Low Expectations (Avi.)

[Odion Martins]

Odion had thought on this for a while. No one had his cell number except Caroline. There was a time when he had considered a couple of people close friends. Now, he wasn’t sure if anyone wanted to associate themselves with him at all. He was to be hated for various reasons, but to have lost those who had never once given up on him… It was like he was already dead.

Odion knew her number by heart – always had and always would. She had always accepted him, and had always been there for him when he needed it most. Texting her from the confines of the college walls was safer than trying to find her now, but he hoped she had had a great time in Japan.

Without trying to think too much about what to say or how to say it, he sent the following text to Avi.

To: Avi
Hello love. How was your trip to Japan? I’ve missed you. Odion.

[Avinea Jale]

Avi wasn't really doing anything. She was just sitting in her room, re-reading The Lord of The Rings. She hadn't heard from many people, and to be honest she was just keeping to herself. Avi didn't really feel the need to socialize, instead it was more important to make sure that all of her work was done on time, and in so she at least had a chance to go to college.

Oh college, Avi really didn't want to think about you. She had applied to a couple of different colleges but she wasn't sure where she would get accepted. She was trying to see if she could get a degree in math, or maybe something in Physical education. Her instincts also told her that she might want to go to a school for baking and cooking. To be honest Avi didn't know what she wanted to do. Instead she applied to all sorts of places and hoped for the best.

Jogging her out of her thoughts Avi realized her phone was buzzing. Looking at the screen Avi's head did a natural tilt as she looked at the number. Not recognizing it she opened up the text message, reading it ready for it to be spam.

It wasn't spam.

Avi couldn't believe it. She did a double take and looked at the text again, making sure the name was who she thought it was.

She quickly typed up a reply:

To: He Who Royally Messed Up.
You Left. Idiot.

[Odion Martins]

The reaction wasn't really a surprise to Odion - he would've been surprised if kindness had been shown.

To: Avi
Correction, I stayed. And not of my own accord.

He waited for the angry words that would come. How much he had hurt Lani, how he shouldn't have broken up with the telekinetic. A lot of things had happened that day that Odion was still trying to get a grip on, and that wasn't exactly easy. He didn't expect anyone to understand or have pity on him, but no one was even giving him a fucking chance. And here he thought those closest to him would've given a damn.

[Avinea Jale]

Can you really blame her Odion? To be honest she is royally pissed off and has a legitmate reason for it.

To: Idiot
Hold up...
What do you mean not of your own accord?

Avi was confused. What did he mean? Not of his own accord? He better explain.

To: Idiot
To clarify, you left me. You promised you wouldn't.

It was a promise he made after Lucy. Great now she was thinking about Lucy.That was freaking fantasitic.

To: Idiot
You broke the promise you made me after Lucy. You promised that you wouldn't leave... you did.

She wasn't the most happy of people right now. Odion be careful.

To: Idiot
You better have a damn good reason for staying.

She wouldn't take anything less.

[Odion Martins]

To: Avi
I mean my power literally took over my brain.

It was a bit longer of an explanation than that, but this would have to do for now. He wasn't going to explain the complexities of his hardships over a text message. Especially when he didn't even understand them himself.

Sighing, Odion readied his fingers for the text onslaught. He wasn't going to have much time to think about these words.

To: Avi
I didn't leave you Avi, I went on a trip and things didn't go as planned. You think I meant to abandon you?

If she did, then she never had as much faith in him as she claimed she had.

To: Avi
I can't even remember most of what happened these last seven months.

That at least was the truth. It wasn't that he wanted to remember them either. Odion had done a lot of things that he now regretted, and having to relive those days now was difficult and threatened to put him back into the robotic state he was in while in Europe. If he was to piece things back together, he was going to have to do so in real time.

[Avinea Jale]

To: Idiot
What? I...
Even if...
Look you are going to explain this to me.

She didn't want to believe it was that reason. Her heart wasn't ready to accept that reason and he would be explaining that to her.

To: Idiot.
Guess what? I'm used to people leaving me. I'm used to getting left behind and knowing I can't do anything about it. I'm used to people just up and going, without telling me.


She... wasn't ready to do this, but she was going to anyway.

To: Idiot
I thought you would be the one person who I wouldn't have to know would leave, I wouldn't have to feel like you could leave at any moment and just disappear. I thought I knew you better then that.

Avi looked down at her phone and rubbed her eye. Frack no. She was not going to cry over this.

To: Idiot
He showed up crying, thinking it was his fault you left. He loves you Odion. Still does, no matter how hard he tries to fight it. You are his weakness, and you shouldn't exploit that. Look Red, when he showed up he asked why. The only thing I could come up with was that you were scared, that you are an idiot and that you are scared to actually feel things. Real things, especially with him.

Avi shook her head. No,, no no, She was not gonna cry.

To: Idiot
You promised you wouldn't leave Red. What was I supposed to think? Even if you don't remember the last seven months I thought that of all people you could at least call me, text me, email, snail mail, carrier pigeon. Anything. I thought that I mattered more to you then that. Guess I was wrong.

Frackitty Frick. Now she was crying. That was just great.

To: Idiot
I trusted you Red. I trusted you and you broke your promise.

