Disclaimer: I own nothing

AN: New update! Anyways, let's see what happens when Lucas meets Avery once more. This is set a few years in the future i'd say they're sophomores in high school. Hope you enjoy!

BTW: I just want to say that I am SO grateful for all the support I receive from all my readers. I love to read your reviews so I can benefit from them! don't be afraid to tell me something you think I should do or something I could add! Thank you soooo much, my Hoods! Enjoy this update!

Avery had packed up her things so fast, Barry Allen would be impressed. She was determined to confirm her suspicions and maybe even get a good a mount of answers. He seemed to have made a small square of friends and they seemed to very nice. The blonde seemed like she was the rebel. But there was a way she looked at "The Farkle" that made Avery think she held a good bit of affection for him. "The Farkle" was quite the character. He was, most certainly, the smartest kid in a black jacket and blue jeans she had encountered. And the last girl, the brunette, seemed to be the happiest person on the planet and nothing could change that.

"Wes!" Avery called loudly down the hallway. She saw that there many, many students in the halls and he may not hear her. For if he did surely he would acknowledge her presence. Right?

But he kept walking. He walked on the outside of the four of them. Wes was walking with the brunette to his left. To he left, was the blonde, and last but not least, "The Farkle" was on the other end, quite close to the blonde. Maybe a bit too close.

"We-"

Then her books slipped out of her hands and she groaned in frustration. Muttering curses to herself, she began to pick up her books and loose papers from the ground, but someone else had suddenly bent down to help. She did not bother to look up, but she did hope it was Wes. When she did look up, she saw it was a boy wearing a flannel, red over coat and denim jeans. He had deep green eyes (Sorry, I don't know what color in all honesty.) and thick, chestnut brown hair that held a bit of gel.

"You - You alright?" He asked as they stood quickly and handed the things he had collected from the floor.

Avery nodded shyly and then quickly extended her hand to him. "Hi, I'm Avery Jennings."

He took her hand gently in his own and shook it slightly, "I'm Charlie Gardener. Nice to meet you."

Avery gave the quickest smile before quickly walking down the hall to science. Hopefully Wes would be there.

"Wait!" Charlie had called. But she didn't listen. She simply kept walking.

Lucas sighed as they sat down on the tall, metal stools of the science lab. He tried to convince himself he had just been imagining her because he had very recently been missing her and thinking of her. But when he heard her call out his name, he knew she was there and real.

"Lucas?" The gentle voice of Riley Matthews asked quietly as she down next to him.

He knew Riley could sense something was terribly wrong, but she didn't know what. However, she was obviously determined to find out and it's one of the things he loved about her. She may act all happy go lucky, but inside she was a determined young woman. Lucas knew Riley always meant well, but sometimes, he simply wanted to deal with things himself, even if it would be better and would be smarter with friends.

"Yeah, Riles, I'm okay." He gave her the nicest smile he could muster, but she still remained skeptical.

"Lucas, I know-"

"Attention class." The chillingly high voice of Professor Snort entered the atmosphere. Everyone directed their attention to her. She was a woman in her early fifties and her hair had began to turn white. She was a plump , small woman with pale blue eyes and always wore the same thing each day, well, different pairs of the something each day. "Now that I have your attention, I must take role."

There was a low murmur from her class and she began to read out names. " Missy Bradford."

"Here" She had practically sneered. But the Professor simply ignored her tone.

"Sally Coals."

"Here" Said a voice.

"Lucas Friar."

"Here,"

"Derek Fyre."

"Here."

"Avery Jennings,"

No answer.

Professor Snort looked up from her attendance book and Lucas cringed inwardly. She cleared her throat.

"Avery Jennings." She said more sternly this time.

Still no answer.

With a sigh, Professor Snort scribbled an X on the "absent" column.

Seconds later, just as she was about to call out the next name, the short, blonde girl with a headband in her hair opened the door, out of breath. The class looked over their shoulders to see who was late to their Professor's class.

Professor Snort looked up. She sighed, "Miss Avery Jennings, I assume?" The professor drawled.

