CHAPTER 10/ A FAMILIAR NAME
758 Words
Ava slowly opened her eyes, groggily taking in her surroundings. She was in her dorm room, lying on her bed. The events of the previous night came flooding back, and she winced, remembering the pain and humiliation she had felt.
Just then, she heard a soft knock on the door. "Ava, can I come in?" Ruby's voice was hesitant, apologetic.
Ava hesitated, unsure if she was ready to face Ruby yet. But something in Ruby's tone made her nod, even though Ruby couldn't see her. "Yeah, come in."
Ruby opened the door and slipped inside, looking contrite. "Ava, I'm so sorry about what happened last night. I was totally out of line, and I shouldn't have pushed you like that."
Ava sat up, her eyes narrowing. "You think?"
Ruby took a deep breath. "I know I can't excuse what I did, but I just wanted to help you move on from Ethan. I know how much you're still hurting, and I thought maybe if you faced your fears, you could start to heal."
Ava raised an eyebrow. "You thought getting me to kiss Roy would help me move on?"
Ruby winced. "I know it was a stupid idea. I wasn't thinking about what you needed; I was just trying to fix the problem. But I realize now that I only made things worse."
Ava studied Ruby's face, seeing the genuine remorse there. She sighed, her anger slowly dissipating. "Just be more careful next time, okay?"
Ruby nodded, relief washing over her face. "I promise. And can I make it up to you? Maybe we can grab breakfast together or something?"
Ava smiled, a small smile, but a start. "Yeah, that sounds good."
Even though Ava and Ruby hadn't got off on a good start, they still weren't enemies, Ruby was always there for her though sometimes she could be really annoying and unbearable.
Ava stood up from her bed and walked over to her radio, flipping it on to start her day with some music. But instead of her favorite morning DJ, a somber news anchor's voice filled the room.
"Tragedy has struck the campus of Oakwood University, as a young woman was found dead in the woods early this morning. The victim has been identified as 20-year-old Sophia Jackson, a junior majoring in psychology."
Ava's eyes widened as she listened, her mind racing. Sophia Jackson... the name seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Who was Sophia? And why did her name sound so familiar?
She stood there, frozen, as the broadcast continued. "The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Sophia's death, but so far, no details have been released. The campus community is in shock, and counseling services are available for students affected by this tragedy."
Ava's thoughts were a jumbled mess. She couldn't shake the feeling that she knew Sophia, but where from? Had they had a class together? Were they friends on social media? The more she tried to remember, the more her head spun.
Suddenly, Ruby's voice broke through her thoughts. "Ava, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Ava's eyes still fixed on the radio, she barely whispered, "Sophia Jackson... I know that name."
Ruby's expression changed, and she said, "Oh, you mean the girl you kicked ass the other day? I was watching from afar, wondering if you'd need any help, but it seemed like you had it under control."
Ava's eyes snapped back to Ruby, and her mind raced as the memories came flooding back. Sophia Jackson - the bully from that other day. That's why the name sounded so familiar!
Ava's eyes widened in shock, and she felt a chill run down her spine.
Ava's mind raced as she tried to piece together the events of the previous night. She had a nagging feeling that she had seen Sophia... but her memories were hazy and unclear.
Ava's eyes dropped, her thoughts consumed by the mystery of the previous night. She didn't want to reveal her suspicions to Ruby. She needed to process her thoughts and gather more information before sharing her concerns with anyone.
"Hey, Ruby, I'm just going to go take a shower and try to wake up a bit," Ava said, trying to sound casual. "I'll catch up with you later, okay?"
Ruby nodded, seemingly oblivious to Ava's inner turmoil. "Yeah, sure thing. I'll be heading to class."
Ava nodded and headed to the bathroom, her mind still reeling with questions and fears. What had happened last night? And why couldn't she remember?
- Writer
