Avery and Jenna Pt. 12: Avowal

The clock on her phone read 6:19 PM when she heard a set of knocks on the door. Janelle had arrived. After finishing the last few strands of her hair, her curls had been smoothed. Turning off the flattening iron, she stood from the bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Truly, Jenna appeared amazing. To accompany her shimmering, straightened red hair was a black top with a white horizontal strip around the chest section. A wide oval window was cut in the front of the shirt, exposing a small, classy portion of her cleavage. Her legs were clothed by a pair of figure-hugging, black jeans. Her feet displayed a pair of black shoes with a flat sole. Her face was deftly kissed with just enough makeup to mask the weariness she had accumulated throughout the week. Against her better judgment, she opted to wear Avery's necklace, if for no other reason than it matched her eyes. Parting with it would be difficult; Jenna had grown to love it.

Jenna could hear Janelle and Avery conversing in the living room, perchance scheming the next time they would be able to have sex. What force blinded Jenna from seeing what was right in front of her? For a split moment, Jenna entertained the belief that Avery's cheatings were her fault. Maybe she was not up to the task of keeping him satiated. Old memories surfaced from years ago, to a time even before Mika made her presence known. No high school boyfriend had ever cheated on her, insofar as she knew. After learning about Tiffany, Jenna gave Avery no opportunity to explain what happened. Believing she was worth more than a guy who would cheat on her, she broke off their relationship, discontinued all communication, and tried her best to move on in college with someone new. It was only at the staunchest of behests by Janelle that she agreed to join her, Alyssa, Maggie, and Avery that day at the beach three years ago.

Jenna felt now as she had back when she learned of Tiffany: ready to simply walk away without allowing him the chance to explain. Avery was replaceable. Janelle, on the other hand, was her best friend. Jenna's heart shattered when she departed the bedroom to see her sitting on the long couch where the threesome occurred. Her dreamy brown hair was let down and collected to one side. It rested comfortably atop her right shoulder. She wore a very conservative white halter top that exposed nothing but her upper back and a tiny portion of her midriff. Her legs and feet were covered by a pair of dark blue jeans and tan wedge shoes. Despite her present ire, Jenna admired Janelle's resolve to fit into the denims. They appeared so tight on Janelle's small frame, that Jenna doubted even she, with her equally impressive figure, could fit into them. Only a few words were exchanged before they all ventured to the restaurant.

As Jenna sat across from Avery, there was an odd vibe between them. She sipped her strawberry margarita slowly, trying her best to keep her wits about her. Janelle, who had excused herself to use the restroom moments after they were seated, soon rejoined the pair. Jenna made an unusual request for her to sit next to Avery. She wanted to be able to look at them both in their faces, and she wanted to observe their body language as they sat next to each other. Jenna was surprised to see how nonchalantly her boyfriend and best friend acted. Their attention fell entirely on Jenna, to the disregard of one another. Their attentiveness, however flattering, did not convince Jenna to alter her plans for the evening. Judgment day had arrived for Janelle and Avery. Tonight, she wanted answers, though Jenna's inquest was not immediate. Obviously, she was hungry, and wanted everyone, at the very least, to enjoy dinner.

The spread on their table would make any onlooker envious. There were so many different foods: fried plantains, black beans, rice and sour cream, tortillas in foil, seasoned roasted chicken quarters, grilled vegetables, among other things sat atop their rectangular, wooden table. A small steak, ordered by Avery, sat in the corner. The three friends enjoyed their meal and made small talk. They had a fantastic evening of drinking, laughing, and seemingly reminding each other of their strong bond; not simply due the passionate sex session they shared, but because of the friendship they all cherished. A friendship that was now sullied from blurred boundaries. Once all the food was eaten and the table was clear, Jenna ordered another round of drinks for the three of them. Once the beverages arrived, Jenna raised her glass into the air. Echoing Jenna's actions, Janelle and Avery did the same.

"To a memorable weekend," she declared, with a big smile on her lips.

"Agreed," Avery said, lifting his mojito into the air.

"To a memorable weekend," Janelle echoed, bouncing her glass against Jenna and Avery's. Everyone drank long sips from their respective glasses. Jenna placed her glass down first, and cleared her throat.

