The next few days of school whizzed by. Alexander had to pick up extra days at his internship because they had a huge client they were trying to impress so he wasn't in class the last couple of days. The classes were long and tedious without him.

He did text me a lot but I found myself missing his company in person. I didn't realize how close I'd gotten to him until he wasn't around much anymore.

Thankfully Aaron was also away for the last couple classes so it had been a quiet pause in my life. If I had to guess, Aaron was throwing an excessive party for his friends and was too wasted to show up. His parties were notorious for lasting days - people sleeping over, renting houses hours away, spending days just wasting away. I always avoided them and it was a constant point of contention in our relationship. I wanted him to stop and take things more seriously, he wanted me to live it up and party with him. He was adamant that he had to let out steam because come a couple of years from now and all his time would be spent working for his dad's company.

I scampered around my bedroom the next morning throwing on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt before tying my hair into a messy bun. Avery told me to come by her house for breakfast but I was running late. I grabbed my phone and wallet before heading out the door.

Avery only lived a couple blocks away so I walked the short distance. I was careful along the walk since Aaron lived pretty close by as well. It was an obnoxious nook of expensive houses that I desperately wanted to separate myself from. Avery thankfully lived a little ways away from the pomp, in a quaint little white house with a picket fence, rose bushes and all.

It was a wonder to me that people like my mother and Aaron's parents could look down on Avery's family. Avery's house was filled with more love and laughter than I'd ever seen in my house or Aaron's my entire life.

In retrospect, I should have known the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. But when you're with someone for that long, you learn to make excuses to stay together. He's having a bad day or It's just a phase he's going through. Because the idea that I just wasted two years of my life on someone who was an arrogant cheater and on a group of friends that would cast you out in moments when you needed their support the most was a more difficult reality to accept.

I walked up to Avery's house and before I could get a chance to knock, the door swung open.

"Hey, Olivia!" Tommy greeted in a chipper tone.

"Hi, Tommy! I miss you!" I gushed.

We walked inside to the wafting aroma of waffles and bacon. Yum. My stomach grumbled.

"So, uh, you notice anything different about me?" Tommy questioned.

I paused for a moment looking him over, "Is that a new shirt?"

"If you must know, my voice has decidedly gotten more masculine. If you're interested." Tommy grinned at me.

I laughed before Avery's booming voice interrupted, "Get away from her you perv."

"She loves me!" Tommy wailed.

"It's true," I shrugged.

"Olivia! We've missed you!" Larry, Avery's dad walked out of the kitchen. He was wearing an apron that had Mr. good lookin' is cookin' inscribed on the front. His short salt and peppered hair tucked under a chef's cap.

"Hi, Larry," I grinned at him. "Whatcha cooking?" Larry was the chef of the household. In another lifetime I'm positive he was a chef. His food was to die for but he ended up as a psychologist.

"Olivia!" Margaret ran up to me and pulled me into her warm embrace. She pulled back before gently slapping my arm. "Where have you been?" She crossed her arms.

"Please, enough with the suffocation." Avery called.

"Missing being the only girl around here?" Tommy teased.

"Missing before you were born," Avery retorted.

"Stop." Margaret commanded pointing to her apron, "Read." Her apron had your opinion wasn't in the recipe inscribed on the front. I laughed.

"You've been waiting all morning to point to that haven't you?" Avery asked rolling her eyes.

"Didn't have to wait long with you two." Margaret tugged my arm over to the kitchen table and plopped me onto one of the chairs. She placed a white mug in front of me before filling it to the brim with French roast coffee - my favorite - and adding some cream and sugar.

Avery and Tommy sat at the table as well. "Ahem," Tommy grunted loudly. "Where's my morning cup of coffee?"

Avery snorted, "Since when?"

His eyes shot to me, "I always drink a cup of coffee in the mornings. And read the paper."

"What's the name of the paper?" Avery countered.

"I don't need to tell you anything. Shouldn't you be out with Nathan?" Tommy snapped grabbing a piece of bacon from the table and placing it into his mouth only for Larry to swat at his hand with his spatula. "Hey!" He protested.

"Well, stop being a punk." Larry called as he walked back to the oven to work on the eggs.

"Do you need any help?" I asked.

Margaret sighed, "Olivia, you need to come by more often. You've been gone for a few weeks and now I have little brats to deal with on a daily basis."

"I'm tired of this abuse," Tommy whined stealing a piece of bacon when Larry turned away to place the eggs on a serving plate. "If you're not careful I might just run away."

"And go where?" Larry questioned. "At least I can have my game room back to myself if you were gone."

Margaret and Larry placed trays of waffles, eggs, hash browns, juice, and danishes on the table.

"Wow," Avery muttered. "So we save the royal treatment for Olivia apparently?"

"Yeah," Margaret and Larry replied at the same time.

"So how has school been, Olivia?" Margaret asked me as she passed plates around.

I piled the steaming food onto my plate, "Really good. I just finished my application for teacher's college," I grinned. It was so nice to be able to chat normally about my school and my future. I didn't have to worry about formalities or expectations with Avery's parents. It was freeing.

"Avery mentioned that - we're so proud of you!" Larry smiled widely.

"Thanks," I murmured appreciating the rare encouragement.

"I'm going through graduation in a couple months myself," boasted Tommy.

"...From the eighth grade," Avery replied sarcastically.

"Avery! Shut up!" Tommy scolded while Avery laughed. "So, Olivia, you're done with that Aiden guy right?"

"Aaron," I corrected, "and yes. We broke up."

"This must be such a tough time for you," Tommy consoled. "If you're looking for a rebound, I'm all the man you need."

"Because of you I never want kids," Avery shoved him.

"Mom! Avery hit me!" Tommy complained as Margaret and Larry continued to eat their food in silence.

"Can you hear that? It's the sound of no one caring." Avery retorted as Tommy grumbled under his breath.

"Thank the lord we're done with that prick," Larry cut in, ignoring his children. "Olivia, I tried. We all tried. But he was the absolute worst. I don't know how you put up with him for two years. I couldn't do a dinner."

I gaped at him, "You never said anything to me!"

"We didn't want to sway your decisions with him," Margaret said quietly. "But he was such a little shit."

Avery laughed and I turned to look at her accusatorily, "They didn't say anything to me, I swear." She said.

"How is your mother feeling about your application?" Margaret asked, concern evident in her voice.

I cleared my throat, "I haven't told her yet." I admitted.

"You're going to have to deal with that soon." Larry cautioned. "You know how quickly word gets around in those country clubs."

"Don't remind me," I grimaced.

"We're here for you should you need a roof over your head, finances to cover tuition, or a mediator to break things to your mom. We're always here for you," Larry said compassionately.

"I know and thank you," I began, "but this is something I'm going to have to deal with on my own." I didn't have many people in my life who were there no matter what. There was Avery and Avery's parents. I had thought it was Aaron and our old friend group but that certainly wasn't the case anymore. But I knew that a new name becoming a constant in my life as well and that Alexander would be there for me, no matter what.