Echoes of the Past

5. Creep and his Gf

Ava instantly regretted saying she would be alright. There she was, in a dark alley, staring at Google Maps on her phone, trying to find her way back home. Her bag, filled with chocolates and snacks, felt heavier with each step. Who would've thought a bag of treats could weigh so much?

She had forgotten how terrible she was with directions. Now, lost and frustrated, she wished she had never insisted on going out alone.

Meanwhile, Liam was out for a night walk when he spotted her. She was glued to her phone, her bag slipping from her hand. He couldn't understand why a girl would be out alone at night, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings.

Ava was trying to figure out her left from her right, only to realize she had been walking in the wrong direction. Her face flushed with embarrassment, turning a deep shade of red.

Liam's eyes twitched. "What the hell is wrong with this girl?" he thought, watching her walk one way, blush, and then turn the other way. He didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for her. He decided to follow her, curious about what she would do next.

Ava, completely confused, walked back to the shop to start her journey again. Liam, feeling like a stalker but too intrigued to stop, continued to follow her.

As she started again, Ava noticed a guy in a black hoodie trailing her. Panic set in. What should she do? Kick him in the balls and run? No, she would only get more lost. She decided to confront him, a choice that seemed better than her initial plan.

She turned around sharply, only to smack her forehead into a streetlamp. Liam, watching from a distance, was amazed by her clumsiness.

"You've got to be kidding me," Liam muttered, impressed by her ability to trip over nothing.

Ava winced in pain but wasn't about to let him off easily. "Excuse me!" she exclaimed, trying to control the pain.

"You're excused," Liam replied coolly.

"You've got to be joking, right?" she said, opening her eyes to see his chiseled face and deep blue eyes. For a moment, she was struck by how handsome her stalker was. But she quickly snapped back to reality.

"First, you follow me, creep! And now you disrespect me?" she said angrily.

"Wake up to reality. No one in their right mind would follow you for no reason. If they saw your face, they'd definitely not follow you," he said with a smirk.

Ava was stunned. Should she react or just kick him in the balls? She really wanted to choose the second option.

"Well, I think you weren't in your right mind then. Also, I'm way prettier than you," she said smugly.

Liam laughed. "Great joke. Haven't heard one like that in years."

Feeling disrespected, Ava turned red with anger. "Why am I wasting time talking to you? I could just call 911."

"Tomato, listen, I'd rather die than follow you. And besides, what's the cops gonna do to me? Arrest me? You clearly know nothing about me," he said, smirking.

"Excuse me? What did you just call me?"

"You heard me. Tomato. Want me to spell it out? T-O-M-A-T-O," he said slowly.

"I am not deaf!" she snapped.

"Whoa, don't get mad, Tomato. You're already red."

Before she could react, a pretty blonde girl walked up to Liam and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Liammm, I've been calling you like crazy," she said in an annoyingly fake voice.

The girl turned to Ava, glaring at her like a predator eyeing its prey. Her aura made Ava uncomfortable.

"Liam, why don't we go to my house and talk? There are some people who think too highly of themselves, even though they're peasants," she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

Ava was deeply offended but kept quiet, waiting to see what would happen next.

"Well, at least I'm not a wannabe," Ava muttered loud enough for the girl to hear.

"Excuse me?" the girl was shocked. No one had ever talked to her like that before.

Ava continued, "We all know you're putting on a fake voice to impress this creep. And for your information, it's annoying. Are you even living in the present? Peasant? Really? Have some self-esteem."

Liam was shocked. She might be clumsy, but she had a sharp tongue.

The blonde girl wanted to retaliate but held back, remembering Liam was there. Ava wasn't done. "You guys are perfect for each other, like two peas in a pod," she said, walking away, leaving them speechless.

The blonde girl was fuming but kept quiet. "Liam, come on! Forget about her. Let's go to my house and have fun," she said flirtatiously.

Even though Liam didn't want to go with her, he had told his mother he was busy, so he had no choice but to go along.

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