The Blackwell Brothers ✓

Ava Rhodes

Chapter 2:

"Ava Rhodes?" Ms. Swanson's eyes searched the classroom until they landed upon a petite girl sitting in the fourth row of desks, raising her hand to signal her presence.

"Always nice to have a new face in the halls of Southview High. Welcome, Ava," Ms. Swanson beamed, and Ava tucked a chestnut curl behind her ear as she shyly smiled back.

Up until recently, Ava had lived with her parents in a relatively quiet neighborhood in Dallas. Last month, Ava's grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, so her family decided to move to Memphis to be closer to her grandmother.

Southview High was slightly smaller than her high school in Dallas, her new sophomore class consisting of around two-hundred students, all of whom were complete strangers.

The door swung open, and in swaggered two students.

"Mr. Blackwell and Mr. Hill, the rules are the same as last semester. Be on time to class or you'll be written up," Ms. Swanson frowned as she scribbled something on a notepad.

"For you, Ms. Swanson, I'll do anything," Quentin winked at her as he slid into the desk behind Ava.

"Okay, Quentin. Why don't you start off today's class by telling us the name of the father of evolution?"

"I thought it was a mother... You know, like Mother Nature?" Quentin snickered as he smoothed a hand over his black locks.

"Colton, do you want to help out your friend?" Ms. Swanson was bordering on frustration as she looked at Colt, who was sitting beside Ava.

Ava couldn't help but rake her eyes over the boy, admiring the way his dark brown hair was combed over, and the way his muscles were visible, even through a sweatshirt. He was the definition of tall, dark and handsome.

"I'll pass," he shrugged, smirking at Ms. Swanson as he reached behind him and fist-bumped Quentin.

Ms. Swanson shook her head, then took a deep breath, trying to collect herself.

"How about you, Ava? Do you know who the father of evolution is?" Ms. Swanson tilted her head, giving Ava an encouraging smile, but the number of eyes staring at her felt less than reassuring.

"Ch-Charles Darwin," Ava answered, staring down at her hands, wringing them in her lap.

"At least someone's brain still works after the holidays," Ms. Swanson commended Ava before beginning her lecture.

"Thanks for the save," Ava turned around to see Quentin giving her a thumbs up. She noticed Colt was looking at her too, but not in a gratuitous way. It almost seemed ominous.

At lunch, Ava headed towards the outdoor picnic area, hoping to find some welcoming students to sit with. She strolled down the alley that led to the patch of green, but as she was about to turn the corner, she stopped suddenly at the mention of her name.

"Ava? You mean the girl from biology?" Quentin scratched the back of his head, looking confused.

"Think about it. If Cade's back in town, that means he's got a gang here with him. It can't be a coincidence. That girl transfers here halfway through the year, showing up at the same time Cade comes back," Colt explained.

"Supposedly. Cade is supposedly back," Dakota turned to face Colt, who was sitting beside her at the picnic table. She sunk her teeth into her turkey sandwich, waiting for his response.

"The only way we'll know if he's here is if we can draw him out somehow," Colt rested his elbows on the table, gripping his head with his hands. When no one responded, he raised his eyes, watching Zeke and Dominic exchanging glances.

"What?" Colt raised an eyebrow.

"Let's say this girl, Ava or whatever, is working with Cade. Do you think if she were to go missing, Cade would look for her?"

Ava gasped, then put a hand over her mouth, hoping they hadn't heard her.

Colt propped his chin on his clasped hands.

"You two are psychotic," Dakota rolled her eyes, "We're not kidnapping someone based on a hunch."

"You're one to talk, Kota. It was only last month you rammed a knife into the leg of another hostage," Zeke fired back, and Dakota chucked a crumpled napkin at his forehead in return.

"Kota is right, though," Colt's voice silenced the argument, "We shouldn't make a move until we know for sure."

Everyone nodded in agreement as they rose from the table, and Ava ran back through the alley, away from her new classmates who she swore were insane.