She turned to me and then was about to walk away, before I stopped her.
“Are you also going to run away from a simple conversation with me? Do I threaten you that much? It’s amazing how one can be very wrong about another person, you know? Before I met you, I heard stories of you from Jeffery. I used to think to myself like, ‘wow, she must be incredibly smart, brave and strong’. But meeting you, I must say I’m highly disappointed.” I added coldly.
That stopped her in her track, and she turned back to look at me.
“I know what you’re trying to do but it won’t work. I’m by far smarter than you’ll ever be.” She replied.
“Oh yeah? Then proof it. To be smart is to quick, calculative and resourceful. But you? You just run away when things get tough like a spineless chicken.” I insulted.
That last bit got on her nerve as she walked towards me in anger.
“You’re getting what you want, isn’t that enough? You’re so slick it’s too obvious, so stop trying too hard to be the hero who tries to keep my family together. I won’t fall for it.”
“Keep your family together? I had no intention of doing that, in fact I’m happy you’ve finally decided to leave Jeffery alone. What did you think? That by giving your brother an ultimatum he’ll leave me? Sweetie, I’m not going anywhere, and since you’re such a chicken who runs away from every fight, even you can’t stop me now from loving your brother” I said scornfully.
She was boiling with anger and I could tell. It’s not my intention to hurt her pride, but someone has to deflate it in other for her to get back to reality.
“I’ll stop you! My brother doesn’t have to choose anything, we’ll both settle this between ourselves. I’ll make sure I send you off in the most unpleasant way possible.”
“(Scoffs)… I’ll like to see you try. I mean you can’t even handle the task of protecting you reputation and finding out what exactly happened to your project, and now the whole school thinks you’re just a fake. How can you possibly send me off?” I asked slyly.
“48hrs. I’ll provide evidence that would prove my gadget was functional until the time of my presentation in 48hrs. And I f I succeed, you’ll accept that you’re not good for Callum and you’ll leave our lives for good. But if I don’t, I’ll accept the fact that you and my brother are truly dating.” She suggested.
Locked and loaded.
I can be very manipulative when I want to be, and it’s good to know I’ve still go that attribute in me. Though her suggestion is brilliant, I’ve got something else in mind.
“I have a better idea. How about we both look for proof separately to find out what really happened that day. The first to gather enough evidence in the next 24hrs is the winner. But you’ll have to make your gadget available for access, how about that? Do you think you’re up for it?” I asked confidently.
Whatever happens, I still want Ava’s name cleared and those girl- Freya and Julie, get the punishment they deserve. I hate it when bullies get away with sick pranks like that.
I want Ava to be able to go to these academy with her head held up high, and for every one to know just how much of a smart ass she really was.
“Fine. You have yourself a deal. There’ll be no going back of your word after this is over, so anyone who wins, the other has to stick to the agreement no matter what.” she added.
She truly underestimates me incredibly, but I’m not offended about that.
“Fine by me.” I replied as I walked past her.
I was about to leave, but I stopped halfway and said, “I’m in love with Jeffery. I’m greedy and selfish about him, and that’s the kind of woman he needs. So, trust me when I say I don’t intend to lose… I think our time starts now” I concluded before walking through the door.
First thing first, I looked for Austin and when I found him, we quickly went to the lab to inspect Ava’s gadget.
I then informed the Director about the whole issue and he promised to do some investigations of his own, also giving us passage access to some unaccessible areas in the school.
Since Austin was a tech guru- knowing algorithm and sh’t, he was able to locate the source of malfunction of the gadget.
Turns out, it was a piece of reprogrammed codes that was tapped into the main program. And since it was very tiny, Ava didn’t notice it on time.
Freya and co must have done it, because Austin recognized the signature code as one belonging to a guy called Leo, who is in the same major as Austin. But unfortunately, Leo isn’t in town and wasn’t going to return until the next day.
It got quite late in the evening, so I had to leave. But I promised Austin that I’d be back the next day too, so he and I would go to confront Leo together, and ask him why he sabotaged Ava’s project?
The next day I went back to the campus, and as I suspected, Leo said he had sold the code to Freya the night before the presentation day.
So, it was time for the Director to step in and make Freya and her accomplice tell the truth and clear Ava’s name.
Even though Ava later found the code, she couldn’t track who it belonged to on time, so I won.
Freya and her friend confessed to their crime, apologized to Ava and were suspended for a month. They also made a viral video, stating that they were responsible for the malfunction of Ava’s project and that Ava remains the best.
3days later, Jeffery invited me to his father’s death anniversary and I accepted.
I was so excited that Ava finally decided to remain in Minnesota with her brother, and she would no longer be on my neck.
But the moment I arrived- even before Jeff could welcome me in, Ava stormed out of the house angrily, and I realized that I was still not welcomed.
I rushed out after her and lucky I caught up with her.
“Let me go!” She screamed as she shrugged my hands off her shoulder.
“What is your problem? I thought we had a deal?” I asked breathlessly from the running.
“What do you know? You only care about yourself you don’t care about anyone else!” She yelled in annoyance.
“Is that what you think?” I asked in shock.
“Yes!… it’s very obvious”
“Have you thought maybe it’s so obvious because I’m pretending to be?! Yes… I agree I don’t know anything, I’m dumb. But I know 2 things for sure, that I love your brother so automatically I love you too, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to see him happy. I tried so much to like you but you’re not making it easy for me to. I’ll leave- I’ll leave your brother’s life, but before I do that I have something to say to you Ava. Asking your brother to choose between us was a very foolish move. Putting him in that position meant you don’t love him as much as you say you do. You maybe intelligent but when it comes to your emotions, you are dumb fu’k. So, when that intelligent and smart lady comes- who fits your description of the ideal partner for Jeffery, just make sure she loves him, not from her head or just words but from her heart.” I said before I turned to leave.