Never Underestimate Destiny

Part 23

(Tuesday November 14)

Ava sat at the table, eating her cereal absent – mindedly as she watched Zan.

He was definitely different, she decided. He was smiling all the time and he seemed so happy, and she was sure she knew why. Liz.

Sure, he'd told her it was an impossible situation with Liz, but he must have worked it out. He'd never be so happy if he wasn't with her.

And Ava was happy for him. Zan deserved to be with the woman he loved. She just wondered why they were keeping it so quiet.

He looked up, meeting her eyes. "What?" He asked. "You've been staring at me for like five minutes."

Ava smiled. "You're with Liz," she stated, without a doubt in her mind.

Zan was shocked, and it showed on his face.

Ava laughed. "It's so obvious," she said. "I was watching you with her at practice the other day and you looked so comfortable together. You whispered to her, and she touched you. You are definitely more than friends. And I've never seen you so happy."

He was about to deny her words but he shook his head in disbelief. She knew him so well.

"You can't say anything," he said, smiling.

She jumped up, rushing around the table and hugged him. "Oh Zan, I'm so happy for you. I knew it would work out. You guys are perfect together."

He hugged her back, chuckling. "Really though, you can't tell anyone."

Pulling back, she met his eyes. "Why not? What's going on?"

Briefly he considered telling her, but he'd agreed to keep it quiet for now. "Ava, it is more complicated than you could possibly imagine. But yes, I'm with Liz, and we're happy."

She shook her head. "You're not going to be able to keep it quiet for long," she said. "I'm surprised no one else has noticed you two together."

Zan nodded, taking in her words. "We will tell people when we can," he said. "Things are just so difficult right now with Lonnie and Rath out to kill us.

Ava's eyes widened. "You're afraid that Lonnie and Rath will go after Liz if they found out you love her."

"That's part of it," he agreed.

She studied him for a moment, wondering what else stood in their way, but decided he'd tell her when he was ready.

Nodding, she met his eyes. "I understand. I won't say anything."

"I know you won't" he assured her. Tilting his head, he smiled as he changed the subject. "So what is going on with you and Kyle?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tess watched across the room as Liz and Max sat talking over their Chemistry experiment. They weren't touching or flirting, but it was so obvious that they were back together.

They were sitting a little too close together, and they held each others' gaze a little too long for people who were just friends.

She was amazed that no one else seemed to notice.

Of course Max had told her that he wouldn't be with her, and Tess suspected he was trying to get back with Liz. But seeing it in front of her made her stomach twist with jealously.

Max was supposed to be with her.

Tess took a deep breath. It didn't matter what Max did with Liz. She was just a distraction to him. In the end, Max would realize how unimportant Liz was, and he would turn to her.