Celebrity

Anonymous Tip

Thomas's POV
    I hear birds are chirping outside my bedroom window, and I know that it's morning. Most mornings for are relatively lovely, but this one signifies a dark day.
     Today's the day, I finally get the verdict on my punishment. All for a mistake I shouldn't have done. How could I be so stupid. Cheating in an exam. At an institution that is of the highest quality.
      All because of her. Ava. I dedicated all my time for her, that I neglected my own.
        I finally get off the bed, and open the curtains. I make my way to the kitchen to get an apple.
        I still can't believe that I put my future in jeopardy, all for a girl. A girl who will be richer that I'll ever be. Even after all this I still can't hate her.
      Every now and then, a thought comes to my head 'can Ava get me out of this one too'. But I instantly shake it off. Because I can't afford to let her in again otherwise, I might not get out. I can't afford to let that happen.
       A knock pulls me out of my thoughts. I open the door, to see Max drenched in sweat. He can barely catch his breath. I let him in, and hand him my towel.
       "What happened to you?" I ask. He takes a moment to control his breathing. "I ran...away from...dogs a block away." I burst into laughter, he keeps on telling me to stop, and it only makes me laugh more. "How did you even get in that situation?" He looks down on the ground takes a deep breath, "well-- I had papers for school, that blew out of my hands into some yard. I had to go into the yard found a dog, and run." That's a pretty hilarious story.
         "Enough of that, let's go," Max says to silence my laughter. I want to delay leaving, but it seems more inevitable. Max has no clue what's going on. I think it's time.
          "Max I have some --"
           "Did you hear that someone cheated in a test in your class," how did he find out. "How, did you know?"
     "It been a rumor going around, any clue who it may be?"
      "That's what I'm trying to say." I take a deep breath "I'm the one who did it." He takes a moment to respond, which makes me more anxious. "Did what -- you're...the guy who cheated.,"
        "Yeah."
        He sighs, and gets to his feet "so what's going to happen to you?"
         "I don't know, I'm supposed to find out today."
         "You can't ask Ava to -- you know?" I stare at him, wondering what does he mean? "What're you talking about?" Max puts his hand on his face, and shakes his head. "Like bribing, that's what I mean." He wants me to ask her to...bribe Harvard. "No -- I can't do that, it's just not me." He looks down a bit disappointed. "I'm sorry for suggesting that -- now what are you going to do?" That's the million dollar question. I don't think, I have any options.
     "I guess, I have to take what ever punishment they have for me." It's a bitter pill to swallow, but it's one I have to take. My future ends here in America. "But what made you cheat? I don't understand." I walk over to the couch were he is standing before, I sit down.
       "I became too --Ava focused,"I say.
       "What do you mean?" Max asks.
       "I focused too much on spending time, and being her 'fake' assistant that I lost sight on what's important." Max takes a seat further from me, but on the same couch. "So you're telling me this might be the end?" I nod, and I can tell from his eyes that he might be tearing up.
        I feel like I've been here before. That's because I have. Earlier in the year, when my scholarship got revoked. Then, I had Ava to save me. But now she can't, and even if she can I don't want her to. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her in days, well at least not in person. When it comes to social media, I always see her.
       "I think it's now time to go, and seal my fate."

***

      We arrive on campus, and we are storming through the halls. We separate at Max's class, he wishes me good luck. Now it's just me, with my own fate. It was always like that, but Max made it seem better.
        I stand in front of the dean's office. I inhale and exhale for a moment till, I knock on the door. After no response, I just come in without permission.
         The dean is seated at a couch on the right side of office. It weird because I've never seen him sit there before. His reading, what I can only assume is a magazine or Manga. He takes off his glasses, and looks up at me.
        "Mr Phiri, I see you have come for your punishment." I nod slowly. "Well that's not going to be an issues anymore, you have received a kind donation to let you go Scott free." My eyes widen at the words of the dean. What does he mean 'a kind donation'.
       "Who made this 'donation'?" I ask.
      He gets up off the couch, and strolls back to his desk to sit his office chair. "They left it anonymous." He say with smug. "Do I'm dismissed?"
"Sure."
      I quickly walk out of the office, and shut the door. I don't know whether I should be happy or angry. On one hand, I'm still a Harvard student on  the other, someone bribed the dean on my behalf. I was fully ready for the worst, and face the consequences for my actions. Just like I always did back at home.
       I need to find out who did this. There's only one person who's got the funds, and reputation of to do something like this that's no other than; Ava Wilder.
      But why would she do it? An even better question is how did she know? I haven't seen her or talked to her in days. She could probably hire someone to look after me. But she's so busy to start keeping tabs on me. A nobody. There's only one way to find out. That's to see her.

***

      I arrive at Ava's mansion, and stare at big tall gates. They're two guards standing before it. One of which that I know. His name is Paul. He stands usually on the right, but today for some reason is standing on the left. I walk up to him
      "Thomas!" Paul exclaims. We hug each other. The guy is way taller than me. His like six foot four. "Long time, no see." Sometimes he gets too overjoyed when he sees me. "I'm looking for Ava is she home?"
     "No she isn't -- she has been gone for an hour for album launch party preparations." Damnit-- curse her, and her busy schedule. "You should come." Paul continues "it's being held at the City Hall."
      "Sure-- I'll think about it." We fist bump, and head out separate ways. I manage to find a cab, that will take me to City Hall.
       When I get off the cab. I'm astonished by the number of people who are present. I can't believe this is just preparation. What more the actual thing. It will be impossible to find her.
      City Hall is a huge building with two other smaller buildings on either side of it. Their right in the middle, leaving a huge space around it.
        I walk through the gate, and my path has been immediately covered by people. I have kind of squeeze myself through the crowd of bodies.
       When I finally get into the main building. I feel quite a lot better, with a bit space to move, and breathe. I scanned the room. There all sorts of photos of Ava. So many of them with blue roses. There's this big sign reading, "WHEN MY LOVE TURNS BLUE"
         That, I assume is the album title. I trying seeing further above the sea of bodies. Till I finally spot her, she's right on the steps on stage. She's speaking with Christopher Mathews. Who I hate for some reason.
          I quickly try get there as quickly as possible, but I continuously get slowed down by the amount of people I have to get through.
        I get to the front, and she catches my eye. She's looking absolutely stunning. Wearing a light blue dress with a some white patterns on it. I walk over to the stairs, they can't fit the three of us at once so I have to stand by the side.
        "Ava can we speak? -- in private." I say whilst I pass a look at Christopher. "Sure." Ava agrees, so she descends down the stairs. She walks to the back, and I follow her closely behind. She leads us getting out a door at the back. We are outside, and you can barely hear anyone here.
      She turns to face me. "What is it?" She says very aggressively. It's definitely not like her usual self, it makes me want to ask what's going on with her. But I need to stay on business, no matter what I'm feeling.
     "I need to ask you something."
     "Shoot."
      "Did you bribe the dean at Harvard to get me out of trouble?" I ask. Ava seems to be between anger and surprise. "How could you even ask me that, weren't you the guy who wanted space" I can hear the irritation in her voice. But could this all just be an act. A show she's put on to not suspect her. If it is she's doing great job, I almost got fooled.
       "I know I wanted space, but you ruined that when you bribed the dean." I raise my voice.
      "I didn't do any of that, I didn't know you were even trouble," now she's raising her voice.
      "Just admit it, that you couldn't stay away."
      "I can, and I did."
      "Liar"
       "If you won't believe then just leave, you weren't invited so it should stay that way." Ava walks up to the door, and opens waiting for me to get in first. Maybe I was wrong, maybe it wasn't her after all.