"Y-Yes ma'am." Avery stuttered. She looked around and made eye contact with him. With Wes. Avery's cheeks flushed a bit.

"Please take a seat with Mister Minkus. I will excuse you today. To day only. I do not tolerate tardiness, Miss Jennings." Said the teacher as she motioned toward Farkle.

Avery nodded respectfully. "Yes, Ma'am. I understand." Avery then made her way to the boy that wore the black hoodie and vans. She set her stuff beside her and then sat her self on a stool.

"Very good."

Avery continued to glance up at Lucas' back as she took notes. Farkle had greeted her very nicely. And, admittedly, a little oddly.

"So, where did you transfer from?" He suddenly whispered to her.

Avery jumped slightly and stammered out, "P-Pasadena, Cal-California."

Farkle then quirked an eyebrow and quickly jotted something down on the paper he had set before him. "Do you always stammer and stutter?" He asked. " 'Cause you don't seem like that kind of girl." He smirked.

Avery blushed a bit. This "Farkle" was being quite nice. And he was talking to her very easily. "No, I'm just nervous." She smiled inwardly. 'Ha! That time I didn't stutter or stammer at all!'

"Well, you don't need to be nervous around me. Or any of my friends for that matter." He said a bit cheerfully.

'Okay, this boy, er, this Farkle, is being almost too nice. No one was this nice to me on my first day back in Pasadena. Does he think I'm pretty? He seems to smirk a lot, and again... he is pretty cute.' Avery thought to herself. 'But Wes is still the most adorable guy I've ever met.' In conclusion, and a bit of nervousness, she decided to tell him off. "Farkle," She addressed him, "Look, you're super nice and you seem very sweet, but I... I don't like you... erm, like that."

Farkle gave her a weird look. "What? What do- Did you think-... Oh, I'm sorry. I don't like you like that either." Farkle said genuinely smiling.

"Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Farkle merely chuckled and smiled at her. "That's alright. No offense, but you're not exactly 'my type'."

"Oh," Avery muttered for what felt like the tenth time.

"I actually have a girlfriend." He stated proudly before lifting his pencil slightly to point to the blonde girl in the group of the four. "Maya Hart. Handful, she is." He mused.

Avery looked over at her and saw she was aimlessly doodling on the margins of her note - if she were taking any at all. "Oh, I see." Avery said before going back to taking notes

"Lucas, please tell me if something is wrong." Riley begged for the umpteenth time.

"Riley..." Lucas sighed, "Can I talk to you later about this?" He asked.

A little reluctantly, Riley slowly nodded her head and went back to taking notes. As she did, Lucas took his chances and glanced at her from the small corners of his eyes and admired her pretty face. Lucas knew Riley was quite, no, one of the most beautiful girls he had ever laid eyes on.

But so was Avery. Lucas' mind chided.

Two more school hours passed and Lucas was practically glued to Riley's side. But now it was lunch and Lucas knew the time had come. It was time to face Avery Jennings.

Taking a deep breath, Lucas stepped into the cafeteria with Maya, Farkle, and Riley. They retrieved their lunches and sat down at their usual table. Riley's head was perked up and she seemed to be scanning the crowd of middle school students for one in particular. And Lucas had a gut feeling that it was Avery. The four of them sat down - Riley next to Lucas, and across from them, Maya and Farkle.

Riley suddenly stopped scanning and her eyes landed on something - rather someone - above his head and to his left. He saw her wave and moments later he heard footsteps getting closer and closer to him.

"Hi, Avery, I'm Riley Matthews. Do you want to sit with us?" She asked in a purely sweet voice.

"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks." She said as she took the seat next to Farkle and diagonal from Lucas.

"I'm Maya. Sup?" Said Maya from the other side of Farkle.

"You already know me but, I'm Farkle."

Avery nodded and smiled. Then she looked expectantly down the table and directly at him.

Lucas gulped before finally greeting her for the first time in three years.

"Hi, I'm Lucas Friar."