Avery did not hear Roland and Steven once they entered the classroom for she just spent her time drawingfor it helped her forget and once she got into the zone she tend to forget what is around her or that she might not be alone. She enjoyed her drawing time for it was her time, her time to feel like she was free and to feel alive for once instead of dead like she would feel when she was with ehr father. SHe drew the wings to look tangled with the chains that the dark figured held representing he was in charge and control of the angel.

But when Roland said hi to her all of a sudden she jolted a bit making sure her sunglasses did not fall off all of a sudden. SHe looked at him and was wondering why he was talking to her when she told him not to. "Uh hi." was all she siad before turning her focus back to her drawing hoping he would leave her alone. "I thought I told you it was best to not get near me or even talk to me." She said to him for she could feel him staring at her now and it truly made her uncomfortable. Avery started to tremble a bit showing she was scared and just wanted to be alone.

"It is best to not mess with a girl like me." She explained to him before turning her attention back to her drawing and flipped the page to a blank one and started to draw again a new sketch to help pass the time and for her to relax a bit or at least try to relax.

After Roland said his hello to the Avery girl, she looked at him to reply in a nervous tone. Roland thought to himself that this might be the chance that she will actually talk to him and he could get to know her, but instead she tried to make avoidable and distant just like their last encounter. She spoke towards him to remind him that she didn’t want him near her and that it wasn’t best to talk to her, and after she said what she had to say, she tended back to her sketch to whatever it was she was doing, but that wasn’t enough to make Roland just get up and leave. As she got back to her hobby, Roland replied.

“Uh huh, but you can’t get rid of me that easily.” He smiled as he started to grab for something out of his book bag. “Besides I had to at least give this back to you.” In his hand he had the treatment pad that she had given him yesterday for his face when he fell. He reached his hand out to her with the pad in his hand and spoke again.

“I think this belongs to you. I wanted to at least thank you for letting me use it. It was really nice of you, even though you still ran away from me.” And as Roland finished speaking, his face expressed a gentle smile of kindness while he handed her what had belonged to her.

"Here, take it."

Avery looked at the treatment pad and shook her head. "No its ok you can keep it I have more in my bag." SHe said but her bag was more of a first aid kit for her everyday pain from her beatings or old injuries, she just wanted to be alone. Avery sketched in her book wanting everything in the world to vanish and wanted the pictures in her book to come to life and surround her. "Besides I don't know why you want to talk to me I am a no body." SHe said to him as she sketched flowers she remembered seeing where she used to live before being forced to move with her dad to cover his tracks.

Avery went to get into her bag to get her water bottle but cringed for her side really hurt when she bent her side to get into her bag. Every inch of her just hurt a lot. She held her side waiting for the pain to pass over and then got her water but had something else in her hands and put it in her mouth before downing some water to swallow what she put in her mouth. It was just normal over the counter pain meds and she hoped it would help her get through the day.

As Roland tried to get her to take back her treatment pad, she refused as he took his hand back and placed it back in his book bag while his face went from a happy smile to a weary look, but still tried to stay positive. He wondered why she didn’t want to talk to him, but also wondered why she carried all of those compress pads in her book bag as well. As he studied her quickly while she stated on his antics of why he wanted to talk to her, he noticed afterwards that she acted somewhat worn down, fragile, and hurt for some reason. He couldn’t figure out why, but he didn’t want to keep questioning her about it either. Instead, he just wanted to make her feel welcome and comfortable due to the fact that no one else is doing, but instead put her down when she is in their sight.

“Well, you at least need to get to know the place” said Roland as he continued to reason. “I thought ‘Hey look! A new student. Maybe she’d like a detour or something so she can find things easier.’ you know?”

Avery looked at him when he talked to her and just thought he was weird for most people jsut gave up on her or jsut avoided her all together. 'Well I am fine I have a map and I got a long just fine alone like I always have." She said to him for it was true she did a lot of things on her own ever since her mother walked out and had to live with her abusive dad.

