Matthew's gaze sharpened.
"So you're not doing it for yourself?" he said quietly. "Just for a stupid bet? Like I'm some prize?"
Ava blinked.
Then tilted her head slightly.
"I never took you as a prize."
She stepped closer.
"The bet is just a game. Win or lose—it doesn't matter. I don't need anyone's permission to chase you."
She ran her hand through her hair.
"I didn't even take your permission. Why would I take theirs?"
Matthew said nothing.
"I'm studying," she continued, voice steady now. "Not for the bet. Not really."
A pause.
"I want to be in the same study group as you."
He frowned slightly.
"Not for the group," she added. "So I can chase you properly. So you get used to me."
Another step closer.
"Because you're going to be seeing a lot of me."
Her gaze locked onto his.
"And so others stop thinking they can have you."
Silence.
Matthew blinked once.
"…Oh."
That was all he said.
Then he turned and walked back.
Ava watched him go—
Then suddenly laughed.
"Wait—"
He paused at the door.
She grinned.
"So you were angry because of that?"
No response.
"You thought you weren't important enough for me to make a bet over?" she teased.
Still silence.
Her smile widened.
"Damn, Matthew… you're already getting used to me."
He scoffed.
"If you're jealous next time," she continued, voice playful, "just pin me to the wall and kiss me. Say—baby, don't make me jealous."
Matthew stopped.
For a second.
Then—
"Pervert."
He pushed the door open and walked in.
Ava laughed and followed.Matthew ate calmly, as if the world around him wasn't loud, chaotic, and alive.
Ava, sitting beside him, kept casually adding more food to his plate like it was the most natural thing in the world.
He didn't stop her.
Just ate.
Like he had accepted it.
Across the room, Jake stretched and stood up, clapping his hands.
"Alright, let's go see how you guys handle sports cars."
Rick's eyes lit up instantly.
Felix grinned. "Finally."
The three of them headed out together, already arguing over who would drive first.
Kai leaned slightly forward, looking at Ava with interest.
"How did you learn to drive like that?" he asked. "You and your brother were insane out there.".
Ava shrugged lightly.
"My grandma taught me."
That made Derek pause.
"…Your grandma?"
"She has her own racing track."ava say
Silence.
Derek blinked.
"…Your grandma must be a fun lady."
Ava gave a small shrug again, like it was nothing unusual.
Her phone suddenly rang.
She glanced at the screen.
"I'm going home now. Time to study," she said simply.
And just like that
She stood up and left.
No hesitation.
No explanation.
Matthew watched her leave for a moment.
Then stood as well.
"I'm going home."
And he left too.
The Next Day — Sunday
Ava slept in.
For once.
No chaos. No noise. No shouting friends.
Just silence.
Meanwhile
Matthew returned to his dorm room.
Everything was exactly how he left it.
Clean.
Organized.
Controlled.
Big V was already inside, sitting at the study desk with a book open.
He looked up.
"You're back."
Matthew nodded slightly. "The others went to study. Test is on Wednesday."
Big V leaned back in his chair.
"I see. I just need revision too. I've already finished reading."
Matthew placed his bag down.
"After that, I'll focus on the school competition next week Thursday."
Big V blinked.
"Damn… I forgot about that."
He flipped a page slowly.
"The class competition is basically the last week of the month. After that, we choose the student group… then clubs too."
He looked up.
"Which club did you pick?"
Matthew paused briefly.
"Drama club. Study Maniac Club. Basketball team and dancing."
Big V stared at him.
"…Of course you joined four."
Matthew continued without reacting.
"As for the competition, I signed up for race, basketball, and long jump."
Big V let out a slow breath.
"You really don't do anything halfway, do you?"
Matthew didn't answer.
He just organized his things neatly on the table.
Then paused.
For a moment.
"…I'll take a short nap."
He stood up and lay back on his bed.
Eyes closing.
The room went quiet again.
Big V returned to his book.
Turning pages slowly.
And just like that—
On Sunday passed in silence
Matthew sat quietly in the library, flipping through his notes.
Focused.
Unaffected.
Until—
A chair scraped beside him.
Ava.
