Dear Ava

Chapter 9

"Mason, let's go," Ava had said. It was after their lectures, one fine sunny afternoon. "Look. You promised me you were taking me to that Cafe today?"

"Yup, Ava, let me just finish this assignment, and then we can go," Mason had replied.

"Ok, fine," Ava took out a book from her bag and began to read it sitting beside him.

All of a sudden, a commotion could be heard outside the library, "Let's go see who that is" Mason said and immediately rushed outside with Ava behind him. The scene unfolding before them was a peculiar one. Bullying was usually not prevalent in universities, but there they were, with Noah Sullivan, hanging another boy by his collar and threatening him.

"Where are they?"Noah's words were so menacing, they had sent a chill down Ava's back.

"What is going on here?" without Ava's knowledge, Mason had stepped in.

"What is going on here?" Mason asked, a little louder this time. This got Noah's attention. 

"What's that got to do with you, eh?" Noah had also increased his voice now, "Get away from here, all of you, especially you" he pointed to Mason, "If you want to stay alive." he added in a cold tone.

"I would like for you to leave him." Paying no attention to Noah's words, Mason pointed at the other boy. "Right now," he demanded.

"You little..." Noah lunged for Mason, but the college dean entered. The problem was sorted out and Noah was suspended for a few weeks. But, from that day onwards, Noah had always been a problem for Mason.

The last thing Ava wanted was a confrontation with Noah. She would do anything to get out of this situation. But she had to turn back and face him. She had mostly bad memories from him, but she was stronger now.

"Heard that the Golden Boy is dead. That's good, ain't it?"

Ava turned to see Noah, with an almost smirk on his face. She just couldn't fathom, how one could be so hateful. "He is no more, what do you want? At least leave him alone now" she wanted to scream that out. Instead.

"No one is interested in what you want to say. So, I request you keep your mouth shut," she replied as calmly as she could. Mason would also have done that, stood up for himself in the kindest way he could, so Ava followed his way.

"Oh, yeah? Acted so brave, in the end, he committed...."

"Shut up," she spoke coldly. She turned and walked out of the University. She couldn't take more of Noah.

"Scared, huh? Golden boy ain't here to save ya.." Noah spoke.

"Just, just go away Noah. And stop, stop with all your shit, please...." Ava was on the verge of tears.

"Just wanted to hand you back this" Noah dropped a scarf on the ground and walked out of sight.

But all Ava did was stare at the scarf. It's black and white dots, told her she knew it, so she immediately picked it up.

'M.G' Mason Gray. When Ava read those initials, she knew this was Mason's lucky scarf. The one that his parents had gifted him, the one he used to carry with him most of the time.

'What was it doing with Noah? Why was it with him?' Soon her thoughts turned from these harmless questions into the form of accusations. 'What if this was the stolen thing?'

"James..." Ava had immediately called him. "Meet me, my place, right now."