Ava's POV:
It felt like I was jumping out of one shark tank to another. It was inescapable, all these sudden problems rising and no solutions to follow it. I believe that if I simply avoid specific issues develop in the future, everything will be okay.
Then, I realized that not knowing the future is much more horrifying.
With the acceptance of my harboring emotions for Elijah Wood.
The peace treaty with Luke Parker, which isn't a bad thing.
The awkward developing friendship with Mina Kenzie, which is something I'm still on edge about.
Then, there is the collapsed friendship with Winnie Liu.
Everything was unexplored territory.
Every day is a new surprise.
And with new outcomes, such as getting into a fight with Landon's gang, a new reputation comes.
"Did you fucking hear? Ava Makee beat the crap out of Landon! I heard he's in the hospital!"
"I heard Ava was in the woods being, you know, gang bang."
"I heard he was dealing her drugs. A slut and a druggie. Who knew?"
"Come on, why are you guys talking shit? Landon and Ava haven't been in terms for weeks. She probably whoops his asshole of an ass. I stand by that."
"Do you want to go to the movies with me this weekend?" Mina confessed...in the school hallway.
What the actual fuck.
The developing friend-ship sank, like the Titanic.
Trevon drops the apple in his mouth, and it rolls to the floor. He looked over his shoulder while I stood there, stunned.
It's Monday, a week after the Fall Festival. A week of peace. I should've known it was the calm after the storm.
"S-Sure."
Mina smiled, "Cool," she said, wrapping her thumbs around the loop of her backpack. "I'll see you at the front after school?"
He returns her smile and nods, "Okay."
She giggled and turned towards me, "I'll see you in class, Av," she said casually as if she didn't confess to my brother in front of me. I watch as Mina walks away.
The headache that fades seemingly returns.
This is not happening.
"Dude!" Eli screamed, giving Trevon a bro shake.
"Mina asked you out! Good for you," Ben said and began doing a happy dance, causing my heart to drop. He playfully punches Trevon with his good arm.
His smile dropped when Winnie walked down the hallway in her elegant self.
"Hey, I heard Winnie broke up with that loser," one of the guys whispered. "You think I got a chance?"
"She probably cursed you and your future children," another guy said, and they all laughed. "Everyone knows Winnie is a fucking bitch. You sure you want to jump into that pothole?"
Ben frowned, "She's not a bitch," he grumbled.
The guy heard him and turned around, "Got something to say, loser?"
"Yo! Isn't that the guy Winnie dated?"
The hallway went quiet, and Winnie stopped walking with the two girls behind her.
Ben huffed a deep breath, "I said, she's not a bitch." He was much louder this time around.
The guy looked over at me, and I offered him a nasty glare, daring him to do what he's thinking. He sneered and walked away, knowing I'll ruin the rest of his high school life if I wanted to.
Winnie walks away.
"Geez, at least say thanks," Trevon muttered.
Ben twirled his thumbs inside the strap of his backpack. I've never seen him look so down. Eli pats his shoulder, "There's plenty of fish in the sea, my friend," he tried to comfort him. Ben continued staring at Winnie's back.
Eli looked at me and smiled, ignoring the tense atmosphere.
My headache went from an eight to a ten.
I grabbed Trevon, whose legs were planted on the floor, and dragged him outside; towards a more solicitude area. "What is going on?"
"I think Winnie an-"
"No! Not that." I already know what happened between them. I need the missing details, such as why the fuck would Mina ask you out after a single meeting. "What happened before that?"
"I think...I think Mina just asked me out." He was still in a dream-like state.
"Why?"
He blushed hard. "I...I think she thinks I'm attractive?"
I placed my hands on his shoulders and shook him out of dreamland. "Trev! Trev! Snap out of it." With a hand raised in the air, I slap him.
"Ow!" He screamed, placing a hand on his red cheek, "Why?"
"Why? Why are you going out with Mina Kenzie?"
He smiles, "I think she thinks I'm attractive." He rubs his cheek, but the pain seems to fade and replaced with fantasies again.
My eyes narrowed, while my weight-adjusted on one foot. "What about Maeve?"
"Who?" He shook his head, "I mean, what about her?"
"I mean...Eli and Mary-" I pulled them into the conversation to protect myself from any suspicion, "told me that you and Maeve were together last week at the Fall Festival."
"Oh, yeah, that." He rolled his eyes, "I met her by accident. She asked me to hang out with her, but it turns out she was using me to spite her boyfriend. I'm telling you that girl is not nice! I tried to help her, and her boyfriend almost beat me up!" His voice pitched slightly.
I nodded furiously, "Yeah, she is not nice. Stay away from her."
In conclusion, the situation of how Trevon met with Maeve is different; hence the outcome will change. Previously, they wouldn't meet for a few more years where Maeve already had children, and her ex-boyfriend is in prison. Now, her ex isn't an ex, nor is he in jail; hence, she focuses more on him.
"Thank goodness Mina was there."
"Mina, was there?" I repeated his statement; rather, it was more questionable.
He nodded, "Yeah. When Maeve's boyfriend showed up, he dragged me to the back of the fair, getting ready to beat me up."
What is up with people dragging others into the back of the fair, in the dark woods, and beating them up?
"But, Mina showed up and blew her warning whistle, so they left." He smiles, "She rescued me."
"I see," I grumbled, feeling slightly guilty that I was having fun while my brother was nearly getting beat up on the back of the festival. Then again, I had to deal with the whole Winnie-Ben-Landon problem. Give a girl a break!
"And you! You told me you were going to meet me at the Ferris wheel, but I didn't even see you the whole day!" He folded his arms and pouted.
I smile grimly, leaning against the brick wall. "My bad. I was...distracted." I decided to choose my words cautiously.
He shrugged, knowing my distraction. He can't blame me since I did rescue one of his best friends. "Whatever. Since you didn't meet me, I get to go on a date with a cute girl. So, all is forgiven." He pats my shoulders once, then hangs his hands on it. "Don't mess this up for me."
"Why would you say that?"
"Your friend, Luke, hurt Mina. Everyone knows that. So, I'm going to tell you to warn him not to mess this up for me."
"What? I can't control what Luke does!"
"Well...just tell him to watch out," he slowly backed away.
"Watch out for what?" I know Trevon's threats meant nothing to Luke. Luke could literally beat him up with one hand tie behind his back.
He paused at a crouching stance. "I don't know, but watch out." He did a kung fu like stance and yelled: "Hiya!" He karate chops the air before disappearing through the double doors.