She sat close, elbow on the table, chin resting on her hands as she stared at him like he was the subject she planned to pass.
"Let's revise together," she said sweetly.
Matthew glanced at her once.
Then went back to reading.
Ignored.
Ava didn't care.
She pulled out her notes and slid them toward him.
"I finished this. Mark it."
Matthew sighed—but took it anyway.
What they didn't notice—
The library had gone… less quiet.
The moment Ava walked in, eyes followed her.
When she sat beside Matthew?
It got worse.
And when he took her notes?
Whispers started.
"Wow… she's so shameless."
"She's literally throwing herself at him."
"Now she's pretending to study?"
Low voices.
Judging.
Watching.
But neither of them noticed.
"Who gave you these questions?" Matthew asked while marking.
"My brother. Why?"
Matthew flipped a page.
"He's good. Very good."
Ava smirked slightly.
"He reads a lot. University stuff, research… he's always in some weird study mood."
She leaned closer.
"But I'm smart too, aren't I?"
Matthew nodded.
"You learn fast. You understand quickly. If you fix your behavior, you'd actually do well."
Ava shrugged.
"Studying isn't for me."
She smiled at him.
"I already have admission. I'm just here to enjoy school life."
A pause.
"Which is good… because I met you."
Matthew didn't look up.
"You're flirting."
Ava leaned closer, her voice dropping.
"I can't help it. I want to tease you."
"Ava."
Tap.
He hit her lightly with his pen.
"Focus."
He pushed her work back.
"You did well. But you said you want to revise—so revise."
Then, quieter—
"You want to be in the same study group as me, right? Then study properly I'm rooting for you."
Ava froze.
Her eyes widened.
Then slowly—
Her cheeks turned pink.
She looked at him.
Looked away.
Then back again.
"…Oh my God."
She covered her face.
"Are you flirting with me?"
Matthew bit his lip, trying not to react.
"You look like those cold CEO types from novels," she added.
He ignored that.
"So you're accepting me already?" she pressed.
Matthew gave her a side glance as he pulled out another question sheet.
"You said you want to chase me," he said calmly. "I'm just curious how far you'll go."
Ava grinned.
"Oh, I'll go very far, baby."
Matthew placed the paper in front of her.
"Solve."
"Sure, sure, sure, baby. I don't mind, handsome," Ava said lazily.
Matthew didn't react.
He simply placed another sheet in front of her.
"Solve."
Ava looked at the question.
Paused.
Closed the book.
And slowly started to stand—
Only to be dragged right back.
Matthew held her by the collar and dropped her into the chair again.
"Solve it."
Ava stared at the paper like it had personally offended her.
"Are you trying to kill me? Why is this so difficult?"
Matthew glanced at her calmly.
"I'm finishing what your brother started. His questions were tricky—"
He tapped the paper.
"—but suddenly, like he was sparing you from losing your hair, they became easier."
A small pause.
"Must be a nice brother."
Ava blinked.
"…Who are you talking about?"
She leaned back dramatically.
"My brother? Luis? Nice? That's like calling me a gentle damsel in distress."
She fluttered her eyelashes.
"Impossible."
Matthew raised a eyebrows "at least self aware he thought"
Then she pointed at the paper.
"He only changed the format. Every time I fail a question, I pay him ten thousand."
Matthew raised a brow.
"I lost money," she continued. "Then I destroyed two of his cars and he stopped."
She looked at him accusingly.
"And now you want to bully me too?"
Matthew blinked.
Then chuckled under his breath.
"Still solve it."
Ava crossed her arms.
"If I fail, there should be a punishment."
"There is," Matthew replied calmly.
Ava leaned forward, suddenly serious.
"You'll kiss me."
Matthew froze.
"…What did you say?"
Ava nodded like it was perfectly logical.
"If I fail, you kiss me. That's the punishment."
She sighed dramatically.
"These questions are so hard… I'll definitely fail."
She clasped her hands together.
"But I'll be strong and accept my punishment again and again."
Matthew bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to laugh.
"Ava… you're shameless."
"You're the one who wants to kiss me," he shot back immediately. "And now you're pretending it's punishment?"
