Chapter 4 Coincidental Meeting

When Ava returned back to the schoolhouse, it was almost school over. She prepared her pupils take home activities just in time before the school dismissed, and the pupils happily waved their goodbye to their mistress as usual.

"By Miss McKenna..".

"Bye..". She replied, and hurriedly gathered her stuffs.

Her evening job awaits, and she had to pick up some groceries too at the supermarket before going home. She glanced at the clock once again before finally leaving, and heading to the mall.

At the supermarket. Ava was going through the grocery stands when her phone rang, and she answered.

"Hey, Salem..".

"Hey, Sis ..". Her younger brother's voice crackled on the other end. "I am calling to say I am staying late at the library today. Got a big project to tackle..".

"Don't over do it, okay?!". Ava sighed, and said. Glancing at her watch at the same time.

Her eyes too never left the grocery shelves, searching for the fruits and vegetables she needed to get for the house.

"Remember you need rest too...". She added, as she picked up a big round cabbage from the shelf and put it in the shopping basket.

"I'll be fine..". Salem replied, though his voice betrayed the exhaustion he was trying to hide. "How's mum?".

"Same,.. I've not gotten home yet though..". Ava said softly. "But I'll be home soon. You focus on your studies,okay.?".

"Okay, Sis. I love you.".

"I love you too, kiddo ...".

Ava was still talking with her brother on the phone when someone called her.

"Excuse me, miss?" A stranger signalled to her.

She turned around to look who it was. Her phone was supported by her shoulder and both her hands were occupied by the heavy grocery basket she was carrying.

"Me..?!". Ava wasn't sure if it was her the stranger was calling, or someone else.

She doesn't seem to know who the two men standing before her was.

"Yes, please excuse me..".

It was Max. And standing beside him was RoughCoin.

As soon as RoughCoin recognized the girl, he raised his brows in surprise. Call it coincidence or destiny, but their meeting again was definitely something, he was not expecting.

And a smile came up his lips, which was more like a smirk. But he quickly dismissed it, making his composure as official as any harmless stranger should look.

He focused his gaze at Ava keenly, and watched her every move as she struggled with the basket and approached them. He was more than surprised to see the woman he had been thinking about again.

He couldn't believe his luck.

Before now, RoughCoin had thought he would have to dig every hole in Manhattan to find her. But here she was, standing right in front of him. He also wondered whether she knew who he was! And hoped she did not. But, seeing her casual reaction as she stood before then made RoughCoin let out a breath of relief.

"Yes? Can I help you?". Ava turned towards Max, only giving a brief glance towards RoughCoin, and asked politely.

Her voice was so calm and polite that it brought a smile on RoughCoin's lips again.

He was amazed by her polite manners.

"Actually, we are kind of lost here..". Max began . "Can you please tell us where...Mr Ronnie lives?" Max asked.

Max too was shocked to see the girl here, making it the second coincidence Max had witnessed today. He took a brief glance towards RoughCoin and saw his smile. His boss's smile gave him some kind of satisfaction as RoughCoin didn't do that much.

"Ronnie Brendan?" Ava asked to confirm.

"Yes! Do you know him?" Max asked.

RoughCoin didn't say anything. His heart raced when the girl mentioned Ronnie's full name, and he wondered whether she shared any close relationship with the old man.

That mere thought made RoughCoin a little uncomfortable. Obviously, he cannot hurt anyone in her family until he gets to know her completely.

"Actually, yes! I know Mr Ronnie Brendan..". Ava replied to Max's happiness, and RoughCoin's discomfort.

He was fearing the worst.

"He is quite famous in this area. Please follow me. I am actually going that way." Ava added, offering to show the strangers the way to Mr Ronnie's mansion.

"Thank you so much." Max replied, happily.

"Oh, it's okay! You don't have to thank me for that. We are human beings after all. And our Lord says that we should help others whenever and wherever possible. Right?" She babbled; not knowing that they were Muslims and didn't know much about the Christian God.

"Our ..Lord?" Max asked, looking confused and wondering who she was talking about.

RoughCoin poked his arm from behind, and gave him a threatening look. RoughCoin obviously knew about the Christian God, his mother was a Christian.

