They Don't Know About Us (BWWM)

Chapter 7

After another week of class, Ava could confirm that something was up with Gavin. She had visited his office hours numerous times to develop her paper on authoritarian parenting, and she had noticed how off he seemed. It was like he was on edge for some reason, telling by how his eyes constantly shifted to the door and how his leg bounced beneath his desk rapidly. It differed from his usual calm demeanor, and Ava had no idea what was going on with him. Ever since he got spooked off when they had gotten coffee, he had acted odd.

However, despite his weird behavior, she had grown even more comfortable being around him. She didn't tiptoe around him as much, focusing more on their casual conversations about life and in depth conversations about psychology. She still hadn't been able to learn much about his life outside of school or his past, but she had learned more and more about his love for education and research, especially psychology. He told her that knowledge was the greatest weapon and asset to have in this world, and Ava found herself agreeing with him.

To her surprise, Gavin had become her favorite professor due to all of the outside help he gave her and how open of a listener he was with her. She had opened up a little about her parents and their behavior toward her because her paper touched on it, and he had listened to her words carefully and even offered suggestions on how to avoid or solve conflict with them. It was like seeing a counselor, giving her more clarity and confidence than she had possessed in awhile. She felt like pieces were starting to fall into place with her life with her great grades, clearer outlook on life, and friends. Then, she was woken up by sharp knocking on her dorm door.

Ava jolted awake, her eyes blinking rapidly to try to coax away her blurry vision. Her phone read midnight, prompting a confused look on her face as she wondered if she had imagined the knock or not. No one would be knocking on her door at that time of night because Jackie was in bed also looking startled. After another round of knocks, she jumped out of bed and hurried to the door, figuring it was a resident assistant, but Stephanie came into view with a beaten up Darren leaning on her shoulder.

"I had to sneak him through the back. He had called me ... and I didn't know what to do. Ava, help," Stephanie immediately started sobbing as she nearly dragged Darren inside, the blood running from his nose and a cut on his lip staining her white blouse. She gently set him on the floor of the dorm, tears coursing down her cheeks as she leaned over him. "It's okay, baby."

"What happened?" Jackie asked as she sprung out of bed, kneeling next to Darren to check him over.

"Someone ... jumped me ... after rounds," Darren gritted out through his teeth, pain coursing through him as he held his bruised side.

"He doesn't really have enemies. I don't know who would have done this," Stephanie whimpered, her fingers gently stroking Darren's cheek.

Ava stared down at Darren, noting how beaten down he looked. Someone had laid into him, and he was probably lucky to be far away from them because the damage could have been way worse. She placed a comforting hand on Stephanie's shoulder, unsure of what to do, but she still wanted to be there for her friend. Her phone chimed on her nightstand, prompting her other hand to reach out and grab it to check the message she had received. It was from an unknown number.

Come outside without a word to avoid more trouble.

Ava felt a shiver shudder down her spine, anxiety building up inside of her as she read the text a few times to be sure that she had actually read that. She wondered who the text was from, but she almost didn't want to know. She especially didn't want to go outside and meet them, but anymore trouble would mean Darren or someone else getting more hurt. Her first instinct was to protect her friends, so she quietly snuck around Jackie and Stephanie as they talked to one another. When she made it to the door, she glanced back to make sure no one was looking only to see Darren staring at her. When he shook his head subtly at her, she frowned, feeling conflicted, but she left. She had to keep them all safe no matter the risks.