Ava's Dilemma
Ava sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone screen, her fingers gripping it so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
The last message from Zach still lingered on the screen:
Zach: Clock's ticking, Ava. Get me what I want.
Ava exhaled sharply, pressing her palm to her forehead. This wasn't supposed to happen.
Zach wasn't supposed to have power over her.
And yet, here she was, caught in a web she couldn't untangle.
She had always been careful. Always. She had made sure no one ever connected her and Mr. Calloway in a way that would raise suspicion. But somehow, someone had figured it out.
And now Zach knew.
Which meant she was trapped.
Ava's eyes flicked to her desk, where a few graded tests sat neatly stacked. Answer keys. Ones that Mr. Calloway had slipped her over the past few months. Proof.
If Zach wanted to ruin her, he could.
Ava bit her lip, her mind racing.
What did he even want from Jessica and Steven?
It didn't make sense. Zach had plenty of opportunities to mess with Jessica, he lived to get under her skin, but now he was suddenly interested in Steven, too?
It wasn't adding up.
And if Ava had learned anything, it was that Zach Monroe never played a game unless he was holding all the cards.
Which meant she needed to figure out what he really wanted.
Before it was too late.
Jessica's Unexpected Visitor
Jessica wasn't expecting company when her doorbell rang late that evening.
She had been curled up on the couch, half-watching a K-drama while texting Steven about their project when the chime interrupted her.
Frowning, she got up and peered through the peephole.
Ava.
Jessica opened the door. "Uh… hey?"
Ava stood there, arms crossed, shifting slightly on her feet. She looked uncomfortable, like she wasn't sure why she was there.
Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Did Jake finally do something dumb enough to make you ditch him for good?"
Ava let out a breathy laugh. "Not yet. But give him time."
Jessica smirked and stepped aside. "Come in."
Ava hesitated, then walked in, glancing around like she had never been inside before.
Jessica watched her curiously. "Okay, spill. What's up?"
Ava was quiet for a moment. Then, finally, she sighed.
"You ever keep a secret for so long that you don't even know what telling the truth feels like anymore?"
Jessica blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone.
"Uh… I mean, I guess?" she said slowly. "Depends on the secret."
Ava nodded, biting her lip. "Right."
Jessica folded her arms. "Are we talking, like, serious secret, or something embarrassing? Because if you, like, secretly listen to country music, I...."
Ava let out a short laugh. "No. It's serious."
Jessica's amusement faded. "Okay. Then… what is it?"
Ava hesitated again, then exhaled.
"I think Zach is planning something. And I think he's using me to do it."
Jessica studied her. "What do you mean 'using you'?"
Ava swallowed. "He… he knows something about me. Something I really don't want getting out."
Jessica didn't press. Not yet.
"But he's blackmailing me to steal something from you and Steven," Ava admitted, her voice low. "I don't know what. He won't tell me. Just that it's important."
Jessica frowned.
"Wait, he wants you to steal from us? Why?"
Ava shook her head. "I don't know. That's what I'm trying to figure out."
Jessica exhaled, rubbing her forehead. "God. Why is he like this?"
Ava let out a bitter laugh. "Because he thinks it's fun."
Jessica paced for a second, processing.
"So let me get this straight," she said. "Zach has dirt on you. He's using it to make you steal something from me and Steven. And you're telling me because…?"
Ava sighed. "Because I don't want to do it. And because if Zach is going this far, it means whatever he wants isn't just a 'harmless prank' like he's pretending."
Jessica nodded slowly.
Ava's eyes flicked to her. "You're not going to ask what he has on me?"
Jessica shrugged. "It's your business. If you want to tell me, you will."
Ava looked at her for a long moment, then muttered, "I'm havi an affair."
Jessica froze.
Ava forced a humorless smile. "There. Now you know."
Jessica's brain short-circuited for a second. "With..... who?"
Ava rolled her eyes. "A Teacher."
Jessica just stared at her. "Holy. Shit."
Ava let out a breath. "Yeah."
Jessica ran a hand through her hair. "That's… okay. That's a lot."
Ava looked away. "I know."
Jessica sat down, still trying to wrap her head around it.
"So… does Chloe know?"
Ava stiffened. "Why would you ask that?"
Jessica frowned. "I mean… she's been acting weird lately. And if Zach knows, then,"
Ava swore under her breath. "Of course."
Jessica narrowed her eyes. "You think Chloe told him?"
Ava exhaled sharply. "I don't know how she found out, but if Zach knows, someone gave it to him."
Jessica sat back. "Wow."
Ava shook her head. "Look, none of this matters right now. What matters is figuring out what Zach actually wants from you and Steven."
Jessica nodded slowly.
"You're right," she said. "We need to be careful."
Ava gave a dry laugh. "Yeah. No kidding."
Jessica met her gaze. "Thanks for telling me, though."
Ava hesitated, then shrugged. "Yeah, well. Don't make me regret it."
Jessica smirked slightly. "No promises."
Ava rolled her eyes but, for the first time all night, looked a little less like she was suffocating.
And Jessica, despite everything, had the strangest feeling that this was the beginning of something new.
Something real.
Something that might just change everything.