The Four Misfits

CH 18 The Broken Tree

Ava had caught cold. She was sneezing every minute.

"Great...it's a week to Christmas and I have caught cold!" Ava mumbled grumpily on their way to Ethan's office.

"Look on the bright side! You get to drink lots of hot chocolate!" Jacob said trying to lighten up her mood.

"And....you can snuggle in warm hoodies." Avery added.

"Ava gets hoodies and hot chocolate...what about me?" Mason pouted.

"Uh..... I'm hungry so I can't answer." Jacob shook his head and pointed at Avery whose eyes widened.

"I think we're way too much used to that look." Ava muttered before sneezing.

"Let me guess....you caught cold?" Ethan muttered from behind her at whose sight Avery had became alarmed.

"Someone threw it....and I unfortunately accidentally caught it." Ava whined wrapping her arms around Ethan who raised an eyebrow in response. Ethan ruffled her hair when Ava pulled away and gave a dramatic sigh. Avery, Mason and Jacob watched the exchange with amused expressions.

"Now.... what did you want?" Ava asked rubbing her rose slightly.

Ava sneezed again before looking at Avery who was looking down the hallway at Oliver.

"What is Olives doing here?" Ava whisper asked. But Ethan heard letting out a chuckle. Ava's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey." Oliver muttered coming behind Ethan and shooting Avery a smile. Avery gave him a small smile back.

Oh how much I love my life right now. Avery sighed mentally.

Ava who seemed to get the message of what Avery was thinking looked at Avery.

Please don't Jinx it. She conveyed to Avery mentally who smiled sheepishly in response.

"I want the four of you to decorate the Christmas tree we keep in the canteen." Ethan said while Oliver was looking at Ava weirdly.

What?! Ava gave Oliver an expression.

Nothing. Oliver shook his head. Ava shrugged and dragged Jacob, Mason and Avery out of the presence of the two head of towers.

"I love Christmas!" Ava declared jumping on a bench once they were inside their tower. "Its like, the only festival C.H.A. does celebrate!" She continued.

"Why are we decorating the tree again?" Mason grumbled ducking under the stairs and lifting a box full of decorative materials inside it.

"Because Ethan wants us to, DUH!?" Avery exclaimed.

"When did that happen", Mason muttered earning incredulous looks from everyone around him.

" Like, TWO SECONDS AGO!?" Jacob exclaimed.

"Oof", Ava muttered shaking her head as they reached in the courtyard behind their tower, where a huge Christmas tree was standing.

"What were you thinking when Ethan and Oliver walked near us?" Ava wondered out loud.

"I was making this theory", Mason muttered as Avery grabbed a table to stand on in order to reach till the top of the tree.

" Which is?" All of them asked looking towards him.

"If Ethan has some work due, do you think he would ask Oliver for help, because they're friends, in exchange of lending him his phone or something? Maybe shoes? Or...." Mason started.

"Stop stop stop", Ava shouted. "You", she pointed towards Mason. "Are insane," she completed. "Let me get this straight. You think that my brother borrows and lends his clothes to Avery's brother, because they're too lazy to wash their own clothes?!"