SOon the bell rang and the students started to make their way into the classroom. "You better get to your desk." was the last thing Avery said as the students walked in and a few saw Avery. "Look its dumpster girl wow she must really live in a dumpster since she is wearing the same clothes from yesterday." A girl said and everyone started to laugh while Aveyr stayed quiet and was glad she had sunglasses on to cover her shiner for a couple tears escaped and her sunglasses covered it. Soon the teacher walked in. "Alright students please take your seats and lets get started." HE siad as she started to write down problems. "ALso please pass up your homework from yesterday up." He said as Avery got her homework out of her bag and the teacher collected the work not trusting his students.

"No then lets get started I hope you are ready for it only gets harder." HE siad with a smirk as the other students groaned at that while AVery just got ready to write notes and the teacher started his leacture.

Avery replied to him saying that she didn’t need his guidance and help to get around the school, so that didn’t work. Roland learned how stubborn she was at letting others help her or even talk to her for that matter, so he needed to try something else.

“Well I-”

Before Roland could finish, the school bell had rang, and Avery told him to get to his desk. He looked towards the door to see other students coming in, so he took Avery’s advice and went to his desk. Once he did, he noticed that one of the girls in the classroom called someone dumpster girl and began to make fun of their clothes while everyone else laughed. As he turned to see who they were talking about, his eyes caught onto Avery’s sight yet again. While doing so, he noticed that she was wearing the same clothes from yesterday, plus he had shades to cover her eyes, but Roland questioned why.

As soon as the teacher walked in and began the lesson, Steven passed up a note to Roland, and once Roland got it he opened it up to read what was inside.

So how did it go?

Roland looked forward to see if the teacher was paying attention while getting everyone's homework, and while his backed was turned from Roland's direction, he wrote down something on the note and passed it back to Steven, and he received it and opened it up to read.

Same results, but I’m not done yet.

The teacher dragged on as he taught the class and it was obvious most of the students were lost while Avery was doing pretty good for she spent most of her free time in the past justnreading and stufing once her mom walked out so she was actuall a few grades ahead but did no want to skip grades. She wrote down the notes but did not really pay attention to the lecture and just looked out the window. After a couple hours the bell rang and the teacher explained what the next set of homework was and the class was dismissed. Avery got her stuff and made her way to her locker while holding her side for it was acting up.

Avery got her book exchanged out and just wanted to get through her classes for the day and just go home and hope her dad was in a good mood. Once she got her stuff she just went off to her other classes. She was glad to have her art class at least for it was like her little sanctuary. Her teacher was impressed with her work and decided to put a picture of her angel and the dark figure that trapped her wings.

Once lunch time arrived Avery was under the tree again while holding her side for it was really throbbing now and then from when her dad kicked her there last night.

As the day continued, Roland did his normal routine and attended his classes, but his mind was still troubled over Avery. He realized on how poor she looked and how fragile she had acted towards him when they encountered each other, but he couldn’t figure why. He came to conclude that she might be broke and poor because of the clothes that she constantly wears everyday, and maybe the stay away type persona could be from bullying by the other students. Roland’s thought had made an unexpected yet silent voice that had came to his speech.

“Yeah, that could be it. Now I think I figured it out.”

While his voice was in a indoor tone, it still made contact to someone’s hearing as Steven turned to him while eating his lunch in the cafeteria. “Figured what out?”

“What?” said Roland to see that his apparent voice of thought had made Steven’s attention. “Oh, well I think I know what her problem could be, so right now I’m gonna go try and find her again.” Roland began to get up from the table where they were sitting and make an attempt once again to find Avery.

“Here we go again.” said Steven

As he left, he figured the first place to look was where she was last time of their first meeting, under the tree outside the school, so he continued to search while making his way there. Once he got there, he spotted her once again doing the same thing she was doing last time, so it came to no surprise but yet he wondered what she was doing in that little book of hers. As he made his way towards her, he looked down still standing while he was in front of her and started a conversation. “We meet again. Mind if I sit with you?”

