&. get lost - with me

Peyton looked ahead, not really wanting to look at Avery anymore. Even though it had been many years, it still broke his heart to see the other male in front of him once again. He looked back at Avery when he asked him the questions and nodded slowly. “I’m a teacher.” He mentioned to him. “As long as you are doing something you enjoy, that’s really all that matters at the end of the day, I guess.” He said to Avery before he was looking away from him again.

“A teacher? That’s...that’s awesome.” Avery said sincerely. It fit Peyton, or at least the Peyton that he had known. “Yeah, you’re right. What grade do you teacher?” He continued the conversation, hoping to keep up the semi-nice mood.

“How are things with you?”

“I’ve been well,” he replied with a nod. “I got a tattoo. That’s pretty interesting.”

“Yeah.. You’re right.. It is pretty wild that I am here, huh?” He said as he looked at the male in front of him. This was the last place that he would expect to see him. He didn’t know how to react, but it seemed the other was acting like nothing had ever happened between the two of them, so he just pretended to go along with it. “Nothing too much, how about you? How have you been?”

Avery gave a slight nod for a response. He didn’t want any awkwardness between the two of them. He refused to give into it. “I’m sure you’ve been up to something,” he prodded, mainly out of curiosity. “I’ve not been bad. I’m an actual journalist now, instead of just pretending to be one.”

“Dude no I didn’t!” Rocco laughed nudging his friends. “It was not me!” 

“I’m fairly certain I just saw you break it,” he teased relentlessly. 

“Just a month, but I want to go back again already. The hostel I stayed in was bloody gorgeous. Hence why I’m complaining about the one I’m staying at here. It just doesn’t compare,” Bec said. “Toronto’s great, though, once you get moving around. I love it here. Here, especially,” she added, tapping the table she was sitting at in the cafe.

“I bet so. Never stayed in one, but I can assume it’s not too great.” Avery was enjoying the conversation. It was light, casual, and just friendly enough. “Yeah, this place is pretty great. I’m here way too often, though.”

“Really?? What else did you find along here? I’ve only a few Bellsprouts and loads of Rattatas.”

“Yeah, there are tons of Rattatas, but I think they’re literally everywhere. I’ve seen some Spearows, an Ekans, and too many Weedles.” 

“Well, thanks for writin’ it. Oh, I’m being rude, sorry––I’m Bec, it’s lovely to meet you,” she said, smiling at him excitedly. “But yeah, yeah, Tenerife? It’s beautiful. You should go!”

“It’s wonderful to meet you too, Bec.” he couldn’t help but to smile back at her. The excitement was contagious. “I would love to go. Of course, I would love to go to a lot of places. How long did you stay?”

“No, we haven’t… sorry, I follow your articles,” Bec said, feeling stupider the longer that she spoke. “You write a lot of good stuff! I never thought in a million years I’d actually meet you.”

“Oh! That’s where you know me.” Avery loved, loved, loved meeting people who read his writing. It helped feed his ego. “Thank you! And thanks for reading my stuff. I appreciate it.”