Meeting Matthias

Chapter 9: Premonition

Author's Note: I had this chapter written three days ago, but internet connections went down for some reason. Thus, I wasn't able to upload the chapter. Sorry about that. :( Oh well, here's chapter nine... Enjoy!

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Matthias had no clue what he did to deserve the unexpected hug or why on earth she was so happy for him. He completely missed the implications of JM finding Ava – supposedly terrified by him – hugging him. It didn't quite click with him that his cousin had a history with their pretty classmate. He was far too distracted by the feel of her arms around him and the unnerving sense of glee that he felt upon receiving her undeserved approval. Her reaction to him only strengthened his hypothesis that Ava indeed saw something in him that no one else did.

Will she ever cease to surprise me?

Matthias creased his brows as he pulled away from Ava, fighting the urge to scratch his head. He kept his gaze on her, watching as her cheeks – flushed crimson only moments ago – now paled at the sight of his cousin and sister.

Ava stood up from her seat. "No, no..." she shook her head. "You're not interrupting. We were just..." she gave JM an awkward glance "...bonding." A full smile then appeared on her face at the sight of his sister. "You must be Naomi."

This time, Matthias managed to pry his eyes off of Ava and look at JM. "What's going on?" Matthias asked before casting a wary glance at his sister, whose moss green eyes were sparkling at the sight of Ava.

"You tell us." JM was staring at him like he was guilty of something and that made him feel uneasy. The grim expression on his best friend's face was not something he was accustomed to.

"We were just..." Matthias gave Ava a sideward glance, noticing the way her fingers were fidgeting with the lining of her skinny jeans. She does that when she's nervous.

"I don't even want to know," JM interrupted, throwing his hands in the air in mock surrender. He then began pointing at Ava and Naomi to finally introduce them. "Ava, Naomi. Naomi, Ava. The guitar lessons may start now."

"I'm glad to finally meet you," Ava told Naomi.

Naomi bit her lip. "I actually wanted to introduce myself to you the first day of school, but you walked right past me."

Matthias furrowed his brows at the way his sister was acting. Naomi was looking at Ava with wide-eyed adulation, as if Ava was the shiniest thing Naomi had ever seen in her life. What am I missing here? He gave Ava an odd look. What is it with you? It's like you're a magnet for all kinds of strange behavior.

"I'm sorry," Ava frowned, her brows furrowing at Naomi, obviously trying to recall ever encountering the younger girl in school. "I must've been distracted by something else."

Matthias noted how Ava was looking at his sister with such concern and affection, her cheeks blushing at the idea of having snubbed Naomi. She finds me terrifying, but she doesn't even budge at the sight of Naomi. What the heck? Naomi is one of the scariest people I know.

"It's alright," Naomi shook her head. "No worries. I'm just glad to have finally met you."

Matthias bit his lower lip to prevent himself from asking Naomi why.

"So where are we going to have the guitar lessons?" Ava asked, her brown eyes looking from Naomi to JM.

Matthias felt like he just disappeared from the room, unacknowledged by any of the three people he was with. He was used to being in the limelight. Feeling like he was invisible was entirely new territory to him. "Since when were you interested in learning the guitar?" he asked Naomi.