"Tsk. Pretty girl like you wasting time on a weak bastard like him? You should choose real men."
Ava looked at him like he was something rotten.
Then suddenly—
"Mister Principal! Your students are bullying a cross-school student!"
All five boys jerked their heads toward the wall in panic.
No one came.
By the time they realized—
Ava had already grabbed Matthew's hand.
"Run."
They took off.
Behind them—
"After them!" the leader shouted.
Footsteps thundered
Matthew stared at her as she dragged him along.
"You're… hurting me," he whispered.
Ava slowed.
Her eyes dropped to their hands.
Blood.
Dripping.
She froze.
"…They did this?" she asked quietly.
Matthew didn't answer.
Because the truth?
When the bag hit the leader, the falling knife had been aimed straight at him.
And he—
He had caught it.
Barehanded.
But there was no way he was telling her that.
Behind them, the group caught up—
—and stopped.
Because Matthew turned..
And his eyes—
Red.
Wet.
Fragile.
"I'm fine," he said softly. "I can handle myself."
The leader blinked.
Confused.
Where the hell did the guy who was dodging knives like it was nothing go?
This one looked like a damsel.
"…Close your eyes," Ava said gently, smiling at Matthew.
Then she turned.
And tied her hair into a bun.
The air changed.
"Hey… what are you trying to—" the leader took a step back.
Too late.
The fourth guy rushed her first, rage overriding sense.
"I'll kill you—!"
He swung.
Ava stepped in.
Not back.
Forward.
Her hand shot out—grabbing his wrist mid-strike—
CRACK.
A sickening sound echoed as she twisted.
His scream tore through the street.
She didn't stop.
Her elbow slammed into his throat, cutting it off instantly.
Before his body hit the ground, she had already moved.
The second one tried to stab her from the side—
She caught his arm, dragged him forward, and drove her knee straight into his ribs.
Once.
Twice.
The third impact—
SNAP.
He collapsed, choking on his own breath.
The third attacker hesitated.
That hesitation cost him everything.
Ava kicked the back of his knee—
CRACK.
He dropped.
Her hand grabbed his hair and slammed his face into the ground.
Once.
Twice.
Blood spread across the concrete.
The leader turned to run—
Ava appeared in front of him.
He didn't even see her move.
Her foot struck his chest, sending him crashing flat onto his back.
Before he could breathe—
Her shoe pressed down on his face.
Hard.
Grinding him into the ground.
Silence.
Only broken groans filled the air.
Twisted arms.
Bent legs.
Bones at angles they shouldn't exist in.
A massacre.
Ava tilted her head slightly, her voice cold now.
"Apologize to him."
The leader trembled under her foot.
"I—I'm sorry!" he choked.
"Louder."
"I'M SORRY!"
Ava didn't move her foot.
Her eyes flicked toward Matthew.
"Did you hear that?"
Matthew smiled faintly at the scene behind him.
He didn't know why he acted weak in front of her.
But it felt… good.
Strangely good.
He let out a quiet breath and followed as Ava led him out of the quiet street and onto the main road.
The noise of the city returned—cars, voices, life moving like nothing had just happened.
They stopped at a small clinic.
His wounds were cleaned in silence.
Neither of them asked questions.
Not about the fight.
Not about why there were here.
Like there was an unspoken agreement—don't dig too deep.
When they stepped out, a sleek black car was already waiting.
Ava's family car.
They got in.
The moment the door shut, the world outside faded again.
Ava sat very close to him.
Too close.
Matthew leaned his head back and closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.
Bad idea.
Ava tilted her head, watching him.
Then slowly—curiously—she reached out.
Her fingers pressed lightly against his chest.
Her eyes lit up instantly.
Fingers splayed over his chest, tracing his sexy slim wearing clothes but damn
"Mmm," she murmured, eyes lighting up like she'd struck gold.
Her touch roamed greedy: thumbs circling his pecs, nails grazing down to the carved V of his abs, then up his neck to the pulse throbbing at his throat.
