Chapter 6 Six

Olivia and I stood huddled at a corner of the school, a discreet distance from our lecture room. The Monday morning atmosphere was already tense, and our encounter with Ava only added to the strain.

As Ava walked by, she deliberately stepped on my foot. I winced in pain, but my voice caught in my throat. Ava was accompanied by Juliet, and I feared that Juliet might have already informed Ava about seeing me with Ethan, or worse, might do so later. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

Olivia, however, reacted swiftly, her anger simmering just below the surface. "Didn't you see that you stepped on her?" she demanded, her voice firm and authoritative.

Ava turned to face us, a smirk twisting her features. "She didn't complain," she retorted, her tone dripping with arrogance.

Ava held a crumpled paper in her hand, seemingly intent on discarding it in the nearby bin. Instead, she hurled the paper at me, her eyes glinting with malice. "And now? Did the paper hurt you?" she taunted, taking a step closer to me, her fists clenched, as if eager to provoke a fight.

I swallowed hard, my fear and inner anger warring for dominance. "I'm okay, it doesn't hurt," I stammered, trying to placate her, even as my mind seethed with resentment. I felt trapped and powerless, unable to retaliate or defend myself against Ava's bullying.

Ava's demeanor shifted, her expression transforming into a menacing sneer. She closed the distance between us, her fingers trailing over my shoulder, tracing a path down my back, and brushing against my chest. The touch sent shivers down my spine, but not in a pleasant way – it was laced with malice.

"Who invited you to my birthday party?" Ava asked, her voice dripping with venom. "I don't recall sending you an invitation. I only invited people with a higher social standing, so what was someone like you doing at my party?" The question hung in the air, heavy with ridicule.

Ava's birthday party had taken place just a few days ago, on Friday. This confrontation was the first time I'd seen her since then. Olivia, however, was quick to defend me.

"You sent the invitation to our group chat, Ava," Olivia snapped, her anger palpable. "You wanted everyone to know about your precious party."

Ava's laughter was cold, mirthless. "I was only inviting people of a certain caliber, those who matter in this school," she sneered, her eyes flashing with contempt.

With a sudden, vicious motion, Ava grasped my hair, yanking me forward. I cried out in pain, but my voice was trapped in my throat. Juliet, who had been watching the exchange with interest, finally intervened.

Juliet's grasp on Ava's hand was firm as she reiterated, "Let her go." Ava's eyes widened in astonishment, her voice laced with incredulity. "I should let her go?" she repeated, clearly taken aback by Juliet's uncharacteristic display of empathy. Juliet had never been known for her kindness, making this moment all the more remarkable.

"Yeah, the birthday party is over, and I'm sure she wouldn't want to attend your next one now that she knows her place," Juliet said, her tone measured as she carefully removed Ava's hand from my tangled hair. I seized the opportunity to escape, darting behind Olivia's protective presence. She was my sole refuge, the only one brave enough to confront Ava's wrath.

Ava's face contorted in rage, her eyes blazing with fury. She was infuriated by Juliet's intervention and the sudden loss of control over me. With a swift, aggressive motion, Ava slapped Juliet, the sound echoing through the hallway. "I was having fun with her, and you ruined it? How dare you!" Ava seethed, her voice venomous.

Juliet's eyes flashed with anger, but she tempered her response, her gaze drifting toward me. "I'm sorry," she muttered, her voice laced with a hint of resentment. I felt a shiver run down my spine as our eyes met. The anger simmering in her eyes sent a warning signal to my brain: she might confess to seeing Ethan and me together. The possibility hung precariously in the balance, threatening to upend my fragile world.

Ava took a menacing step closer to Olivia, her eyes fixed on me with a sinister glint. "Do you think hiding behind her will protect you from my wrath, spare you from the humiliation of having your hair pulled?" she sneered, her voice dripping with malice. I remained silent, paralyzed by fear.

Olivia, however, stood her ground, her voice firm and steady. "You wouldn't want to cross the boundaries, Ava," she cautioned, her eyes locked on Ava's.

Ava snorted, her chest heaving with agitation. "And what if I want to? What will you do?" she taunted, her hands on her hips, her fingers drumming an impatient rhythm. With a sudden, aggressive motion, she pushed Olivia, their chests almost touching.

Olivia's expression remained calm, unruffled. "I wouldn't want to create a scene here, in front of everyone," she said, her voice measured, her eyes flashing with a hint of warning. She leaned in, her face inches from Ava's, her gaze piercing. "You weren't raised well, Ava," she whispered, her words dripping with disdain.

With a final, withering glance, Olivia turned and walked away, heading toward the lecture room. I didn't hesitate, sprinting after her, desperate to escape Ava's wrath. I knew that if I lingered, Ava would unleash her fury on me, and I had no desire to become her next victim.

As we made our way to the lecture room, Olivia turned to me with an enigmatic expression. "I hope you'll find the courage to be bold when the unexpected happens," she said, her voice laced with a hint of concern.

I frowned, intrigued by her words. "When the unexpected happens?" I repeated, seeking clarification. "What exactly do you mean by 'the unexpected'?" I pressed, my curiosity piqued.

Olivia halted her stride, turning to face me. "Are you asking me?" she inquired, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes.

I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. "Yes, it's just the two of us here, so who else would I ask?" I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

Olivia's expression turned serious, her eyes locked on mine. "I don't know what it is, but I hope that when it happens, you'll find the strength to fight for yourself," she said, her voice filled with an unspoken urgency.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I processed her words. "Why should I be bothered when the unexpected happens?" I asked, trying to sound braver than I felt. "You're here with me, and I know you'd never let anything happen to me. You've always been my guiding angel, my protector."

Olivia's lips curled into a gentle smile, but she remained silent, her eyes gleaming with a knowing glint that left me feeling both reassured and unsettled.

I couldn't shake off the feeling that Olivia's words had left me with - a sense of impending uncertainty. What did she mean by "the unexpected"? I trusted her implicitly, and I knew she wouldn't warn me without a valid reason. Perhaps she was trying to prepare me to face my fears, to stand up for myself against Ava's relentless bullying.

I couldn't help but wonder about Juliet's sudden change of heart. Had Ethan's influence played a role in her unexpected protection? Had he offered her a substantial incentive to shield me from Ava's wrath? The more I thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

Ava's anger, I realized, stemmed from my attendance at her birthday party. I had never wanted to go, but Olivia's persistence had left me with no choice. She had convinced me that attending the party would be a way to prove to Ava that I wasn't intimidated by her. Now, I wasn't so sure.