Ava's POV:
I cannot believe what I'm seeing.
Down the hallway, through the large double doors, Trevon was hooking arms with Lyah.
Luxury Lyah.
Luckless Lyah.
Lyah with the last name, I don't know.
He strut down the hallway in a large, overly expensive jacket and brand new shoes.
Last Saturday, Trevon came back home late - surprisingly - then went to sleep. Sunday, he ignored me. Then, Monday morning, he left early. I didn't expect him to meet up with Lyah.
They stop in front of us.
Winnie squeals, "I love your look Trev!" Her hands hover around Trevon's outfit. "Where did you get that necklace?"
Trevon never wears a necklace.
Lyah cuddles into Trevon's arm, "I made it for my boo."
"Boo?" Winnie asks. "You two are together?" She wasn't the only one that's shocked.
"Yes!" Lyah confirmed. She rests a hand on her chest, "And thank you for setting us up." Lyah looks at Trevon, "We're so happy together."
The look on Trevon's face says otherwise.
"Lyah," I said. "Mind if I talk to your boyfriend alone?"
Lyah smiles, "I do mind. Trevon is supposed to walk me to my class."
I ran my tongue across my cheek, "Then, let me rephrase this. I want to talk to my brother alone." So, fuck off.
The edge of Lyah's lips twitched. She released Trevon's arm and took a bold step towards me. "Oh?"
"Yeah. Oh."
Now, I know why I don't recall Lyah. During high school, Lyah and I rarely cross paths. We're both well known in school, but for different reasons. Different interests. And people with different interests avoid crossing paths.
Lyah nods, "Alright. Have fun talking." She kisses Trevon's cheek before she leaves.
I grab Trevon's arm and drag him away from the hallway. When we're in an isolated area, I turn around and give him the nastiest look I could muster up. "What is up?"
He seemingly shrinks back, "What?"
"I asked: What is up?"
"Like what's going on?"
"Why are you dating Lyah?"
"Why not? Isn't this what you all wanted? For me to get over Min-"
I place a finger in the air, "I don't recall being a part of whatever this is."
"What? You don't like it?"
"Excuse me?"
"You don't like me dating someone popular?"
Somehow, he made me utterly speechless. "What?"
"I mean, Lyah is way out of my league, right? That's why she's going to leave me in the middle of our date? Well, sucks to you. Lyah says I'm funny, and she wants me as a boyfriend. So, yeah. I'm not as much of a loser as you think."
"When have I ever called you a loser?"
"It was implied!"
I place two hands in the air, "Luckless Lyah. That's her nickname. Do you want to know why she has that nickname?"
"It's because she sucks the luck out of her boyfriends."
"If you knew-"
"Lyah isn't someone everyone thinks she is."
"Yeah. Yeah. I know, she's caring and all those other things. She's human. What I'm talking about is her nickname. All of her boyfriends end up dead. DEAD."
"One died, and it's because he didn't check his car engine."
I want to pull my hair out.
Trevon exhaled, "Don't worry. We're not really dating."
"Say that again?"
"Lyah has some troubles with one of her ex-boyfriends, and she asked me to give her a helping hand." Trevon smiles, "In return, whatever she buys for me. I get to keep it." He took a step forward, "Look at these shoes! Look how nifty they are!" He dances around in them.
When I didn't respond, Trevon waves a hand in front of my face. "Hello? Hello? Earth to Ava." He waves both hands. "Hello. Hel-"
Have you ever had a dream so real, you were confused when you woke up?
You thought the dream was reality while reality was a dream.
During the first week I woke up, I had a dream. I was a little girl. The grass was white like clouds. It rises to the sky, and I could run up.
Up.
Up.
Up I go.
But, the further I travel up, the higher I get.
Then, I made a mistake.
I look down.
And so, I stop moving.
That morning I didn't wake up sleepy. I got off my bed and looked outside to see the world still the same.
I found myself in front of my locker, and I could figure out the code. The previous numbers continue to pop up.
01.04.03
"That's not my combination."