"So, the reason I wanted the two of you to sit together is because I have something important to talk to you both about, and it would be easier to do if I were facing both of you," she explained, grasping her hands together and situating them on the table. Avery and Janelle placed their drinks down and looked her in the face.

"All right. Tell us what's on your mind," Janelle requested, staring at her gorgeous friend.

"Janelle, I didn't mean to get mad at you the other day. I've been feeling overwhelmed a lot recently, and I took that frustration out on you. Admittedly, I was threatened by you asking me to have another threesome so soon after the first time," she explained, looking down at the table. Janelle sat quietly, feeling something akin to remorse as she listened to her best friend explain her recent behaviors.

"And Avery, I'm sorry for being so difficult this week. I've been a little unhinged lately, and again, I took it out on you."

"No, Jenna. I apologize. You were right. I need to do a better job of taking your feelings into consideration. I've been acting very selfishly," he admitted. Janelle reached her small hand and placed it atop Jenna's clasped hands.

"And I'm sorry for pressuring you. I shouldn't have said anything. I deserved to be yelled at," Janelle said, rubbing her thumb against the outside of Jenna's right hand. Jenna glanced at the beautiful hand on hers. What it was doing was no longer a friendly gesture. All Jenna could think about was how many times it had wrapped around Avery's cock without her knowledge.

"Good. Now that everyone's apologized, I have a question, Janelle," she said, raising her emerald eyes to her friend.

"Sure," she replied, still clutching Jenna's hand. Ignorantly, Janelle hoped Jenna was going to ask her about a second threesome.

"I want to know how many times you've fucked Avery since we moved here," Jenna said, angrily. The expression on her face morphed into one of rage. Befitting that rage, she withdrew her hand from Janelle.

"What? What are you talking about?" Janelle asked, leaning back into her chair.

"I saw you," she spoke calmly. Avery and Janelle looked at her with confused eyes, trying to hide the culpability, but they were unsuccessful. It was colored a dark, mustard yellow. Seeing it in their eyes infuriated Jenna. She slammed her hands onto the table, palms down. The glasses, and the contents within, rumbled from the strike.

"I saw you!" She shouted so loudly, the nearby chatter of other diners ceased. Avery and Janelle felt additional eyes on them. The curious, annoyed gawks from strangers caused them great embarrassment. Both Janelle and Avery knew about what she spoke but attempted, nevertheless, to feign ignorance.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Janelle said, shaking her head and crossing her arms.

"We haven't done anything since last Friday, baby girl," Avery added, looking at her intently. With his powers to contrive rendered inert, Jenna stared Avery in his earthy, brown eyes.

"Do you need a reminder? Okay! You fucked her in our bed Wednesday night," she said, pointing to Janelle. "And after you were done with her, you dragged me into the shower and made me suck you." Avery swallowed hard, knowing that he had been caught.

"Jenna, don't be mad at Avery. He was drinking, and I took advantage of him," Janelle spoke. Jenna would consider nothing of Janelle's shallow explanation for their actions.

"Oh! Avery was drinking! There's a big surprise. You better watch out, Janelle. He might try to shove it up your ass," Jenna sneered, looking at him. The whites of her eyes were almost the color of her hair.

"I apologized to you for that," Avery said quietly.

"Do you have no idea what it feels like to be taken advantage of in that way, Avery?" She fired back at him.

"Jenna, I swear none of it was Avery's fault. I came over to apologize for our fight on Monday. He was home early. I saw he was drunk, and I was horny. I seduced him," Janelle lied, trying to take whatever blame she could from Avery's shoulders.

"You were my best friend. I trusted you. I thought we had an agreement. I allowed you to have him for just that night. I wasn't giving you permission to fuck him whenever you wanted," she spoke in a shuddering tone. Tears began to stream down her perfect cheeks. The table grew silent. Avery looked down upon the cleared table.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. Jenna slammed her fists onto the table again, turning her ire to him once again.

"And you! You've been lying to me for weeks!" She shouted. Avery sat quietly as Jenna verbally punched Avery in the gut.

"First, you lied to me about going to David's apartment the night of my birthday. For no reason, because if all you did that night was walk, you had no need to make up a story to cover it. Then, you lied to me about meeting with David last weekend. I saw him at the Curtain Call that night, and he told me he hadn't seen you all day. And then, you told me this week that you've been working. I went to your office on Monday to take you out to lunch, and the receptionist told me that you were on vacation. What have you been doing that you need to lie to me about it?"

