Chapter 1
Ava sat at her dresser with a huff, picking up a brush to run through her hair. All the unpacking and arranging over the weekend had been exhausting, but she still had to get ready for school.
It was her first day at Evergreen High, the third school she would be transferring to, and for once she felt a little glad about moving. Things had been hectic at her previous school, and she found herself looking forward to a fresh start.
Sometimes she wished her mother didn’t work at the car factory. Then she wouldn’t have had to change schools three times. Just when things started to feel stable, when she was finally getting used to her life, her mother would get transferred, and they’d have to move again.
And then she thought, maybe if her father hadn’t died, her mother wouldn’t have to work at the factory at all.
It had been the toughest time of her life. Her mother had taken on so much responsibility, working tirelessly to keep them comfortable. But her father’s death had left a huge hole in Ava’s heart, and every time they moved, his absence felt even more obvious.
She set down the brush and mindlessly picked up a scrunchie. She was about to tie her hair when she realized it wasn’t hers. She instantly recognized it as Louisa’s, a friend from her previous school.
At the thought of everything that had happened between them, she sighed and tossed the scrunchie into the bin beside her dresser.
This time, I won’t get too attached, she thought. It won’t hurt as much when I have to leave again. Nothing lasts forever anyway.
She stood up, deciding to leave her long, wavy black hair down, and went over to pick up her backpack from the bed. Time to go.
***
“You’ll love it, Ava. It’s a very nice school.” Rita smiled, glancing at her daughter while steering.
“Yeah, you said the same thing about the other schools I went to,” Ava quipped, staring out the window. The city had quite a view.
Rita glanced at her again, her smile faltering. “But they were, right?”
Ava just shrugged, then turned to give her mother a small reassuring smile.
Rita sighed. Ava caught a flicker of guilt in her eyes before she looked back at the road. “I’m sorry you had to leave your old school…your friends.”
“Well, it’s not like I had a lot of friends,” Ava mumbled, staring out the window again.
“What about Louisa?” Rita asked softly.
Ava ran her fingers through her hair, hiding the frown on her face at the mention of Louisa. “She called me a bad friend because she thought I stole her boyfriend.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. John was just a classmate.” Her voice sharpened without meaning to.
Rita shot her another glance. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I promise this will be the last time you’ll have to move. You’re turning eighteen soon, and this is your last year of high school. Just bear with me, okay?”
“It’s fine, Mom. I mean, for the first time…I’m actually glad we had to move,” Ava said, smiling at her.
Rita’s shoulders relaxed, a small smile on her face too. “Okay. I just hope you love your new school, settle in, and like it here.”
“I will.”
***
Evergreen High was a large and bright school, surrounded by tall trees and a beautiful lawn, and filled with the chatter of students moving between classes.
Ava kept looking around as she walked behind the teacher who was leading her to her assigned class. She had learned his name was Mr. James, and he was going to be her homeroom teacher.
Some students glanced at her every now and then as they passed by, but it didn’t bother her so much. Being new had somehow become a routine, a routine she was starting to get tired of.
Mr. James walked into a class, but she paused at the entrance. There was that moment of nerves she always had before walking into a room full of students who were going to determine how her school life was going to be for the next few months.
She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It will be fine, she told herself.
She could hear the students loudly joking around, and a little smile tugged at her lips when Mr. James’s husky voice quickly got their attention. “All right, all right, that’s enough!”
Ava peeked inside slightly and saw them all scramble back to their seats and sit up properly.
“I’ve yet to walk into this class and find you all actually studying,” Mr. James deadpanned, arms crossed as he leaned against his desk.
“That’s because you never come in when we’re studying,” a guy quipped, and everyone laughed.
Mr. James rolled his eyes. “Anyway, we have a new student today,” he said and looked toward the entrance. “Come on in,” he beckoned to Ava as she still stood at the entrance of the class.
She stepped inside, and everyone went silent, observing every part of her. Ava was undeniably beautiful, and sometimes it was just hard for people to ignore.
“You can introduce yourself,” Mr. James told her as she stood next to him.
She faced the class with a little smile. “Hello, everyone. I’m Ava Hart, and I hope we all get along well.” Everyone immediately applauded, and she noticed some of them had welcoming smiles on their faces.
“So, she’ll be your new classmate, and I expect you all to treat her well,” Mr. James announced, nodding toward Ava. “You can take a seat.”
“Thank you, Mr. James.” Ava clutched the strap of her bag, scanning the room for an empty seat. Then she walked down the aisle after spotting one.
Some girls eyed her with envy, while some guys smirked and winked at her. She also heard snippets of whispers. “Damn,” one guy muttered under his breath.
Her cheeks warmed, but she kept her gaze forward until she reached the back. She realized the only empty seat was beside a guy who looked like he’d stepped out of a magazine: beautiful intent eyes, sharp jawline, and effortless confidence.
A model in uniform, she thought.
He glanced up at her, lips quirking into a smirk. He tilted his head toward the empty chair, a silent invitation for her to sit.
Ava hesitated a little before taking off her bag and slowly sat next to him, hyperaware of the eyes of students still glued to her.
good