Balance, Kayla Williams [read after .txt] 📗

and Devin climbed out onto the gravel to join his friends. Lawrence, wearing a leather jacket didn't say much because he was too busy smoking.
I got out and walked over next to Devin. I noticed that the dumpster by his truck was overflowing. I scrunched my nose and looked back at the ground. I decided pebbles were nicer to look at.
"What are you guys doing here?" Devin wondered.
"We're on our way to work, so we decided to meet up here for some breakfast," Mark explained.
Devin nodded his head and said, "Ah, I see. I was just about to take Avery out on a date." Devin of course didn't want to explain where we were going, because he probably would have been embarrassed a little. With it being romantic and all.
"That's cool man. Well we've had an interesting day. Me and Lawrence here talked to some hot chicks yesterday. And, I think we both got a date tonight with them. Isn't that awesome, man? Were gonna double, " Mark told Devin and gave him a creepy grin. Lawrence motioned Devin to come over. He whispered something to Devin then blew smoke out of his mouth, and I just raised my eyebrows. Devin said something back and then burst out laughing. Mark put an arm around Devin, and they both turned away from me. What the heck could he be telling Devin? They stayed over there for a while, giggling like school girls. They just had to take up my time with Devin. I walked back over to the truck and got in, slamming the door. Lawrence looked up at me and I saw him try to stifle a laugh. I frowned at him and turned the radio on. Cranking the sound up, I leaned back, closing my eyes Why do they think they can just shun me out? After a while, I heard someone get in next to me. I creaked open one eye and saw Devin staring at me. Shutting my eye, I turned towards the window, away from Devin.
"Oh come on! They were just telling me some jokes about those girls they met earlier!" He said in a pleading voice. I didn't acknowledge him at all, but I could feel his gaze on me every few seconds as he drove.
I sat back up, looking at him, I said, “I don't want this to ruin our whole day. Though, you did hurt my feelings by completely leaving me out."
"I know, and I'm sorry baby," Devin apologized.
"You say sorry a lot you know," I said.
"Yea, because I screw up so much. I just forget things," he told me. Sighing, I gave him a weak smile.
"Sweetie.... It's OK. I forgive you," I confirmed. I gave him a soft kiss on his cheek and he grinned. "So, what are we going to do at the park?" I questioned.
"Be together," is all he said. I just nodded my head at his simple statement. The truck pulled up into an angled spot in the parking lot. I could smell the freshly mowed grass. I inhaled and closed my eyes in relaxation. I saw a couple of dogs chasing each other by the stone fountain. I jumped out of the truck and stepped in a puddle. Running around to the other side, I surprised Devin with a big hug and a peck on the lips. He held me tight and I heard him breathe in deeply.
"Are you smelling my hair?" I giggled.
"Um... No!" he laughed. We then just walked out into the park and started on a trail. The one we picked would take us through the woods and past the lake. I stared up at the leaves and gave a relaxed sigh.
"Oh my goodness!" Devin exclaimed, staring at me with wide eyes. I ran a hand through my hair like a maniac, thinking there was a bug in it.
"There's nothing in your hair. That's not it."
"Well what then?" I questioned in a frightened tone.
"YOU... you, are relaxing!" he said with a smirk. I shoved him playfully and shook my head. Since we were having such a great time, I didn't want to tell him how I was feeling. My legs were killing me, and I knew that my knees were swollen. So, I just played along, trying to be happy.
"Shut up! You are so mean!" I laughed. He reached over, wrapping his arm around me, and pulled me close.
Devin kissed my head and said, "I love you so much sweetie. I don't know what I'd do without you." He looked at me as if he really meant it, and it made me smile.
The trail was starting to get cluttered with weeds and branches as we went on. I looked up at him and then gave him a quick kiss. Somehow, after that, all I saw was dirt. Turns out, the ground doesn’t taste that good.
"Avery! Are you alright?" Devin asked in a somewhat concerned voice.
"Rea lim el ight," I mumbled. He grabbed my arms and pulled me up.
"You are just so clumsy, I guess I'll have to carry you to the lake," Devin insisted. I fixed my hair and brushed off my clothes.
"Oh come on! I'm fine!" I told him.
"Maybe now, but what about next time? You could have sprained your ankle," he said. Sometimes, he's just so motherly. I sighed as he grabbed me and carried me like my legs were broken. I guess, in a way, it was romantic. He was trying to be anyway, so I might as well take advantage of it. My long hair fell over his arms and my feet dangled in the air.
