Visions of Fate

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - THE SNAP OF DECEIT

Ethan drove me to school the next day, in his Toyota car. In our moment of revelation, he'd disclosed that his family and the Patels owned and financed multiple estates in their name, making them among one of the richest people in town.

He'd disclosed that the Toyota was his first, and therefore his best car, majorly because he didn't like to display his wealth, which was why he got a job – to feel included, and like the normal teenager he was. So I guessed that was also why he hadn't mentioned any of that to me.

But in that moment, I discovered that Ethan's wealth didn't mean anything to me. His display of his father's success in his life didn't make me see him as more or less of a human, or even the one I loved.

And to some extent, I was grateful he hadn't displayed his wealth to me. Because I got to know who the real Ethan Halls was, without all the money and fame.

Ethan had insisted on being with me throughout the day in school, but I'd politely declined. I didn't want to draw too much attention while still grieving my mother. So he'd gave me a kiss before we both stepped out of his car and split up.

Which was how I found myself in my almost empty classroom, drawing lazy circles in place of my geography assignment. Actually, my mind was still in Ravenswood General Hospital. My mind was still with Mom on her bed with only her heart monitor to keep her company.

Dad had already booked a flight which was due in two days, enough time the doctors needed. But not enough time I needed to get over the fact that I would be meeting Dad again. I was still in shock when I woke up that morning, I had to check our chats from the previous night to confirm his arrival this Thursday.

I was seldom excited that after Dad arrives, the doctors would be able to fully treat Mom and give her the necessary diagnosis to aid her back to health, but that was where it ended. Because even as I fumed over all of this, I still couldn't bring myself to settle with the fact that I would be seeing Dad again.

"What's wrong, Emily? Are you okay?" a curious voice made me jump with a start, and I snapped into reality, peering up to see Ava in front of me, delight and evil dancing on her face, and a plastic cup of coffee on her manicured hand. The sight of her shirt caught my attention, with the top three buttons undone, making the split of her tiny breasts peek out from underneath.

"Your shirt is undone," I told her.

"So?" She rolled her eyes. "I like it that way."

"Neither would the teachers."

"That's their business."

"Why are you here, Ava?" I folded my arms across my chest.

"I just came to check up on my little friend," I wanted to slap that sarcasm right off her face.

"Haha, joke taken. Is there any other thing you'd like to throw across, or do you just want more attention than you already have?"

"And you think I'm the mean one," she scowled, impending anger already disguising its way to her face.

"Which makes me brutally honest," I matched her anger with mine. "So you better mind your business before I take that name tag from you."

"You think I want to be here?" She animatedly held in a laugh, which then turned into a scoff. Then she pulled out her phone from her pocket and began scrolling through it. "I just came to show my little friend something that might spark her interest."

I pushed up a brow as she kept scrolling, before she smiled and shoved her phone into my face. It was a picture of Ethan and I in his car parked in the school's driveway. The picture was obviously taken from a far distance, so the sunlight and shade were the most prominent on his windshield. But they were enough to capture Ethan's lips on mine. She'd captured the two seconds kiss Ethan and I had shared before splitting up in school.