Matthew stared at her.
"What kind of punishment is that if you enjoy it?"
Ava rolled her eyes.
"Like you wouldn't enjoy it. Which guy doesn't like kissing?"
She tapped her lips lightly.
"I have very soft lips. Premium quality."
Matthew looked away for a second, exhaling.
"You're a pervert."
"And you're boring," she fired back. "Why can't punishment be enjoyable? If people can enjoy pain, why can't I enjoy this?"
"You always have a smart mouth when it comes to nonsense like this," Matthew said flatly.
"No kissing. Solve it—or leave."
And just like that, he went back to studying.
Cold.
Unmoved.
Ava snorted.
"…Ice wall."
She picked up her pen anyway, grumbling under her breath.
"Probably secretly gay…"
But she still started solving.
From their side—
It was normal.
Teasing.
Arguing.
Studying.
From everyone else's side?
It looked completely different.
Eyes were already on them from the moment Ava sat down.
So when—
She leaned close.
Talked non-stop.
Got tapped on the head.
Got dragged back into her seat.
And then—
Matthew's cold expression?
Yeah.
That was all people needed.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"Did you see that?"
"She's literally forcing him to help her…"
"She's so annoying."
"I heard she threatened him."
"Matthew looked so irritated…"
"And she's pretending to study too?"
Someone scoffed.
"She's just acting. No way she suddenly cares about studying."
Another voice added—
"I heard she even tried to mess with his notes."
"She's such a bully…"
The story twisted.
Changed.
Grew worse with every retelling.
By the time it reached the far end of the library—
Ava had already become:
The clingy girl.
The fake student.
The bully harassing the top student.
And Matthew?
The quiet victim who just wanted to study in peace.
Meanwhile—
Ava was still struggling with the question.
"…Why are there so many steps?!"
Matthew didn't even look at her.
"Because you're skipping thinking."
"I am thinking!"
"You're guessing."
"…Same thing."
"No, it's not."
Ava glared at the paper like it betrayed her.
The rumors outside kept spreading.
Getting uglier.
Louder.
But inside that small space—
It was just the two of them.
Arguing.
Learning.
And somehow—
Getting closer without realizing it.
Matthew marked it without a word.
Then stood up.
Ava followed.
To the cafeteria.
The next day?
Same thing.
Like a shadow.
Annoying.
Persistent.
Unavoidable.
And Matthew?
Didn't stop her.
Wednesday — Exam Day
Everyone returned to their classes.
Silence.
Pens moving.
Time ticking.
Then it was over.
Monday — Last Paper
Done.
The wait began.
Tuesday — Results Day
Ava was dragged out of her house half-asleep.
Still drowsy.
Still annoyed.
She wore loose blue joggers and a matching long-sleeve crop top with zippers, her hair slightly messy like she didn't even try.
People stared as she walked past.
Whispers followed.
Then—
Sophia and her group arrived.
Perfect as always.
Composed.
Clean.
Controlled.
"I heard you've been harassing Matthew," Sophia said calmly. "I told you before—he won't like you."
A pause.
"If you care about yourself, stop now. Don't drag the family name down."
Ava didn't respond.
Didn't even look at her.
She was… dozing off.
Jane clicked her tongue.
"Will you shut up? Some people are trying to sleep."
Sophia's friend scoffed.
"Why are you being rude? Sophia is just being nice. You should quit now and accept your loss."
BAM!
Luna slammed her hand on the table.
"Can you shut your damn mouth?"
The area went quiet.
"You've been buzzing in my ears like annoying bees," she continued coldly. "The results aren't even out and you're already celebrating?"
She leaned forward.
"Go celebrate somewhere else. We don't need Sophia's fake pity or her parrots speaking for her."
A dangerous pause.
"I've warned you. Next time, I won't talk—I'll hit."
Silence fell completely.
Sophia frowned, about to respond—
When a teacher walked in and posted the results.
Instant chaos.
Everyone rushed forward.
Except—
Ava.
Still sleeping.
People weren't even checking their own names.
They were searching for two.
Matthew.
Ava.
Seconds passed.
Then—
"Oh my God—Matthew got first!"