Max instantly apologized.

"Sorry! I was just kidding. I know him, obviously. Our Lord ..." Max lied, wondering in his mind about this person named Our Lord.

"And there I thought you really didn't know him." Ava laughed lightly.

She looked so innocent that RoughCoin couldn't help complimenting.

"Your smile is pretty!" RoughCoin spoke.

Ava's eyes almost popped out at his blunt comment.

"Uh, thank you!" She replied, and blushed a little.

'Wow! So this guy speaks! I thought he was dumb.' She thought.

RoughCoin also asked for the basket, so he could help her with that. That gesture made both Max and Ava stunned.

'And he is a gentleman too! Great!' Ava thought again, sarcastically.

"By the way, are you new here? I haven't seen you two before!" Ava asked with a warm smile.

She also observed them, the way they dressed and how wealthy the two men looked. Everything about them screamed wealth and affluence.

RoughCoin and Max both exchanged glances at her question. Obviously, they couldn't tell her the true reason for their visit to that area. If they do, she would run very far away from them. And RoughCoin didn't want that.

They didn't even bother offering her a ride in their car, they have to make the driver drive behind them at a safe distance.

So they have to lie.

"We actually came to visit Mr Ronnie Brendan. He is our old time friend." Max said.

RoughCoin was still looking at Ava intently as he did earlier. And Ava noticed his gaze on her, which actually scared her a bit.

'Is he a psycho or what? I am just trying to help them here and he is looking at me as if I have grown two heads. Men! Seriously. They all are just the same.' She thought to herself.

Soon, they reached near Ronnie's house, and Ava stopped in front of the mansion.

"He lives here." Ava pointed towards Ronnie's house.

"Thank you miss. And, sorry to bother you.". Max said gently.

He was also trying to make his nature match with Ava's polite nature, so as to make her take them as friends.

But, someone who knows RoughCoin, and his gang, had already spotted Ava with them. And he put a discreet call to Liam immediately.

"Oh! It's okay. There is no point thanking me, I am only glad I could help you. But next time, do not get lost. Greenwich village is a bit unsafe now, especially at night." Ava gave them advice with a serious expression.

RoughCoin chuckled. He got totally lost in the depth of this woman's innocence. She definitely had no idea who she was talking to!

But Ava, seeing his amused expression, furrowed his brows and said,

"You don't believe me, do you? Okay! Try roaming on these roads at night. And trust me, you will remember your ancestors! And if you still come up alive, I will owe you some bills." She joked.

Wow! What a woman! RoughCoin thought. He also tried to control his laughter but failed terribly.

And he laughed heartily.

This time, Max could see the true admiration in RoughCoin's eyes.

"I will remember this advice!" RoughCoin replied, after a very good laugh.

The husky voice in which the man laughed and spoke with sent chills down Ava's spine. But she decided to ignore it. They are strangers anyway, and Ava wasn't going to see them again after all.

"Okay! So I will have to go now. Have a nice day, you two!" Ava said. And turned to leave when she heard RoughCoin spoke.

"Do you live... here?" He asked to make sure whether she resided around that area.

He had plans not to scare this beautiful woman he had found. His earlier plan was to threaten Ronnie. But, if she did live nearby, it could be a problem. He didn't want to show her his real identity yet, at least. And the threats he planned for Ronnie would definitely catch mass attention, which may include her too.

And he didn't want her to hate him as he felt himself getting self-conscious.

Ava weighed the question and the possible consequences of her reply.

'Is this guy indirectly asking for my address? What if he is a serial killer, and is planning to kill me. No way will I give him my real address.' She decided.

"No! I don't live here. I actually live two alley's away." She lied.

Two alley's away were her grandparents' house.

RoughCoin sighed feeling relieved. Now, he won't have to change his plans. No way will she know about his actions since she lived that far away, he thought.

"Okay then, have a nice day too..". RoughCoin said, and turned immediately towards the direction of Ronnie's house.

He strongly resisted the urge to stand and watch her leave first, but he didn't want her to grow suspicious. He wanted everything to look like a coincidence just like it was going, so he could plan their next meeting that night and call it fate.