Finding Ava ✔

21 | Surprise?

Halfway through reading it, a finger pokes my shoulder. Annoyed, I turn to face Harry with an unimpressed expression.

"Yes?" I whisper, eyeing Mr. Limp through the corner of my eye. He hates people talking when we are doing work, claiming silence is the best for everyone - everyone being him.

"Is the working memory model short-term memory or long-term memory?" Harry asks me.

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "It's short-term memory." Harry nods his head, thanking me and then continues to read it. I try to do the same but I can't seem to focus back on it. My thoughts drift to Max and what he was like this morning. He seemed livelier, happier than usual.

I make a note to ask him later.

"Psst, Ava," I hear Bree's voice call quietly. I snap my eyes up in front of me and raise an eyebrow.

"You called," I mumble.

"At the end of the day, can you come to the gym changing rooms?" She asks me, looking excited about something.

I frown and answer her question with a question. "Why?"

Bree rolls her eyes and leans further back in her chair but not before checking what Mr. Limp is doing. "Because there's a surprise for you. Just go, don't question it."

I sigh and nod my head in agreement. She said its a surprise so it should be exciting. Perhaps this has something to do with Max and why he was giddy today.

When the bell rings, I'm more than happy to leave. I'm not going to lie, I'm really excited about later today. I wonder what Max has in store for me - at least, I think its Max that has done this.

I practically skip to my next class, smiling. A few people I have become acquainted with send me cheerful smiles and wave. I happily return them.

My whole attitude reminds me of the old Ava, who would say hello to every single person. Perhaps Max's promise to show me how 'amazing' I am has also brought out the best in me.

When I arrive at English literature, Max gestures for me to come and sit next to him. As if I would sit somewhere else. I enjoy his presence, I look forward to seeing him.

"Sunshine, how lovely to see you," Max smirks and swivels on his seat to properly face me.

"Isn't it always nice to see me?" I ask him, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh, of course." He replies confidently. His chocolate eyes eye me up and down, assessing my outfit. "You 're just particularly lovely today."

I roll my eyes at his attempt at being charming. We both know that I look the same as usual. I'm wearing what I usually wear - a crop top and a pair of black skinny jeans. Which is my usual attire.

Could this have something to do with the surprise later?

It could well be. That's the only reason I can think of that has Max acting like this. Gosh, my curiosity is eating me alive. What on earth could it be? I try to process all of my options. Since it's on the soccer field, most options are limited.

If it turns out to be some cliche moment where he asks me to be his girlfriend or to ask me out on a date, I will smack him on the head so hard.

But you're assuming the surprise has something to do with Max. My conscience says, reminding me that it may not. Bree was the one who asked me to go there, not Max. For all I know, he has nothing to do with it. He could be in the dark like me.

"So, did you ever finish the Macbeth homework?" I ask him, pulling out my Macbeth copy and my two-page essay on fate. It certainly wasn't fun writing that yesterday after putting it off the last couple of days.

Max snorts, "do you really think I would do that?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I mean, you are the unannounced bad boy but that doesn't mean you don't do your homework."

Max gives me an offended look, almost wounded.

"Bingo!" Max hurray's, throwing his hands up in the air. "Have you even met my parents?" He exclaims and I arch an eyebrow at his question. Does he not recall the meals that we had with his parents during that summer? "Oh wait, stupid question - never mind."

I shake my head, laughing.

"Anyways, the answer to your question," Max leans closer to me, after quickly glancing around the room suspiciously. As if we were exchanging nuclear launch codes. "I did. But shush, you can't tell anybody that."

I roll my eyes and lean back, my eyes scanning over my work. I could almost be proud of my work - after spending many hours cussing about it. I have never completely enjoyed Shakespeare but Macbeth is a really interesting play. Despite the fact, I don't really understand half of it.

When our teacher steps into the classroom, the room quietens down and I relax in my seat. Max sends me a smirk and then proceeds to get his work out for the teacher.

"Right can everybody put their homework on their desks for me to collect. Whilst I'm collecting them, I would like someone to explain, using quotes from the play, how Lady Macbeth is portrayed in Macbeth." Our teacher asks, waiting for a response. Every single student lowers their head and pretends to be busy with something else, including me. I doodle on my empty notepad, lightly shading in a circle.

"Well then." He clears his throat. "I'll just have to pick someone. How about...Ava."

Dammit!

Never have I wanted to cuss at a teacher so much before. I despise sharing my work, partly because I go red just at uttering one word.

Taking a shaky breath, I try to rack my brain for some sort of plausible answer. "Right so, when we are first introduced to Lady Macbeth, she speaks about death. 'Come you spirits' suggests her summoning dark figures, which can relate to the witches who used spirits to find the prophecy. In her monologue at the beginning, she also speaks about becoming a man, 'unsex me here', implying she wants to be more powerful since society was very patriarchal back then. She also speaks about 'passag[ing] to remorse' to stop pain and compassion. To stop feeling. This can portray her as evil because if she does kill or has a hand in the killing, she won't feel guilty about it. Thus, showing what is considered an evil trait. Finally, at the end of her monologue, she says 'nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark' suggesting she doesn't want innocent, good spirits to see her evil. Perhaps she thinks she can still go to heaven despite doing evil acts. Therefore, she can be seen as a manipulator and well..evil."

Once I'm finished, I release a sigh of relief and slouch back in my chair. I can feel my cheeks reddening at the sight of some people staring at me.

My teacher grunts in approval and starts writing something on the board.

"Nice going smart-ey pants." I hear Max congratulate beside me. Flipping him off for the nickname, I grip my pen and begin writing what's on the board. 

Word count: 1881

I don't know whether I like this or not. Ugh. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!