01.04.03
"That's not it."
01.04.03
"What is it?"
01.04.03
My fingers were jumping as if it had a spasm. The bowels inside suddenly churned, and I had the greatest desire to vomit.
A hand covers my eyes, "That's not your locker." My hand drops from the dial. "02.02.04."
The hand removes itself and dial in the code. It pops up to reveal a photo of Eli and me.
He grabbed my shoulders and turned me around. His warm hand rests on my cheeks, "What's wrong pretty lady?" His thumb ran across my cheekbones, "Why are you crying?"
As much as I tried to hold it in, I couldn't. The pain forces its way out in a form of whimpers. Eli presses my head into his chest and pats my back lightly. He didn't say anything any further except held me closely.
And that was it.
That's what I need at that moment.
Once I calm down, Eli looks down at me and smiles. I like it. His smiles. They never change despite the situation.
Which makes me wonder.
How would he react if he knew the truth?
Would he believe me?
Or would he call me a liar?
"Wanna go somewhere?"
"Where?" I ask.
"Our home?"
"It's not nighttime."
"Where's the law that forbids us to go home during the daytime?"
Eli can do it. He somehow manages to always make the situation better.
Steadily, he grabs my hand and races up down the hallway. One class passed another, we ignored the sudden scream at the other end. A teacher is undoubtedly furious at our rebellious actions.
"Come on!" Eli screams. "We need to run faster, or else we'll get caught!"
How much of an idiot is he? If we simply take precautions instead of outrageously running down hallways, we would have a better chance of not getting caught. In the middle of the hallway, with a screaming monitor behind us, I burst out laughing.
With our squeaky shoes and the teacher's screams, I couldn't help it.
"Ava Makee!" The teacher shouted. "Elijah Wood! I know it's you two! You're in so much trouble!"
Eli turns around, "I'm not Elijah Wood, and she isn't Ava Makee! You're mistaken!"
"Elijah!"
"I'm Elijah Makee, and this is Pretty Lady!"
I want to smack him so hard for his idiocy.
Amid our troublemaking, my eyes caught sight in another scene. There it is, at the corner of the hallway, stood Maeve and Mr.Nocella. They were talking, no bickering, over something.
With the intense amount of noise, their eyes caught wind of our situation.
Eli continues to pull me towards their direction, and they stop their actions. Maeve crumbled in tears with a red-faced Mr.Nocella.
Now, I wonder what the teacher behind us will do. Will she continue her chase with us, or will she halt it to investigate the situation between the two not too far away.
We passed Maeve and Mr.Nocella.
Finally, I turn around to look at the teacher chasing us - Mrs.Nash, the school nurse.
It's not a surprise that fate is colored a shade of grey. It can be the most beautiful thing in the world, but it can also be equally vicious.
Fate is as cruel as death, I should know. I witnessed it first handed.
During this life, I've tried my best to avoid fate as much as possible. It haunts me over and over. There are nights where I refused to sleep because I was afraid when I woke up; I wouldn't have control of my actions anymore.
I would continue to make the same mistake, and all I could do was sit there; watch the movie play.
Right now, the movie is playing.
And I'm merely another character in it.
Everyone is a character.
Somebody already cemented the road, and we can only walk on it.
Despite being with Mina, Trevon still found himself in the same sticky situation. A messy girlfriend with an even messier boyfriend.
Mr.Nocella is still condemning the same mistake. If it's not me-
it's someone else.
Fate is funny that way.
If it's not you, it's someone else.
While my legs moved, my mind wasn't. I felt like something gripped onto my neck and forced all the air out of me. A hand squeezed my own, and I looked forward to see a sweaty Eli.
He smiles, "We're almost there, pretty lady." The beating inside my chest only escalates with each step we take towards the large double door exit. Between the cracks, I could see it. The wonderful warm light outside.
Then, the desire arises.
I want that light.
I want to feel that warmth.
"Are you ready?" Eli shouted.
I tighten my grip on his hand, "Ready? For what?"
Eli burst through the doors, "Freedom!"