"I haven't been doing anything, Jenna," he said, looking at Jenna. Her tears momentarily ceased.

"Then why haven't you been telling me the truth?" Jenna asked, hitting the table a third time. Another long pause draped over the table. Jenna sat shaking with anger. Her nose was red. Her eyes were pink and glossy.

"How long have you been fucking Janelle behind my back?"

"It was just the one time on Wednesday. I swear," he answered quietly. Jenna scoffed at the comment, turning her head to the side.

"Even if I believed you, which I don't, it doesn't change the fact that you did it. I'm going to assume that you've been fucking Janelle this entire time, unless you give me a better explanation," she said, peering into Avery's eyes. Jenna was no longer under his spell. She could finally see Avery for the person he was, underneath his façade.

"Is there a better explanation?" Jenna asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. Avery sat quietly. Any answer he said to her, be it a lie or the truth, would only serve to anger Jenna further. The damage was clearly done. Jenna pushed her chair back to give herself room to stand.

"Okay. Here's what's going to happen: I'm going to leave this table. I'm going to walk back to the apartment. I'm getting some of my things, and I am leaving. Don't contact me. Don't follow me. I just want to be left alone," she professed, standing up and collecting her small black purse from the chair next to her. As she draped it onto her shoulder, she looked back at the two unfamiliar individuals who sat there. Devastated, scorched earth covered their faces.

"Avery, you are smart, you are funny, and you are beautiful. And yes, you are dynamite in bed. But you're also an abusive and manipulative cheat," she conveyed to him, her truest sentiments about him.

"Janelle, I'm more disappointed in you than in him. We've been friends for twenty years. I don't know why you would throw it away like this," she commented, turning to her, now, ex-lover. "If he fucked around on me, he'll probably do it to you, too," she reasoned, exiting the restaurant. Spectators were still drinking in the disagreement amongst former acquaintances. Avery placed his hands on his head while Janelle sat motionless in her chair, understandably disconcerted.

COMPATIBILITY

"May I have another?" Avery asked, waving his empty glass at the bartender. She walked towards him and collected the short vessel from his hand.

"You've been putting these away all night long," she commented. The bartender was a very attractive woman. Her skin was pale, almost the color of buttermilk. She had a small, gentle nose and hazel eyes. From head to toe, she stood two inches above Avery. Her hair was dark, perhaps brown or black, very curly, and spread confidently and sexily from her head. As she strutted to the end of the bar to prepare Avery's sixth drink of the evening, he noticed how perfectly her ass protruded from her jeans.

"What's your name?" Avery asked, accepting the drink upon her return.

"Heather. And you are?" She inquired, wiping the bar down with a white towel draped over her shoulder.

"Avery," he answered, taking the freshly prepared beverage from her.

"Nice to meet you, Avery," she said, leaning over the bar to gather some leftover glasses from previous patrons. A small amount of her cleavage popped out of her black tank top shirt as she did it. Even through his drunken stupor, Avery noticed the tiny, numerous, dark blotches around her concealed mounds.

"Where's your girlfriend? That cute, little Hispanic girl I saw you with the other day?"

"Believe it or not, that wasn't my girlfriend. That was my stepsister," he answered, downing the drink in seconds. Heather lifted her eyebrow in disbelief at both what he had just told her and at the sight of him finishing the drink so rapidly.

"Really? From the kiss you two had, I would have pegged her as a significant other, for sure," she explained, picking up a tip on the bar left behind by another customer.

"No. That's my stepsister. My dad married her mom."

"Huh. It sure didn't look that way," she confessed, stuffing the bills into her pocket. Avery noticed her small bellybutton she possessed when she lifted her shirt high enough to hide the wad of singles.

"Well, Heather, I don't have any plans this evening. How about after your shift, you and I grab a cup of coffee?" He asked her. She smiled and lowered her head, before letting some laughs slip through her lips.

'You're very handsome, but you're not really my type," she replied, taking his empty glass from her again. "Would you like another?" Avery sighed at his rejection and nodded his head.

