Page 64 of Ava: Part One

Why was she always the only one in detention with him? Had he been assigned to this room on purpose? What the hell was he? The dean had hinted that he was receiving reports from her other teachers about her progress. Was Mr Patrick one of them? Was he a spy?

Mr Patrick made a face and put his pen down before he met her gaze.

“Seriously?” he asked.

“So I’m right. You are reading my mind.”

“You project all your infantile thoughts so loudly,” Mr Patrick snapped. “It’s like being in a room with a psychopath. Learn to meditate and focus your thoughts, for heaven’s sake.”

“For whose benefit?”

“Yours! So you can pick the best course of action without thinking that escaping through that forest is a viable option. The forest doesn’t make any exceptions. You will die,” Mr Patrick said.

“Stop invading my privacy. What I think is none of your business.”

Mr Patrick slammed his books shut and shook his head as he stood.

“Then on your head be it,” he said as he picked his work up. “Dismissed.”

She looked at the clock above the board at the front of the room. She had only been in detention for fifteen minutes. Jared wouldn’t pick her up for another forty-five. Her anxiety ramped up as she watched the teacher start to walk out of the room.

“It’s not time yet!” she protested.

“Stay here by yourself if you wish. It’s Friday night. I have better things to do with my time than babysit you.”

“Sir!”

But he was already gone, and she knew it was pointless running after him. She stuffed her tablet into her bag and rushed to leave the room. It was still dinner time, so she knew other students would still be in the area. The last person she wanted to see again was Claire.

She kept her head down and walked out of the First Year block, ignoring the whispers and laughter. When she made it outside, she thought of the long walk ahead of her. At least the sun hadn’t set yet, so she wouldn’t be jumping at shadows and any little noise.

“Ava.”

She tensed a little at Emily’s voice and then started walking quickly without looking back. She had a vague idea of which road to take to get to Jared’s house now that she had been there a few times.

Emily continued calling her name. Loudly. If anyone hadn’t known where she was, they did now. She swore to herself as she forced herself to stop and face the Omega.

“I thought you were in detention again. Is everything okay? Skipping detention is even worse than skipping a lesson; you get double the penalty,” Emily said as she approached.

As if she cared. Ava remained silent. She could forgive the Omega for turning her back on her, but even if she hadn’t, she wasn’t one to give her trust away again so easily.

Emily must have read into the silence because she sighed and said, “I messed up. I get it. But I’ve heard so many things today about you that I don’t think you should be out here alone. If Alpha Anderson isn’t here, at least let me walk with you.”

Emily would just stand aside if anyone attacked her, but Ava didn’t point that out; she just turned around and continued walking. And to her credit, Emily didn’t give her any fake apologies as she walked slightly behind her. When they were walking past the dining hall, she tensed at the number of students still hanging around outside, but none of them said anything to her.

Emily let out a breath behind her as if she had also been expecting trouble.

“Crap,” Emily muttered.

With her heart beating loudly, she turned to face Emily. What was it now?

“I’m being summoned,” Emily said with an eye roll. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Duty calls. At least you got lucky on that; you don’t have to be at anyone’s beck and call twenty-four-seven. Take a left on the next road and walk as fast as you can. You’ll come outon Alpha Anderson’s road. If you meet any trouble there, just scream; they’ll all hear you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, Emily turned back the way she had come and used her supernatural speed to jog away. Envious, she watched the Omega until she turned off the road. If she had that speed, these walks to and from her lessons wouldn’t be so draining. If she had that, she wouldn’t be in this position at all.

With a sigh, she took her tablet out to check the directions Emily had given her, and it turned out the Omega hadn’t lied. The next turn was a shortcut that she would have missed.

She felt that prickling at the back of her head and started jogging. She saw no one behind her, but that didn’t mean no one was there. Claire would be waiting to catch her alone.

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