I looked down the trail, and the lake was in sight. There were little waves washing up on the muddy sand from the wind. Rings were forming here and there in the water from fish swimming about, catching insects. A Weeping Willow swayed over the sand and into the lake. The shade from it was perfect, so he brought me over and we sat down in the dry grass just a few feet from the beach. I leaned back, lied on the grass, and gazed up at the willow's amazing shape. Devin fell back also and grasped my hand.
"It's beautiful here, So peaceful," Devin sighed.
"I agree, Um, Devin?"
"Yes babe?" he answered.
"I have a question... but, I don't want to weird you out or anything," I said sheepishly.
"Avery, what possibly could you say that would do that? We've been together so long!" he said.
I took a deep breath and said, "Well, you know how I've been trying to decide on my plans as to where to live?"
"Mhmm...," he agreed and smiled like he knew where this was going.
"I thought that we could stay together in an apartment, and split the rent. It would make things easier money wise. Plus, I don't have any friends that aren't going to live in a dorm. I don't want to live in one of those, because I might get stuck with a...," I rambled off but Devin shushed me.
"Sweetie, that would be perfect," he said looking right at me. He brushed my hair aside and stroked my cheek with his fingertips. "Why do you have to be so worried? How could I have turned that down? I just love you so much."
"I love you too.” I leaned over and hugged him the best I could manage while lying in the grass. We lied there for some time and just enjoyed the quiet atmosphere. We kissed a few times and he admitted he was tired, so we decided to head off to the restaurant. "I'm pretty excited now about us living together," I said as we were walking back down the trail.
"I am too, I'm just wondering what our parents will think of it," he said, thinking.
"What can they say?" I asked. "We are 18, we are adults legally."
"Well yes, but they'll worry I'll get you pregnant or something," he told me, frowning. My eyes widened at his statement, and I thought about it.
"We've been together a while though, and we've proved ourselves responsible. They can't control us forever," I said with a little frustration.
"I guess so. I really would like too. We'd get to fall asleep side by side every day. It'd be soo nice," he said thoughtfully. "I promise you I won't give our parents a reason to worry." I looked at him with big eyes and kissed him slow and sweet. I lied my head on his shoulder as I hugged him. After a while, we started walking again and finally got back to his truck. I climbed in and propped my feet up on the dash.
"If you can do it in my car, I can in yours," I said with a devious smile.
"Avery, Avery, Avery... Always got to get me back, don'tcha? Hmmm?" he asked.
"Yep, sure do!" I laughed. "So, where are we going?"
"You... Will just have to find out," he said. I crossed my arms and pretended to be all irritated. Devin just laughed. I saw a plaza with a few restaurants that he was driving towards. There was a Chinese buffet, a Logan's Steakhouse, and a Pizza Hut. I was hoping so badly we'd go to Logan's. As if he could read my mind, he pulled up in front of the steakhouse. "Will this be okay?" he asked.
"Yep, this place is my favorite," I said. I could already smell the fresh rolls inside. I heard the radio playing on some speakers around the outside as we walked along the sidewalk. Devin held open the tall wooden door for me as I stepped inside. There was a glossy dark wooden counter, with a giant barrel of peanuts next to it with a metal scoop on top. I smirked at all the peanuts, as I heard my feet crush some shells that were scattered on the floor when I walked to the counter. There was a waitress standing there, anticipating us.
"Hi! How are you today?" the waitress asked.
"We're good, thank you. Table in the corner for two?" Devin suggested to her.
"Yea, sure thing!" She said in her fake enthusiastic voice. She seemed tired, overworked. There were dark circles under her eyes, where her honey brown hair fell in wisps. She was pretty though, and her name tag said her name was Anilee.
We followed her to our table, the one Devin asked for. She lied out the menus, one on each side. The table was rectangular, and yet again made out of wood. The seats were made out of red pleather, and the backs were tall. I seated myself across from Devin. "What can I get you guys to drink?" Anilee asked.
"I'll have a water with a lemon, please," I told her.
"Alright, and you?" she questioned Devin.
"How about a Cherry Coke?" he said.
"Okay, I'll be back soon," she said. She wandered off, and I watched the way she walked. It was odd. She seemed to slink, and slide around the room without a sound. I blinked and looked away, still with a confused look on my face. Devin stared at me, concerned.
"Avery, what is it?" he asked.
"I don't really know, just something strange about our waitress," I tried to explain.
"Well, I could tell she seemed wiped," he shrugged.
"Yea, I don't know, never mind," I said.
"So what are you going to order?" Devin asked.
"I don't know, maybe an appetizer," I sighed. The thing was, whenever we went out to eat together, I never knew what to get. Devin usually figured it out for me, since he knows what I like. He's a lot less indecisive than me. I looked