Avery had her sketch book out like normal for she carried it with her everywhere so when she got insperation she could draw it or jsut for when she wanted to draw all the darkness out of her so she would nt feel like it would consume her all of a sudden. But she just sat there with it in her hands not drawing or anyhting for she was more worried about her side more then anything for it was really hurting. She dug in her back and put a thermacare patch on her side in hopes it will help subside the pain a little.

She looked up through the trees to the sky and wished she had wings so she could just fly away. For a while she closed her eyes after securing her shades on her face but her eyes snapped open when she heard Rolands voice and looked at him. "I am starting to think you are a stalker of some kind." SHe siad to him annoyed that he will not leave her alone for that was all she wanted was to be left alone. Avery could not understand why he wanted to talk to her for she did not look pretty or have stylish clothes, or anyhting that would made her approchable.

"But unfortunatly its a free country and you can sit wherever you want." Was all she siad as she ran her fingers through her messy hair.

Once she said and confirmed that he could sit down with her, that is exactly what Roland did. After doing so, he thought for a moment about what she said, assuming that he was a stalker, so it kind of surprised Roland being called that for the first time. He knew he was nosy and he tended to get into stuff that didn’t involve him of any sort, but he thought it was better than being a creep like he calls Steven all the time. As he made himself comfortable while sitting next to Avery, he began to look up at the view in the sky, or at least what he could see of it due to the bushy leaves in the tree above them.

“It’s a beautiful day huh?” said Roland as he tried to started a conversation. “The bright sun, the mild temperature, the cool breeze from the wind. It’s perfect. Perfect to do just about anything wouldn’t you say?”

Avery sat there listening to him talk about how it was a beautiful day when she felt like it was just another day where she had to go to school then go home and try to clean, cook and other stuff for her dad and hope he will not beat her that would send her to the hospital. she just did not understand why someone like him wanted to be with her. "To you its a beautiful day but I see no beauty in it at all." She said to Roland as she sat there.

She had no food with her and was not eatting for she had no money for lunch or had to make anything for her. "Man why is this lunch period so long I just wnat to leave." She siad not wanting to talk to him or anyhting. AVery was stubborn by nature and rather stubbornly avoid people ad try to survive on her own even if it meant leading a lonely life the lead her to die alone with no one knowing it.

While enjoying what the weather had to offer, Roland heard Avery’s reply and complaint as well. She looked at the day like it had nothing to show and wanted the lunch period to be over, but Roland couldn’t understand why. It’s days like this that make Roland just want to forget everything and just sit back and relax with no care in the world whatsoever. After listening to her negative comment, he responded on his behalf. “You must be hard headed to talk like that, I mean really, how could you say that?”

He didn’t want to sound offended, but he wanted to make a point so that she could even understand as he continued. “There is so many amazing things that the world can offer, whether we refuse to see them or not. I can’t speak for everyone but I know most people would be very appreciative of days like this.” Roland then began to make himself even more comfortable by adjusting his head to lay firmly on the tree with his body laying in the grass. He placed both of his hands behind his head and continued to look at the sky while talking to Avery.

“It’s days like this that makes you feel free.”

"Look I hate everyday of life and for your information I have not eaten so far today." Avery said angry for she wanted to be alone and this guy only annoyed her now by a lot. "Besides in my eyes I can;t see the beauty in anyhting just the depressing side to things and I have my reasons that you do not need to know." She said to him as she undid her braid and let her hair fall. It was long and a bit tangled up so she tried to comb herfingers through her hair. "Besides days like this only brings bad memroies making me feel more like an outcast." Avery explained as she finished combing her hair with her fingers and redid her braid before trying to stand. "ANd this day does not make me feel free it only makes me wish I was free." She explained to him as she looked down at him before picking up her bag.