"Sure," he answered. She smiled and walked away, taking the empty glass with her. Avery unlocked his phone and checked his Facebook profile. The information on the page was exactly as it was a few hours ago. Jenna had not updated it to display, what he believed to be, her newly-acquired single status. Sighing again, he logged out of the site. He dropped his phone back onto the bar. As Heather returned with the drink, she could see the anguish in his eyes. The palpable look of despair she oftentimes saw on the faces of so many as they tried to numb themselves for a few hours.

"What was her name?" She asked, leaning onto the bar to speak above the loud music and televisions. Avery lifted his head at her comment. He offered no response.

"The one who left you. What was her name?" She questioned again. Heather was as smart and confident as anyone. Or was just very practiced as understanding the expressions of others. Avery sighed a third time and hoisted the glass to his lips.

"Jenna. Her name was Jenna," he answered. Heather turned around, revealing to Avery her delicious ass a second time. As he drank it in, Avery heard his phone buzz on the bar. He received a text message.

[Where are you?]

The number was unfamiliar to him. Avery's drunken fingers sloppily typed an answer.

[Who is this?]

A reply came within seconds of the first comment.

[It's Janelle.]

He assumed it was her, but he wanted to be sure. A few seconds passed before he could form a response.

[Oh, sorry. I didn't have your number saved in my phone. I'm at a bar downtown. I'll be leaving soon.]

With the message sent, Heather turned back around to him. She placed two fresh shot glasses onto the bar and poured a dark brown spirit into both. She slid one of the shots over to him and picked up the other for herself. Avery grabbed it in his hands and held it near his mouth.

"To Jenna," Heather said, gently clanging her glass against his. They drank the shots together. The powerful libation stirred Avery to the very depths of his soul. From that single drink, he was rendered undone for the evening. Heather gathered the shot glass from him and rinsed them each in a nearby sink. Having consumed his fill for the evening, he struggled to find his wallet. His drunken fingers made it difficult for him to sort through the bills. Inadvertently, he dropped the billfold; Heather quickly swooped over and handed it back to him.

"Here, let me help you," she offered. Heather opened his wallet, and removed the exact amount of his drinks in cash, minus the last shot. That was a trick she had picked up during her long tenure as a barkeep. When customers appeared to be drinking heavily, automatically she would think either a celebration, breakup, or job loss. The shot she shared with the customer had two purposes: it potentially milked a bigger tip from the patron, and it also caused immediate satiation. The brown spirit she employed had a high enough alcohol content to knock anyone on their ass, especially following several other drinks. After cashing out his tab, she returned with his change. By this time, Avery had succeeded in removing a $50 bill from his wallet.

"This is for you," he slurred, handing the bill to her with shaky hands. Heather pushed it back towards him, graciously.

"That's nice of you, but there's no need for a tip that big," Heather reasoned.

"Please take it. It would be the first decent thing I've done in weeks," he responded.

"Okay," she replied. Hesitantly, Heather accepted the large gratuity. Hoisting her shirt again to stash the bill in her tight pants, her light green and greyish eyes caught Avery's shiny ones glimpsing her unwittingly exposed stomach. Decorating the right side of her abdomen was a tattoo of the head of a black rabbit with long ears. Her hands, slightly larger than average for a woman, quickly adjusted her clothing.

"Do you have a way to get home?" She questioned, staring a hole into him. His visage was dull. His possessed a shattered demeanor. Though he was responding to her, there was little else to indicate he was of level cognizance, much less able to detect a car riding behind or beside him.

"No. I was just going to walk," he confessed. Heather immediately determined his answer to be unacceptable. She smiled and patted his wrist with her hand.

"After drinking so much, you shouldn't be walking anywhere. Let me get you an Uber," she offered. As she strutted away to attend to her other patrons, Avery heard his phone buzz again, but did not read the message.

Heather's assistance extended beyond the bar. Unbeknownst to Avery, she paid for his ride home. He emerged from a red SUV after a twenty-minute drive, swaying side to side in the strong, chilly wind. One long, wide foot followed the other; each step was heavy and downtrodden. As he ventured towards the door, his keys dropped from his hand onto the concrete ground beneath him. He leaned over, wobbly, and stretched out one of his arms. Before he could retrieve the keys, a kind hand, covered in an all-white glove, did it for him.