Matthew bit his lip raw, every nerve firing, but he held still—barely. A low rumble built in his chest.
Then her lips ghosted his Adam's apple, warm and soft, a teasing nip that sent lightning straight south.
Matthew's eyes snapped open.
"You don't know the difference between a man and a woman?" he said, his voice low, rough.
Ava didn't pull back.
Instead, her grin widened.
"Nope," she said simply. "So teach me."
Before he could react, she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
The driver coughed awkwardly from the front.
They had arrived.
Matthew clicked his tongue, pushed the door open, and stepped out without looking back.
"If you want to chase someone," he said coolly, "at least be decent about it."
Ava's eyes sparked.
That wasn't rejection.
Not really.
"So that means you agree for me to chase you?" she shot out of the car. "You're letting me date you? Answer me, Matthew—damn it!"
He didn't stop walking.
Didn't turn back.
Didn't answer.
And somehow—
That made her even more excited.
Ava stood there for a second, staring after him.
Then she turned calmly to the driver.
"To Crownside."
By the time Ava got back to Crownside, the campus had already settled into its usual noise—students scattered across the sports area, some practicing, some just sitting around pretending to.
Aiden was where he usually was.
Lounging like the place belonged to him.
His friends spread around him, half paying attention to whatever Sam was saying.
Ava didn't slow down.
Didn't greet anyone.
Didn't even look around.
She walked straight toward them.
Something green flashed in her hand.
A tag.
The kind lackeys from other schools under Aiden wore.
Aiden's eyes caught it immediately.
His expression shifted—just slightly.
Then his gaze flicked to Sam.
Sam's smile dropped.
Too late.
Ava tossed the tag straight at Aiden—
And followed it with a kick.
Fast.
Clean.
Aiden moved before it landed, stepping back just enough, like he had already seen it coming.
"The hell is wrong with you?" he said, brows pulling together.
People around them were already looking.
Of course they were.
"Did you send people to attack Matthew?" Ava asked, already rolling her sleeves up like she didn't mind going again.
Aiden didn't answer immediately.
He just pointed lazily at Sam.
"he did it to teach Mattew to stay away from Sophia"
Sam blinked.
"Wait—"
Too late.
Ava's leg came up again—
This time it landed.
Right into his waist.
A sharp sound cracked through the air.
Sam folded instantly.
"…yeah," Solomon muttered, watching him drop, "his waist is gone."
A few of them laughed.
Not even trying to hide it.
Aiden's eyes flashed for a second—
Then he chuckled.
"You like Matthew?, two cousins liking one guy" he asked, like that was the more interesting part.
Ava glanced at him.
Flat
"Should I like you instead?"
Aiden physically gagged.
"Please don't," he muttered, dropping back into his seat, one leg crossing over the other like the topic disgusted him.
Then his lips curved.
"Now I'm interested in this Matthew."
Ava's gaze sharpened.
"Touch him," she said, "and you'll regret it."
Aiden smiled wider.
"Don't care. I'll still touch him." A pause. "Might even make him suffer a bit."
Around them, whispers started again.
"Wait… is Ava in love with Matthew?"
"But isn't Matthew with Sophia?"
"No, Matthew is the one who likes her—"
"Look at this—"
Someone pulled up a picture.
Matthew and Sophia. Close. On stage.
"They look perfect together…"
"The school beauty and the school heartthrob…"
"The only one who matches Sophia is Matthew—"
"Careful. Don't let Aiden hear you—"
"I don't think Aiden even likes her like that," a girl muttered. "It's more like… obsession and interest in a toy."
"But who does Ava think she is to like Matthew?"
"How dare you."
The voice cut in sharp.
Everyone turned.
One of Sophia's close friends stood there, clearly offended on her behalf.
And right beside her—
Sophia.
Sam, still half-bent from the kick, let out a dry laugh. "Another drama. Why does Sophia always come with her parrots?"
Sophia ignored him.
Of course she did.
She stepped forward slightly, posture straight, expression calm—the perfect image.
"Dating isn't allowed, Ava," she said.