Avery started to walk away wanting to find a new spot to try to relax alone when her bag gave out and ripped having all the contents of the bag fall out. "You got to be kidding me I jsut fixed this stupid bag." She groaned as she bent down wincing but started to gather her stuff. THere were a couple text books, reading books, notes, and a lot of first said stuff like bandages, heat pads, ointments, creams, disinfectant, and pain killers. THere was even a kit to try to do stitches until she could go to the hospital and let a profssional do it. As she picked the stuff up her sleeve went up her arm revealing the bandages she had on one and the other with scars and new stitches.

As Roland tried to keep relaxed and keep the conversation at a calm tone, the girl just wasn’t really up for it as she continued with her stubbornness and hatred for things. Afterwards, she decided to move away from the tree and on to another spot because from the looks of it she was annoyed. As Roland watched her move with his feelings and perspective somewhat crushed due to her negativity, he saw that she had dropped her bag with everything in it falling out as well, so he got up really quickly to assist her with her belongings. Once there, he’d seen her books on the ground but also a lot of medical and first-aid stuff as well, something he did not expect for her to carry around, but then again she did mention that she has more of the treatment pads. Then, when she rolled up her sleeves, he noticed the injuries and bandages that were on her arms , as Roland looked surprised.

Roland then decided to look at her as if he was going to speak again, but didn’t want to say anything to make her mad or upset. He thought to himself

Don’t say anything. Don’t say anything. You’ll get her upset if you do. Just keep helping her.

As he listened to his mind speak for him, he did exactly what it said and continued to help her even if she didn’t want it.

Avery was able to collect all her things and get it back in her bag since the strap was all that ripped this time. "Just my luck another thing to fix." She grumbled as she took his stuff from him for he had no clue that most of the medical stuff was for her because of what she endures day and night. "Look trust me it's best to not get to know me or anything it's not worth it for that was if I vanish it won't matter." She said to him as she heard the bell go off and she rushed off to her next class for she just wanted to get away.

Avery walked to her class feeling a lot of pain and started to think that her dad may have broken something or really bruised her this time around. Avery just tried to make it through the rest of the school day making sure she had her shades on and moved her sleeves back down to cover her arms again.

When the last bell ran Avery was at her locker changing stuff out and getting ready to go home. She had not received any text or calls from her dad for anything so he was either asleep or his buddies were over playing poker and she knew she had to be quiet as a mouse and hope her dad does not lose. "Hmm maybe I should avoid going home today I wounder where I can stay for free or without anyone knowing." She said for the last time her dad lost he tried to use her as payment but Avery got out of that somehow.

Once she got all her books and her bag set she closed her locker and locked it before she made her way out of the school but sat in the steps thinking where she could crash for a bit.

After everything was got up and restored into her bag, the school bell had rung, and once again she had taken off to get away from him. He didn’t want her to get away like last time, but he didn’t want to make her upset or angry because if he kept being bothersome, there isn’t no telling what she would do. Next time he’ll have to wait for the right moment in order for things to work properly between them, either today or tomorrow, it has to be at the right time. After she left, he grabbed his things as well and headed back inside the school. Once inside, he proceeded onward to his next class.

A few classes later, the final bell ring notified that school was over for the day as Roland started putting away his books into his locker. While doing so, for some odd reason Steven was being very hasty like he was to go somewhere important and was in a rush as he tried open his locker very quickly and just throw all of his books in his locker. Roland looked at him as he thought it was funny and spoke to him with a little bit of laughter. “What’s up with the rush Steven?”

“Can’t talk Roland, can’t talk.” said Steven “Have somewhere important I have to be so I’m going to be late tonight. Make sure to tell mom and dad for me, and I’ll see you later.”

“Ok then” replied Roland but reminded him of one minor detail “But it’s still a school night!” As Steven ran out of sight and on his way, Roland closed his locker and made his way out of school as well. Once he was outside, before he could begin making his way home, he looked at the steps in front of him to see Avery again just sitting there. He knew it was her from the sweater she wore yesterday and today, so he went down the steps and looked right at her while she sat there thinking on something from the looks of it. He didn’t want to be bothersome really, but he couldn’t help it because there was so much mystery to her and so many questions he wanted to ask, but he knew doing so will just drive her away again. Instead he just decided to ask a simple question.

