shoulder every time she moved.By the time we hit the final lap, I realized I wasn’t even sure where I was on the track. I was going to lose. Not on purpose, exactly. But I wasn't trying as I should have been. She crossed the finish line first and threw her h