[Odion Martins]

Odion wasn't sure why this was so hard to believe - it was like people around him wanted him to be the bad guy.

Reading the rest of her texts made him put his phone down for a moment as he thought about just how he had affected those around him. He didn't know he was capable of love, but he didn't know he was also capable of this kind of hurt. He hadn't done this on purpose, this wasn't a mind game.

Biting down hard on his knuckles, Odi closed his eyes and tried to breathe. Things hadn't go as he had planned, and nothing was going well. This was why he hadn't tried to contact Avi right away. Lani had been the hardest one to talk to, but Avi was second hardest.

To: Avi
You do know me better Avi, better than I know myself most of the time.

But what she told him afterwards left Odion with a sense of hope he thought was on the way to the grave - Lani still cared. Odion bit his lip so hard he drew blood. This was too much to deal with. He had already lost his brother, he couldn't stand losing everyone else he loved.

To: Avi
I am an idiot, a fool. I know that. Trust me. Something snapped and I don't know how to explain what happened, but to put it simply my power is on hold for the time being.

Odion sighed. Maybe she would forgive him after her rant was over.

To: Avi
You do matter Avi, if you didn't I wouldn't be texting you now. I do care, I love you. I am capable of feeling.

God how sorry he was...

To: Avi
I cam back Avi. Do you want me or not?

Oh if only he could ask the same to Lani.

[Avinea Jale]

Avi really wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust him again. She wanted to know that he was going to keep his word, but he broke his promise. He broke her, and she wasn't quite ready to forget that.

She just sorta sat there after her messages had been sent. She wasn't one to cry easily, wasn't one to just give in, but Red always had a way of making her be true to her emotions, no matter what they be. She just wasn't expecting to cry.

Putting the phone down beside her Avi put her book away and started to bite her thumb nail. It was a habit she had picked up, but she only did it when stressed. She didn't understand why he was back now, of all the times. She had just gotten Lani to not feel as bad as he did. This was gonna... this wasn't going to turn out well.

Picking up her phone she gave a dry laugh before replying.

To: Idiot
I thought I did. I don't know what to think right now. All I know is that You seriously hurt people Odion. You not only hurt me, you hurt Lani. To be frank you hurt your family.

Yes. Avi considered him family, Lani was family, Odion was family, Ash was family. She knew her family wasn't always picture perfect but they were hers. Odion just had a lot of making up to do. Looking down at her phone Avi carfully thought about what she was going to say before she slowly texted him back.

To: Idiot
Darn right you are an idiot and a fool. Whatever snapped cost you a family Odion. I trusted you, you are gonna have to work damn hard to get that trust back. I really want to trust you Odion.

Avi had every right to rant, every right to tell and scream and throw things. It was a miracle her power wasn't going crazy right now. Yes winds were pushing around the room and yes the pages were flying in her notebooks, but it wasn't out of control.

Yet.

Then he had to go and say that. Avi could feel her power slipping from her grips. Crying harder she typed out a reply, and shook her head trying to regain control.

To: Idiot
No. Let's be honest here. You love him. You are capable of feeling for him. I need you to be honest Odion. He loves you, and you love him and if you can't admit that then I think this entire thing is futile.

She wasn't good at this, this whole dealing with her problems. She much rather stuff it down. Looking at her phone as it buzzed Avi shook her head, and bit her lip feeling an intake in the air surrounding her.

To: Idiot
You broke me you fucking Idiot. You broke Lani. You expect me to...Not fair Odion. Not fair.

Avi took an inhale in her breath before her eyes turned a steely grey, and she looked down at the phone.

To: Red
I swear to God if you leave us again I will hunt you down and draw out every last breath in your lungs.

She knew he would remember why and when before she had said that.

To Red
I will accept you back on one condition. You have to promise not to leave again.

She wished it was going to be that simple.

To: Red
Promise?

[Odion Martins]

To: Avi
I know Avi. You and Lani are the only family I've ever known... Aside from Declyn and Jared.

God he really had abandoned all sorts of people...

Odion's whole body was shaking he was crying so hard. Yes, it had been a good choice to be alone. He hadn't meant to hurt those he truly cared about, had no idea he was capable of caring about them to begin with. He supposed the old saying was true - you only know what you've got 'til it's gone.

To: Avi
I really want to trust me too.

Odion laughed at wiped at his face which was probably as red as his hair at this point.

To: Avi
Uh hello, that's why I'm here. Of course I love him...

But Lani was a different story he didn't want to type out. He actually wanted to see Avi.

To: Avi
I know Avi, I know... I know all the bad things I've done and I'm trying to make things better, I am. But I'm broken too, I can't do this alone.

Odion laughed despite the hurt and nodded to himself.

To: Avi
I'm not leaving Avi, I promise. I just need help staying grounded. I also promise you can slap me when you see me next time.

[Avinea Jale]

Avi bit her lip looking over the texts that had been sent. There were things she didn't want to talk about, didn't want to think about and didn't want to acknowledge. Odion was back though, and one way or another things were going to happen. Avi was sure of that at least.

To: Red
We will see. Don't disappear on my again Red.

(wrap for Avi)