“Whatcha doing?”

Avery rested on the steps as she started to think of where she could crash for the night when she heard someone behind her and looked up. "Ok are you following me or just appearing in the smae places as me?" She asked as she looked at him and sighed. "ANd trying to figure out where I can crash for the night I do not want to go home." Avery said as she sighed and figured she was going to have to find a park and sleep under a jungle gym or something for the night for she was not risking another poker night with her dad. She sat on the steps as she bit her thumb nail trying to think things through and wondered if she can sleep somewhere on school but then agian it was best to go someplace close to her home so when morning came she could be home to make his breakfast.

Avery then stood up and held her bag. "Guess I will just walk and try to figure it out." She said and looked at him. "Where is that one guy that you hang with the hyper one?" She aksed for she was used to seing steven with Roland when they walked off campus or when they walked in the hallways. "Kind of weird to not see your little sidekick next to you." She said as she fixed her shades and got ready to leave. 'Well I am out of here I am sure to think about where I can crash for the night." She said to him as she started to walk dwn the rest of the steps of the school.

Finding Avery on the school steps was unusual because she tended to hide a lot from others, especially from Roland as she sees him as some type of stalker, but when she came across with her intent on finding some place to stay because she didn’t want to go home, it made an opening for Roland to be of help. She also questioned where Steven was at because he was usually near almost all the time, but Roland replied with an honest answer. “Who, Steven? God only knows where he could of went to, and with it being a school night he could get in trouble.” After he gave an answer, Avery decided to get and start searching for a place to spend the night.

But before she could get away, Roland used his voice to stop her for a moment. “Wait! Umm…..I-I had an idea if um….if your interested, but if not well uh I’ll completely understand and help you find someplace else or whatever.” Roland became nervous for the next question he was going to ask her because he’s never really asked anyone what he was preparing to ask, especially a girl. Plus, he was also afraid that she would get the wrong idea, hopefully not, but he was ready to back it up with explanation. As he tried to clam himself and adjust with his nerves getting the best of him, he popped the question. “Would you like to stay at my place for the night?”

Avery looked at him through her shades for she had them on all day and glad no teacher told her to take them off. Sh watched him as he tried to talk to her and she just tilted her head with an annoyed look on her face for she just wanted him to spit it out. Once he finally offered for her to stay at his placed she looked at him weird. "You want to take in a girl youe just meet like what yesterday to your place?" She asked him as she looked at him and she thought it was also weird because she has done everything she can to avoid him and to stay away from him by even acting mean. Avery was not used to being around people that treat her nicely after she became the way she is now after her mother left and father started to abuse her.

'I guess going to your place would be better then sleeping in a park or something out in the elements." Avery said as she scratched the back of her head a bit but she was still scared for she did not want anyone to see her black eye or scars, bruises, and how skinny she really was from not really getting a proper meal or not eating all together. She had no clue what to expect from this but decided to just mainly keep her guard up.

Once Avery gave in to his offer, Roland couldn’t of been happier that she had agreed to stay at his place for the night, though he was surprised she had said yes. Though the fact that she probably would have slept at a park or stayed in an alley somewhere was mentioned, he probably would have been stubborn and followed her till she came to conclusion of going with him, but he was glad it didn’t have to come to that. He followed up to her answer as well with giving her a sense of direction. “Well then um……let’s head to my place then and then uh…..we will go from there.” His nerves were getting the best of him because he still couldn’t believe of what he had asked her, but shocked more that she had said yes, he kept a straight face and a nervous tone as he began to walk to his house.

“Oh, one more thing” said Roland as he stopped for a minute to tell her something of importance “Steven’s parents might not be home either, so for now we might be the only two there. Will you be ok with that?” Roland hoped that because of no one else being at his house Avery wouldn’t change her mind or get the wrong idea before going, so he awaited her answer in hope of feeling ok with the situation.