"Especially now."
Her tone was soft.
Controlled.
"If you care about Matthew, you should step down. I'm saying this as a member of the study club. We have an important competition coming. You'll only distract him."
She sounded reasonable.
Too reasonable.
A few people nodded immediately.
Ava stared at her.
Then—slowly—used her finger to clean her ear like she hadn't heard anything worth keeping.
Her gaze slid to Aiden for a second that say.
This is what you like?
Aiden just smiled.
Amused.
Ava looked back at Sophia.
"Who I like—and Matthew's life—is not your business," she said. "And what? Being in the same club makes you his mother now?"
A small pause.
"He's is a lot of club. So do they all have right in his life , Good girl cousin?"
Sophia's expression tightened.
Just a little.
"I'm not arguing with you," she said. "I'm telling you for your own good. This month is busy. Sports competition. Tests. School competition. Club activities."
Her gaze stayed steady.
"Matthew won't look at you."
More nods.
More agreement.
"Yeah, only someone on his level can match him," one of her friends added quickly.
"Same academic level. Same division. Someone who can actually help him."
Ava yawned.
"I'll just study then," she said. "And get into the same division. So shut up."
Silence.
Then—
Laughter.
Loud.
Unfiltered..
Like she had just told the best joke of the day.
Ava tilted her head.
"Why? You think I can't?"
"Yes," Sophia's friend said immediately. "You can't."
Ava smiled slightly.
"Good. Then if I win—you skip school for a month."
A few people blinked.
"…what?"
"Let everyone breathe," Ava added casually. "You're annoying."
"And if you lose?" the girl shot back.
Ava didn't even pause.
"You tell me."
"You kneel in front of everyone," the girl said, eyes sharp, "in front of Matthew. And admit everything. Then give up."
Ava folded her arms.
"Sure."
Aiden, who had been watching quietly, let out a small laugh.
"If you lose," he said, standing up slowly, "you're not actually going to do that, right?"
Ava glanced at him.
"Of course not."
No shame.
No hesitation.
"I'm not stupid. What are they going to do? Laugh?" she shrugged. "They'll laugh, go home, sleep. Life moves on."
Aiden nodded like that made perfect sense.
Then he turned.
Walked straight past Sophia.
"To the library," he said casually.
And left.
Sophia and her group followed quickly.
Ava watched them go, eyes narrowing slightly.
Then she sighed.
"Everyone is eyeing my handsome…"
A small smile tugged at her lips.
"I might actually fall in love."
She turned—
And walked off like none of it was serious.
Meanwhile, when Matthew stepped out of the car, he hurried to his apartment.
But even with his eyes squeezed shut, that kiss flooded back—the one in Aleria City, her lips claiming his, then in the car, her mouth trailing fire across his face while her hand roamed his chest and abs.
His eyes snapped open as heat surged from his brain straight to his groin. "Damn it," he muttered, cursing under his breath before diving into another cold shower.
Finally dressed in pajamas and ready for bed, he yanked open his drawer and grabbed a pill from the bottle labeled Ability Suppressant.
He swallowed it dry, then headed to the kitchen to whip up a late dinner, willing his body to cool off
he fired up the stove, sizzling cheap steak in butter with garlic—aroma cutting the lust fog—paired with instant rice.
The Next Day
Ava's friends didn't bother knocking.
They stormed into the mansion like they owned it.
The butler, already used to the madness, simply bowed and led them to the poolside.
There—
Ava floated lazily on a pool bed, drifting under the sun.
She wore a blue tennis skirt, a white tube top, and a ridiculous blue fur hat like she was on a runway instead of water.
Phone in hand.
Unbothered.
"Oh my God, Ava!" Luna shrieked the moment she saw her. "You're trending on the school page!"
Ava didn't even look up.
"So?"
Luna grabbed her phone dramatically.
"The legendary troublemaker is suddenly trying to pass exams just to get into the same division as Matthew—the future first place holder—who'll probably team up with the top 20!"
Ava finally glanced up.
"And?"