Cheers exploded.
His fans screamed.
No surprise.
As expected.
Then—
Another voice cut through.
"Ava… you're in the top twenty!"
Luna's voice.
Clear.
Sharp.
The crowd froze.
"What?"
"No way—"
"Did she cheat?" someone whispered.
Luna's head snapped toward the girl.
"Do you want to die?"
The girl went silent immediately.
Jake yawned, stepping forward lazily.
"What's so shocking?"
He glanced at the board.
"Ava's always ranked between top 30 to 50. Since grade one."
He shrugged.
"30. 35. 40. 45. 50."
Then looked at them like they were stupid.
"So her entering top 20 now… is that shocking?"
Silence.
No one answered.
Because the "shameless girl" they laughed at—
Just proved them wrong.
Without even trying.
Truth was—
Most people expected Ava to be somewhere around 200th place.
She barely interacted with anyone chaod loud firecracker and so much more.
Always compared to Sophia.
So in their minds—
She had to be worse.
The opposite.
They never actually paid attention.
Ava would've probably called them jumping monkeys in her mind no wonder she accepted the vet.
"…It doesn't matter," Sophia's friend forced out. "Sophia is still better."
Jane looked at her like she was stupid.
"Keep praising Sophia and look at your own score," she said flatly.
"If I were your mother, I would've taken Plan B."
A few people choked.
Luna smirked.
"And the bet was between you and Ava—not Sophia."
She stepped closer.
"Don't forget. You lose, you leave school for a month."
Her smile turned cold.
"I don't care what excuse you give your parents… but if I see you here—"
She didn't finish.
Didn't need to.
The threat hung heavy in the air.
At that moment—
Matthew arrived with his roommates.
He didn't look at the drama.
Didn't care.
He walked straight to the board.
Eyes scanning.
Top list.
There—
Rank 1: Matthew.
No reaction.
Just a quiet, expected calm.
Behind him, Rick and Felix were already searching for their names.
Matthew's gaze moved again.
Down the list—
Then paused.
Just slightly.
Ava.
Top 20.
His brow lifted faintly.
Not surprise.
More like… acknowledgment.
His expression softened—
Barely.
So subtle it looked like nothing.
Like he just confirmed something he already suspected.
Then—
He continued scanning.
Like he was just looking for someone else.
Completely normal.
Detached.
Until—
His eyes moved past the board.
Across the crowd.
And landed on—
Ava.
Sleeping.
Completely unaware.
"Matthew, save me—"
Sophia's friend rushed forward, trying to grab him.
He stepped aside smoothly.
Like avoiding something unpleasant.
Like she didn't even exist.
She froze.
Tears instantly filling her eyes.
"…You—"
Luna burst out laughing.
"Ohhh, now everything makes sense." Jake said,All eyes turned to him.
he pointed lazily at the girl.
"You like Matthew."
Silence.
"And you hate girls—especially Ava—who can stand next to him with confidence you don't have."
The girl's face turned red.
"You idolize Sophia," Jake continued casually, like he was telling a joke.
"So in your head, if Matthew ever dates someone, it has to be her."
A step closer.
"And maybe… just maybe… you thought if you stayed close enough, you'd get your chance too."
Gasps.
Phones came out instantly.
Recording.
Capturing.
"Standing up for Sophia?" Jake scoffed. "That's just your excuse to justify your own little scheme."
Jane laughed, covering her mouth.
"You're not loyal. You're just desperate."
Dead silence.
Then—
"Damn…" Luna muttered lazily. "Still as sharp as ever."
She nudged him.
"Our generation's number one information broker."
The tension thickened.
Jane folded her arms, looking at Sophia.
"…What a friend you have."
Sophia's expression darkened.
But she said nothing.
"Too much drama."
Matthew's voice cut through everything.
Calm.
Detached.
He turned away.
His group followed.
Just like that.
Leaving the chaos behind.
By the time Ava woke up—
Most people were already leaving.
The crowd had thinned.
The noise died down.
She stretched lazily, yawning.
She didn't even bother checking the board.
Didn't care.
She picked up her phone.
And walked off.
Like none of it mattered.