Switchverse: Part VIII, or, Volatity Isn't Just For Markets
Audrey talks to Theo and reads his stories and debates about movies and actors and everything, and it’s a lot like before. Just, sometimes it’s a three-way conversation with only two of them in the room - Derek relaying words back and forth, or Audrey tattling on her cousin’s every emotion or reaction.
Within reason. Of course. She knows Derek’s limits better than her own, and can race up to the very edge of them and stop without hurting him.
Theo smiles for her a lot more than usual, though, so maybe Audrey’s only now realizing that the lie of omission strained their friendships, all three of them. Sometimes it’s hard, being two joined one in a sea of people who don’t know, don’t care to know, won’t try to understand.
Theo’s eyes flatten out with boundless gratitude every single time he mentions the thing that Audrey and Derek can do, though, so. That’s worth the short flare of panic, checking to make sure that no one’s close enough to hear.
Theo’s more careful about it than either of the Ways, though. That’s something.
--
The day before the first rainy day of the year, in early October, Nate kisses Audrey.
She’s kissed people before, but not often, and not usually while dating them. Dating, Audrey’s style of dating, implies that both parties like talking to the other, and that warm, lingering smiles or holding hands underneath desks will not be discouraged. But she hardly ever kisses the boys she likes, even if they like her back, because that’s not a thing for school, and she doesn’t see them much outside of school, so, so, it just doesn’t usually…
She has a system, okay.
After the final bell letting the students out for the day, Nate touches two fingertips under Audrey’s chin and tilts her head up. He grins - he’s handsome, Audrey admires the way he controls his body inside a character - and he leans down and kisses her.
And it takes her completely by surprise. She doesn’t react, doesn’t move into him or away.
Immediately, the copper taste of Derek’s anger slams into her, and he’s saying, CEL TELL HIM TO STOP. CEL TELL HIM YOU DON’T LIKE IT. CEL. CEL. CELCELCEL.
She can’t, though. She can’t do anything.
By the time Nate stands up and lets go, still smiling, Theo and Derek are there. Derek’s shaking and upset, fingers tight on Theo’s arm, and Theo’s carrying both of their bags.
Derek hisses, “Don’t.”
Theo glances at Audrey, reads something in her face, and translates for his best friend. “Don’t kiss her.”
Nate takes a step, between the guys and Audrey, and he’s about to say that he’s her boyfriend and it’s allowed, which will just not end well.
Audrey raises her voice and forces a laugh. “Well! Uh. Just ignore them, okay? You know that they’re my cousins.” She shrugs and waves at Theo. “Pseudo-cousin, in his case. The point is! …they’re very protective.”
Nate makes a face at her, to show that he’s over it and everything’s fine, but he looks more than a little petulant, so she smiles winningly until he smiles back and waves and leaves with a promise to call later.
She turns on her heel and glares at the brown of Theo’s bowed head and Derek’s sharp hazel eyes. “You guys,” she grinds out.
Derek, completely unapologetic, says, You panicked. I panicked. He should know better.
“How could he know better! We’re dating!” Her hands fly around and wave, because she can’t focus on getting them under control.
“In a manner of speaking,” Theo qualifies, still bowing his head in a show of penitence.
There is a beat, and Derek fixes Theo with horrified eyes, mouth open.
Audrey gapes and flounders. “In a manner of - Theodore!”
He doesn’t know the rules, Derek explains, fast, so the words wouldn’t make sense if they were spoken. That’s our fault, he doesn’t know what’s yours and what’s mine, separate.
Audrey waves her finger at both of them and yells, “Find a ride home, because it will not be with me!” and stomps away.
It’s absolutely silent in the car, because she doesn’t turn the radio on, and she’s not tied up in knots by the time she gets home, and she doesn’t fidget anxiously until Derek confirms, We’re at Theo’s house, Ray drove us with Jack and Eliza.
She maybe breathes easier after that, though.
--
So, the day after that, the first rainy day of the school year, Audrey and Derek are carefully ignoring each other, not responding overtly to anything one picks up from the other. Theo knows well enough not to try to talk to her.
(During second period, Audrey hears them talking about it; Derek says, “There are some things that even I’m not allowed to mess with. Knowing about, this, it doesn’t make it okay for you to just. You know?”
And Theo says, “There are still boundaries, and I can’t simply interfere. I see.”)
And then by the end of the day Audrey still isn’t ready to forgive them, so Derek doesn’t even ask before the guys go off to get a ride with Ray.
Audrey stands under the cover in the hallway, watching the silver lines turn into concentric circles on brown conrete, trying not to think of anything and trying to convince herself to drive home in her utterly silent car again.
She stands there long enough that her brother wheels his bike, clicking wheels and wet screech of metal over metal, right up next to her.
She says, “Hey, 2way.”
His helmet’s under one arm, and his glasses are foggy and wet, and his backpack’s open. “Hi, Audrey, where’s, y’know.” He points his chin in the vague direction of two missing pieces of her.
She shakes her head and steps closer to zip up his bag, because her brother, such a mess. “You gotta take care of this stuff, kiddo.” She stares at her hands and waits for her brain to click - Derek says, Give him a ride home, because sometimes it’s easier to let someone else pin down thoughts when her mind’s racing.
“You’re not going to ride to Bob’s in this, are you?”
He shrugs, posture bent, half-drowned. “I guess? It won’t be so bad.”
“C’mon, I’ll drive you,” she says, and she takes his hand, cold fingers folded together as she convinces herself and they’re off.
He walks his bike one-handed, mouth curving up, and he says, “Thanks.”
Audrey can’t remember why this isn’t something 2way can just take for granted, but, that’s how things go, sometimes.