Jane sat down by the pool edge, leaning forward.
"What are you going to do if you fail the bet?"
Jordan casually walked inside and came back with a tray of tropical drinks, placing it beside them.
Jake crossed his arms.
"Also… why are you not reading right now?"
Ava stretched lazily on the floating bed.
"I'm waiting for my teacher."
"…Teacher?" Jake frowned.
Jordan blinked. "Since when do you even believe in teachers?"
Ava smirked.
"Who else other than my brother?"
Jake froze.
"…Right. I forgot you have another brain maniac at home."
He paused.
"…But I doubt he'll teach you."
The pool doors slammed open.
"I'm going to fucking kill you!"
A tall figure stormed in.
Luis.
6'1.
Lean, athletic build.
Light golden skin that caught the sunlight just right.
Sharp oval face, deep amber cat-like eyes—lazy but dangerous.
His dark brown wavy hair fell over his forehead, giving him that effortless, sinful look.
He wore a fitted black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, layered chains resting against his collarbone, paired with tailored pants and expensive sneakers.
He looked like temptation sin like the type you know you should stay away but one look for him and your leg give out that is addicting you can't remove your gaze .
And trouble.
Ava didn't even flinch.
"Why are you yelling like that who is your age?" she said dryly, rolling her eyes.
Luis scoffed, ignoring that.
"Where the hell are my sports cars? And my collections?"
Ava sat up slightly.
"I hid them."
Luis went still.
"…You did what?"
"I put them in an auction house," she corrected sweetly. "Teach me, and you'll get them back. Refuse—and I sell everything."
She blinked innocently.
"And then you'll have to explain to mom and dad why you own ten versions of the same car in different colors… your gun collection… your alcohol stash… and why you're selling illegal stuff to your classmates."
Silence..
Her friends were thriving.
Luis stared at her.
Then slowly walked over and dropped onto one of the poolside couches.
"…Did you just say I should teach you?" he asked.
Then laughed.
Hard.
He looked at her friends—
Then back at Ava.
Still laughing.
"You're serious?" he said, wiping his eye. "You? Study?"
His laughter died the moment he saw her expression.
Calm.
Steady.
Serious.
Luis blinked.
Then burst out laughing again.
"Are you sure you want to learn… or you want to fight me?" he said lazily. "Because your stubborn brain is going to piss me off."
"Respect," Ava said flatly.
"Don't have any," Luis replied instantly. "And I'm your teacher now, so you should be respecting me."
Ava stepped off the pool bed.
Walked straight up to him.
Water dripping lightly from her legs.
"We have a test next week," she said calmly. "Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday."
She picked up a drink.
Took a sip.
"What I mean is—hack into the school database and get the questions. Simple."
Jake choked.
Jordan almost dropped the tray.
Luis leaned back, staring at her.
Then smirked.
"I can do that."
Ava's eyes lit slightly—
"But I won't give you the exact questions," he added. "That's boring and cheating. I'll give you questions based on the topics. Think of it as… revision."
He stretched.
"I have a life too. I'll teach you for three days. Today is Thursday—we chill. Then we start."
Ava nodded immediately.
"When you're done, you get your stuff back. And I'll add a hundred thousand."
Luis grinned.
"Now that's good business."
They shook hands.
Jake leaned forward desperately.
"If you get the questions… can you share?"
Luis didn't even look at him.
"Hell no. I don't teach brain-dead people."
And just like that—
He stood up and walked off.
"Damn, I hate your brother," Jake muttered.
"Same," Luna, Jordan, and Jane chorused.
Ava shrugged.
"I hate him too."
She paused.
"But he's still my younger brother … even though he's somehow smarter than me when it comes to books."
She turned away, already bored.
"Use the door when you leave."
She waved lazily.
"I'm going to sleep."
And just like that—
She walked off, leaving chaos behind like always.
Inside her room, Ava flopped onto her bed.
No elegance.
No grace.
Just boom—face first into the soft sheets.
She rolled onto her back, grabbed her phone, and started scrolling through her social media.